Fall Training is Coming!
TAA
just completed our most recent Federal monitoring process. With the theme of Enhanced Case Management, the Fall 2015 training will concentrate
on Case Management, The 2015 Trade Law, and Labor Market Information for Case
Management Decision Making. All
highlighted areas of the monitoring will be covered in the day long training to
be offered at ten locations throughout the state from October 14 through
November 16. CEU
Certificates will be available for full-day attendees.
Please click on this link for more information
TAA Team News
The composition of the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)
team has changed during the last month. First, a farewell (for now): Our esteemed colleague Sarah Saito has
accepted a temporary position in our Fiscal Department. Her caseload has
been divided between two staff: Marla
Beaty, a former Business Service Representative, will be handling those
social security numbers ending in 7 and
Carrie Fink, who works with Rapid
Response and TAA will work with social security numbers ending in 8.
Two new staff will join the team as Trade Act Customer
Service Specialists. Both will handle
some case management, project-related work and various system support tasks to
support the TAA program and team structure.
Thomas Sommer transferred to
TAA from UI on September 23, where he worked as an Operations Analyst and Linda Skogen is coming to us September
30 from the Bloomington WorkForce Center having worked in the Mankato WorkForce
Center as well.
Purchasing and Reimbursement Process Changes
DEED’s new process for creating a purchase order has changed
in order to better align our department’s fiscal practices with State of
Minnesota compliance measures. As of July 1, 2015, a TAA Specialist submits a purchase order
request. The submitted request then
requires three approvals, the last of which signals a fourth person to create
the purchase order and return it to the original requestor.
The new purchasing system DOES NOT ALLOW a purchase order to
pay debts incurred prior to its creation.
Direct effects include:
-
Transportation
and Subsistence contracts must be completed and in place prior to the first
date for which reimbursement is requested.
-
Requests for computers and required tools take longer to process and finalize.
-
Reimbursements
to students MUST NOW BE PRE-APPROVED in time to allow the request, approval
and purchase order creation process to be completed prior to the approved
purchase.
The TAA team is continually reviewing its process and
procedures to determine how to best meet our fiscal responsibility while
helping our TAA customers attain their education and job search goals.
Credentialing Changes
As a result of recent Federal program monitoring visits, credentialing
changes are effective immediately:
- TAA clients must be in contact with Dislocated
Worker Case Managers at least once every 60 days
- Grades and Training Progress Reports must be
submitted to TAA every semester as agreed in the TAA Application
- A copy of the credential earned must be sent to
the TAA Specialist for inclusion in the student’s file
TAA Training Waivers and the Transition from 2014 to 2015 Law
Dislocated Worker case managers: TAA participants who fall
under 2014 law and missed waiver deadlines may still be eligible for benefits
under 2015 law. The 2014 law transitions to 2015 law on
September 28, 2015. Under 2015 law, a
waiver must be in place if TAA approved training does not start within 26 weeks
of either petition certification or lay off (whichever is later). Please have affected participants submit
waivers and training plans at that time.
Travel and Subsistence Benefit Change Effective October 1, 2015
The TAA Travel and Subsistence training benefit is reviewed
by TAA annually and has been updated effective October 1, 2015.
Previously, TAA training participants traveling 35 miles or more one-way to
their training institution were eligible for payment of the Travel and Subsistence
benefit. As of October 1, those TAA participants who travel 15 miles or more one way to their
training institution are eligible to receive the Transportation and Subsistence
benefit. Eligibility for the benefit will begin on the date of
application, and will not be paid retroactively. Dislocated Worker case managers are asked to
inform any of your participants with active TAA training plans and who might
qualify to complete and submit Training and Subsistence applications today.
We strive for the information in this newsletter to be relevant and
useful, and we encourage you to provide feedback and suggestions for future TAA
Topics or TAA Success Stories. To contact the TAA team regarding this
newsletter, please e-mail: adele.cloutier@state.mn.us and type “TAA
Newsletter” in the subject line.
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