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Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance 2011 (RTAA)

RTAA provides assistance to eligible Trade-affected workers age 50 or older who obtain new employment that pays less than their Trade-affected employment.

RTAA benefits and requirements under the Trade Act of 2011 apply to Trade Act petitions filed on or after Feb. 15, 2011. The 2011 Trade Act became law on Oct. 21, 2011 and retroactively covered petitions filed on or after Feb. 15, 2011. Claimants who had already received certain Trade Act benefits and services under the previous Trade Act are to be offered a one time election to continue receiving benefits under the 2002 Trade Act or to begin receiving benefits under the new 2011 Trade Act. If you qualified for the election and chose to continue to receive benefits under the Trade Act of 2002 please read the information on ATAA 2002.

To qualify, the worker:

Must apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and receive a determination entitling the worker to TAA from the UC service center
Must be at least 50 years of age at time of reemployment
a. If not enrolled in Trade Act approved training, must be reemployed full time as defined by the state; or b. If enrolled in Trade Act approved training (full-time), must be employed at least 20 hours per week
May not be employed by the certified employer
Cannot be projected to earn more than $50,000 each year in the new employment

Benefits of RTAA for qualified workers:

If no TRA benefits have been received by the worker:
1. RTAA pays 50 percent of the difference between the worker's wages at the time of the qualifying separation and the worker's wages from new employment.
2. RTAA benefits may be paid for a period of up to two years beginning on either the date of exhaustion of eligibility for UC benefits based on the separation from Trade-affected employment or the date the worker obtains new employment, whichever is earlier.
3. RTAA benefits may not exceed the maximum of $10,000 in an eligibility period.
4. RTAA participants may be eligible for the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC).
5. Workers who are interested in the RTAA program should take advantage of all available reemployment services offered by the PA CareerLink®.
6. If a worker pursuing RTAA is not able to obtain new employment after a qualifying separation, the worker should contact the PA CareerLink® TAA representative to consider other TAA benefit options, including training.
If TRA benefits have been received by the worker:
1. RTAA pays 50 percent of the difference between the worker's wages at the time of the qualifying separation and the worker's wages from new employment.
2. RTAA benefits may be paid for a period of up to two years following the date the worker obtains new employment reduced by the total number of TRA weeks received.
3. RTAA benefits will be reduced by all TRA benefits received during the RTAA eligibility period.
4. RTAA participants may be eligible for the Health Coverage Tax Credit (HCTC).
5. Workers who are interested in the RTAA program should take advantage of all available reemployment services offered by the PA CareerLink®
6. If a worker pursuing RTAA is not able to obtain new employment after a qualifying separation, the worker should contact the PA CareerLink® TAA representative to consider other TAA benefit options, including training.

For more information, please call the UC service center at 1-888-313-7284 or visit your local PA CareerLink® office.

The information provided on this site does not constitute a determination of eligibility
to receive unemployment compensation.