October 2021
Adult Programs Communication
- Partner Express monthly newsletter – email deed.taa@state.mn.us if you would like to subscribe
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Dislocated Worker and Federal Adult Programs:
Performance
- There is still minimal COVID era performance data available but it is clear that participants who exited the program pre-pandemic had a harder time keeping their jobs (as lockdowns occurred) & participants exiting the program during the pandemic had a harder time getting job but once they got a job, retention is high.
- Please reach out to Amy.Carlson@state.mn.us for additional information or questions.
COVID DWG
- DOL requested that states complete a COVID Recovery Readiness Consultation guide, a set of questions that cover various topics including partnerships, innovative solutions, etc. DOL is interested in how COVID has affected operations over the past 18 months, how local areas are positioned for the future, and if there are any technical assistance needs they can provide.
- Leadership of 4 local areas met will DOL: WDA 10, WDA 15, WDA 3 and WDA 2
- Key areas of interest included:
- TA requests/needs
- Best practices/innovations
- Lessons learned
Minnesota Job Skills Partnership Board (MJSP) meeting
Adult Career Pathways (ACP)
Legislative Direct Appropriation Grants/ Competitive Grants
SFY 2020-2021 Contracts
- Be sure to review your project budget and measurable outcomes to be sure all funds are expended by the end of your contract and all data has been entered in to WF1 to accurately reflect all the great work happening at your organization.
- Please reach out to your Grant Coordinator with any questions!
SFY 2022-2023 Contracts
- State Legislators finalized the budget that determines SFY22-23 ACP program budgets.
- Open solicitations and FAQs can be viewed on DEED’s contracts page at: https://mn.gov/deed/about/contracts/open-rfp.jsp
- The ACP Team has 3 new programs with the new budget:
- African Immigrant Community
- Getting to Work
- Internationally Trained Professionals
- Minnesota Tech Training Pilot Program awardees have been announced and the team is excited to bring this new program to the portfolio of trainings being offered throughout the state.
SNAP E&T 50/50
The ACP team’s, through the partnership with DHS, SNAP 50% Reimbursement program has provided over $80,000 in additional funds to ACP Grantees this federal fiscal year! As the SFY21 contracts come to an end, we hope to recruit more Grantees in SFY22 to take advantage of the 50% reimbursement on expenses already incurred through ACP’s programs.
MN Family Resiliency Partnership (formerly known as Displaced Homemaker Program)
Information about the Minnesota Family Resiliency Partnership program can be found on DEED’s ACP webpage at https://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/find-a-job/targeted-services/homemakers/.
ACP Guides
ACP’s Operations Guide is now available from the ACP home page. The Guide documents current practices for ACP. The ACP Team meets monthly to discuss suggested additions, modifications, and other changes to the guide and update as necessary. It does NOT include measures implemented in response to COVID-19, which are listed separately.
Adult Career Pathways Workforce One
REMINDER: Be sure to deactivate all Workforce One access for staff that are no longer working within your programs. To do so, simply send the Workforce One team an email (workforceone.deed@state.mn.us ) informing them of the update.
ACP webpage: https://mn.gov/deed/programs-services/adult-career-pathways/ .
Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA)
Employment Plans
Dislocated Worker Counselors should include a copy of the signed/dated Employment Plan (IEP/ISS) when submitting a Waiver and/or TAA Training Application. Even though TAA staff may have access to some unsigned employment plans through the Electronic Document Storage (EDS) or Online Plan in WF1, TAA still needs the signed copy directly from the DW Counselor.
TAA is the Primary Source of Funding
Please remember that when a TAA eligible customer is interested in credentialed training, including short-term training and part-time training, it is required that the Dislocated Worker program send a training application to TAA. Dislocated Worker funds should not be used for any type of credentialed training without first attempting to obtain TAA funding. Once a TAA-approved training plan is in place, TAA funding should be used for all required expenses. Items listed on the training application, such as transportation, required tools or exams, still require TAA pre-approval before the customer purchases items. It is not appropriate for customers to simply not request TAA pre-approval with the expectation that DW will cover expenses that would have otherwise been covered by TAA funding if pre-approval had been requested.
Reversion 2021
On July 1, 2021, the TAA Program reverted to a modified version of the Trade Reform Act of 2002. Any workers covered under a Petition for Trade Adjustment Assistance filed on or after July 1, 2021, would be covered by this modified version. Current customers and people who are eligible under an older petition continue to receive the benefits under the appropriate law of their petition. Nearly all of our current customers are covered by 2015 Law and their services/benefits will not change.
One of the major changes under Reversion 2021 is that Reemployment Trade Adjustment Assistance (RTAA) is now Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance (ATAA) and it’s truly an “Alternative” to training.
- Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance: Wage subsidy for up to 2 years available to workers age 50 or over who are reemployed full-time within 26 weeks of separation at annual wages of $50,000 or less, and who do not attend TAA-funded training, or receive TRA or Job Search Allowance.
- Once a worker receives TRA or a job search allowance, or is enrolled in training (approved and to begin within 30 days), they are ineligible for ATAA.
- ATAA cannot be combined with OJT
- ATAA can be combined with Relocation Allowance
Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) Petitions
Here’s the link to check the status of petitions with U.S. Department of Labor https://www.doleta.gov/tradeact/petitioners/taa_search_form.cfm
- Recently certified
- 96860E – Synchrony Bank, Saint Paul
- 98010 – *Rawlings Sporting Goods Co. Inc. - Miken Sports, Caledonia
- 98030 -- *The Coleman Company, Sauk Rapids
* Workers are covered under Reversion 2021
- Recently Denied
- 98026 -- Southern Graphics Systems, LLC, Minneapolis
- Pending DOL’s investigation
- 96977 – Rest Assured Mattress Co. Inc., Rochester
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