Independence-based employees of Standard Motor Products who became totally or partially separated from employment beginning Sept. 22, 2008, through Oct. 23, 2011, may be eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance through the Kansas Department of Commerce, officials announced today.
All Standard Motor Products workers interested in applying for Trade Adjustment Assistance should attend the TAA Informational Meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 9 a.m. The meeting will take place at the Independence Workforce Center located at 200 Arco Place, Suite 101, in Independence, Kan.
Trade Adjustment Assistance helps individuals who have become unemployed due to competition from foreign trade. Standard Motor Products workers have been certified as TAA-eligible as a result of shifting production or supply of services like or directly competitive with those produced/supplied by the workers’ firm from a foreign country.
“While interconnected markets are ultimately beneficial to workers and consumers worldwide, there are always going to be some adverse effects for some individuals,” said Secretary of Commerce Bill Thornton. “Trade Adjustment Assistance is a great way for us to help Kansas workers who are negatively affected by these trade-related issues find new employment.” as quickly as possible.”
TAA benefits typically include job search and relocation assistance, remedial and prerequisite training, classroom training, on-the-job training, a health coverage tax credit program, a program for laid-off workers over the age of 50 and additional weekly benefits for workers who are in TAA-approved training or are waived from training.
Standard Motor Products was certified Oct. 23, 2009 under TAA petition TA-W-72,392.
Standard Motor Products workers interested in attending the TAA Informational Meeting should contact the Independence Workforce Center at (620)332-5904.
For information on Unemployment Insurance or Trade Readjustment Allowances, call the Unemployment Insurance Call Center at (785) 575-1460 for the Topeka calling area, (913) 596-3500 for the Kansas City calling area, (316) 383-9947 for the Wichita calling area or (800) 292-6333 from outside the calling area.
For more information, contact Joe Monaco, Public Information Officer with the Kansas Department of Commerce, at (785) 296-3760 or jmonaco@kansascommerce.com.
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