WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today announced that approximately 15 workers at TODCO in Upper Sandusky are eligible to apply for worker adjustment assistance.  Certification was approved by the U.S. Department of Labor.

“The loss of a job can be a devastating experience,” Brown said.  “Ohioans who work hard and play by the rules should not be left to struggle when they lose their job through no fault of their own. These resources will help ensure that displaced workers from TODCO have the financial support and training opportunities to get a fresh start.”

Displaced workers involved in the production of walk ramps are qualified to apply for assistance.

Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) is a federal program that provides aid to workers who lose their jobs or whose work hours and wages are reduced as a result of increased imports. The program extends benefits including training for employment in another job or career, income support, job search allowances, and relocation allowances. Qualified workers may quickly return to employment through a combination of these services.

Brown has been a leader in Senate efforts to protect the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. Last May, Brown led forty-one U.S. Senators in urging President Barack Obama not to submit any free trade agreements to Congress—including pending agreements for Colombia, Panama, and South Korea—until Congress agrees to extend a long-term extension of TAA, including 2009 bipartisan reforms that allowed additional trade-affected workers to qualify for assistance. Thanks to Brown’s efforts, an extension of TAA was passed in September 2011 and extends the program until 2013.

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