Petition Technical Assistance for TAA Practitioners

Petition technical assistance resources go beyond the petition FAQ.  It is designed to cover advanced topics such as amendment processes, staffed workers (leased workers), how to read a Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) determination, International Trade Commission (ITC) determinations, and other topics.

Filing a TAA Petition

Basic information on TAA petition filing can be found in the petition FAQ. Review this tip document for additional information on compliant and/or efficient petition filing. It is important to ensure that company official information is valid and complete as missing or incomplete information may make the petition invalid or cause significant investigation delays. Practitioners are encouraged to submit a petition online or through PAWS as they provide confirmations of transmission, provides copies to state agencies, and speeds petition intake.

Helping Firms with the Petition Process

The active involvement of firms in the TAA petition process is important to issuing timely and accurate decisions. We encourage TAA practitioners to work with firms as early as possible. Under the Company Officials page, companies can find an orientation video to the TAA process as well as sample forms so they know what to expect.

Communications

To better understand when and how investigation updates are communicated to petitioners, officials, and state officials, a list of when those communications occur can be found here. Additional communications options are available for users of PAWS.

Successor-In-Interest

When there is a change in ownership over a TAA-certified worker group, states must determine whether the new firm is a successor-in-interest that allows workers newly threatened or separated to still qualify. This infographic outlines the process for states to make this determination. Find the associated webcast on WorkforceGPS.

Amendments

Amendments are used to correct determinations, clarify worker groups, or other modifications. Amendments may only adjust current certifications. To request an amendment, submit a petition and explain the need for the amendment in the Trade Effects section. Please include the TAW number of the certification that the request is seeking to amend. Because eligibility periods are set by statute, amendments may not extend a certification's expiration date. Instead, a new petition must be filed for any layoffs occurring after the expiration of a certification.

Reconsiderations

The process for requesting a reconsideration is discussed in the petition FAQ.

International Trade Commission (ITC) Determinations

One basis for TAA certification is that the ITC identified a firm by name as a member of a domestic industry under certain affirmative determinations under the Trade Act. TAA certifications under this provision have unique periods of eligibility and do not cover threatened workers. You can find details about the petition process and differences in eligibility in our webinar on the topic and accompanying FAQ sheet.

Petition Automated Workflow System (PAWS)

PAWS provides members of state workforce agencies (SWAs) who work with TAA worker groups and have an active and ongoing role in filing petitions, identifying affected worker groups, collecting worker lists, conducting outreach or Rapid Response to affected workers, or coordinating with DOL analysts on worker group determinations with an enhanced set of tools and information to facilitate the serving of trade-affected groups.

• Users may access the system here.

The following resources provide information on how users can request access and utilize the functions within the system.

NOTE: Petition Filing within PAWS is awaiting approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) and should not be used until approval has been granted.