Congress Makes Changes to Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Program

On February 17, 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 that includes the Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act (TGAAA) amended the Trade Act of 1974, the law authorizing Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms (TAAF) program.

On May 17, 2009 TGAAA made the following changes to TAAF:

• Adds service firms to the potentially eligible firms for TAAF.
• Expand the "look-back period" to one, two, or three years in determining eligibility.

The decision to allow service firms to apply for eligibility in TAA was based on the fact that 80% of U.S. workers are employed in the service sector. Service firms potentially eligible for TAA: (Any firm competing globally.)

• Professional and Business Services: Computer programming, software, advertising, engineering, accounting, insurance and legal services.
• Educational Services: On-line educational services.
• Health Care: Medical and dental laboratories.

TAA benefits for service and manufacturing firms:

• Improved Business Performance: Increase sales, lower production or administrative costs, upgrades to IT, compliance registration in ISO-9000, CE Marking, etc.
• Monetary Assistance for Improvement Projects: Cost sharing projects up to $150k.
• Objective Analysis of the Firm's Operations.
• Objective Analysis of the Firm's Competitors.
• On-going Support to Improve Business and Profits: Work with firms in numerous projects.