Doing Business with the TRADE PROGRAM in Massachusetts

Doing Business Doing Business with thewith the

TRADE PROGRAMTRADE PROGRAMin Massachusettsin Massachusetts

Deval L. Patrick, GovernorTimothy P. Murray, Lieutenant Governor

Joanne Goldstein, Secretary

Michael Taylor, DirectorDivision of Career Services

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What is the TAA Program?

The TAA program helps workers who have lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade. The program offers a variety of benefits and services to eligible workers, including:

job training income support (TRA) job search and relocation allowances a tax credit to help pay the costs of health

insurance (HCTC) a wage supplement to certain reemployed

trade-affected workers 50 years of age and older (RTAA)

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Some History…

The TAA program was first established by the Trade Act of 1974, and has been amended several times.

It was amended in 2002 through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reform Act of 2002.

Most recently, it was amended in 2009 through the Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2009.

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Purpose

The TAA program has and will continue to help workers who have lost their jobs as a result of foreign trade to quickly rejoin the workforce by providing them with the means to attain competitive and marketable skills for today’s increasingly competitive work environment.

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Working Together

Division of Career Services (DCS)

Administers TAA benefits

One-Stop Career Centers (OSCC)

Provide employment and case management

services

Educational Institutions/Vendors

Trains TAA Clients

Division of Unemployment

Assistance (DUA)

Administers TRA benefits

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Basic Overview

Company files a petition DOL investigates the petition. If approved,

DOL issues a certification; a five-digit number is assigned to the certification

Workers are notified about the Trade certification by DCS

Workers go to OSCC for services and case management

Benefits are administered by DCS and DUA

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Old or New?

There are currently two sets of regulations operating concurrently: the 2002 Act and 2009 Act.

2002 Actapplies to…

Workers who are covered by petitions filed before May 18, 2009. Petition numbers are 69,999 and lower

2009 Actapplies to…

Workers who are covered by petitions filed on or after May 18, 2009. Petition numbers are 70,000 and higher

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A New Face to Trade

The Trade Act of 1974 and the Trade Reform Act of 2002, covered workers who produced a product. (Workers with a manufacturing background)

The Trade and Globalization Adjustment Assistance Act of 2009 now covers various other worker groups including: the service industry public employees

Please be aware as the diverse needs of workers from all industries can vary.

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Training Services

Training Under the Trade Program

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Mission of Training

Trade’s Axiom:

The least amount of training at the lowest possible cost in the shortest amount of time to be able to obtain

“suitable employment”.

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6 Criteria for Training-workers must meet these 6 criteria to have training approved under TAA1. There is no suitable employment (which may include technical and

professional employment) available for the adversely affected worker.

2. The worker would benefit from appropriate training.

3. There is a reasonable expectation of employment following completion of such training.

4. Training approved by the Secretary is reasonably available to the worker from either governmental agencies or private sources.

5. The worker is qualified to undertake and complete such training.

6. Such training is suitable for the worker and available at a reasonable cost.

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Suitable Employment

Suitable employment is defined in the Trade regulations as work of an equal of higher skill level and with a wage of at least 80% of the worker’s prior average weekly wage.

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One Training Per Certification

A worker may only be approved for one training program per certification.

Note: A training program may be comprised of several training components (ie, remedial training first, then vocational training or combined remedial and occupational)

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Reasonable Cost

$7,000 for remedial training $17,000 for vocational training $25,000 for degree programs

$30,000 max including travel, subsistence, etc.

Currently in Massachusetts, for NEW contracts that commenced July 1, 2009 and after, a training program (tuition, fees and books) cannot exceed:

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Remedial Training

Examples of remedial training include:

Basic math & writing skills English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Courses leading to a GED Coursework required for entry into a training

program (Pre-requisites)

Remedial training can also occur concurrently with other training.

Remedial training can occur at any time of the training program, but it is encouraged to be taken prior to occupational trainings or degree programs.

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Length of TrainingOld TAA Program(Available to Workers Covered by Petitions with Numbers 69,999 and Lower)

New TAA Program(Available to Workers Covered by Petitions with Numbers 70,000 and Higher)

Up to 104 weeks

Up to 130 weeks if the worker was also enrolled in remedial training

Up to 156 weeks

Training which exceeds the maximum number of weeks allowed may not be paid for under the TAA program.

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Some More Changes

Old TAA Program(Available to Workers Covered by Petitions with Numbers 69,999 and Lower)

New TAA Program(Available to Workers Covered by Petitions with Numbers 70,000 and Higher)

Training may only be approved on a full-time basis

Certified workers may not begin approved training until they have been totally or partially separated from adversely affected employment

Training may be approved on a full-time or part-time basis, although full-time training is required for TRA (cash benefits) eligibility.

Certified workers may begin approved training when threatened with separation from adversely affected employment

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Contractual Considerations

Becoming a Qualified Vendor…

Respond to RFR 09-07 Complete Training Pro Requirements

RFR 09-07◦ Open Enrollment application process◦ 2 year minimum term from 7/1/09◦ 2 optional 1 year terms after the minimal term

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Accessing RFR 09-07

WWW.COMM-PASS.COM

Sequentially click the following◦ Solicitations◦ Browse all open solicitations◦ By entity department

Scroll to “Division of Employment and Training” and select it.

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Accessing RFR 09-07 Continued

Go to Department

Choose RFR 09-07

Select Applicable Header Tabs◦ Specification = The RFR◦ Forms and Terms = Necessary Contract Forms

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Major RFR Requirements:

Affirmative Market Program Certificate of Good Standing Registration with Secretary of State Licensing by the Department of Education Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Authorization Single Point of Contact ( S.P.O.C.) New Programs

◦ Prompt Pay Discount◦ Dollar Volume Discount

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RFR Payment Request RequirementsPayment requests must be submitted on a timely basis.

◦ There are consequences of not submitting timely payment requests.

Payments must be submitted in accordance with the budget/payment schedules.

◦ Any payments not submitted in accordance with the budget/payment schedules are subject to return.

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Participant Training Approvals

Elements of Participant Approval Notification:◦ Notification Letter◦ Participant List◦ Budget/Payment Schedule◦ Course Description◦ Break in Training Verification◦ Refund Policy

Role of the S.P.O.C.

Transparency of the Participant to the Contract Process

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TrainingProSelecting a Funding Source and Adding a Course

to the Account

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Additional Information on Training ProWebsite: www.mass.gov/dwd/trainingpro

For TAA approval, a course must meet these minimum requirements for performance:

Completion Rate: >/= 70%Entered Employment Rate: >/= 60%

TAA courses do go through an auto-approval process first. If they meet certain criteria then the course is auto approved. If not, the course is put into a pending status for a TAA staff manual determination.

Course approvals are for 1 year. You must resubmit courses for approval the day after they expire. The system at this time will not allow you to do it any earlier.

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Submitting a Payment Voucher to the TRADE UNIT

Are you wondering what happens once you send YOUR invoices in to

the Commonwealth of MA for payment from the Trade Program?

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Submitting a Payment VoucherAccording to Budget Payment Schedule,

vendor submits P.V. to Accounts Payable

Accounts Payable passes the P.V. on to

the Trade Unit

Trade Unit reviews P.V. and data enters payment information

into financial database and sends

back to AP

AP processes payments approved

by the Trade Unit

EFT is sent out to vendors accordingly

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Before the Trade Unit processes a payment, there are number of things that must be

reviewed.

Most recent participant list to be sure that the student being billed for is listed

Budget Payment Schedule to make sure we are being billed as scheduled at time of approval

For community colleges, a course outline is needed to show what classes are being taken and when

Any bookstore Purchase Orders will require receipts as well as a a course outline to be sure we are paying for appropriate items, REQUIRED by all students in training

Please note: Class outlines and book lists are received from counselors prior to training approval.

Some examples of reviewed items include:

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How does Trade’s Quarterly Budget Payment Schedule Work??

Invoice can be sent 4/1/09-

6/30/09

Invoice can be sent 10/1/09-12/31/09

Invoice can be sent 4/1/10-

6/30/10

Invoices can be sent to the Trade Unit via AP at any point within the quarter. Billing does not have

to occur on the last day of each quarter listed.

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Don’t forget about VendorWeb!

Using this web site, vendors to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts can easily and quickly:

◦ Access their payment information ◦ View scheduled payments ◦ View payment history◦ Print the form to request Electronic Funds

Transfer (EFT)◦ And read news and updates of interest to vendors

Visit us at:

https://massfinance.state.ma.us/VendorWeb/vendor.asp

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Contact Information

Accounts Payable: Beverly NisbittBNisbitt@detma.org617-626-5937

Contracts: John MarshallJMarshall@detma.org617-626-5915

Myrna MolinaMMolina@detma.org617-626-5214

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Contact Information

Training Pro Mark ShoreMShore@detma.org617-626-5003

Trade Unit (TAA): 617-626-6007

*Please note, this is a mailbox that is checked daily. Your message will be returned by one of our staff members within 24 hours.