Training should be of the shortest period needed to
achieve the desired results, but in no case can training exceed 130
weeks. Program information should be supplied by academic advisors,
deans, or other school officials knowledgeable about the specific
program requirements. The financial estimates should be provided by
fiscal staff or someone knowledgeable and authorized to provide such
information.
The information gathered will be used to develop the
service agreement between the training institution and the CTDOL.
Although these are just estimates at a specific point in time and the
actual expenses may vary, it is very important to have the most complete
and accurate figures upfront as possible. Large variances between
estimated and actual dollars makes it difficult to account for and
reconcile participant training budgets and can be very time consuming to
resolve for all parties involved.
In addition to the JS-52 form, you will be given other forms (also
located on our
Forms Page) that will be needed at various stages and include the
following:
-
Individual
Course Outline: This form is used to break out the training
program by specific time periods (semesters, trimesters, summer,
etc.), required and elective courses and the number of credits
required to complete. This form also includes benchmark periods that
will be completed by the TAA counselor and is not meant for the
training provider.
-
JS-52B –
Training Progress and Attendance: It will be necessary to
obtain information from the training provider, such as test scores,
grades, instructor attestations and attendance reports at regular
intervals to measure the student’s performance against
pre-established benchmarks.
-
Agency Vendor Form (SP-26) and
Taxpayer Identification Form (W-9): If new to doing business with
the CTDOL, you will be required to fill out these forms in order to
invoice and receive payment for services rendered. (An invoice may
be submitted prior to the start of training; however, the earliest
payment can be made for training related expenses, including
tuition, is on the first day of classes).
Once a training plan is approved and a
provider selected, approval letters will be sent to both the student and
provider. The provider letter will identify the specific terms of the
agreement and invoicing instructions.
Approval Process
There are six criteria that must be met in order for the CTDOL to
approve a request for training. The TAA Central Office Administration
Unit in Wethersfield is responsible for issuing approvals or denials.
The six criteria of approval are as follows:
(1) There is no suitable employment
available for an 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 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.
Once the CTDOL approves a training
plan, an approval letter will be sent to the provider with program
details, including start and end dates, financial information and
general terms and conditions. The letter should be signed and
returned to the appointed CTDOL representative as soon as possible, but
always before the start date of the training.
Financial Information
The TAA program prohibits TAA trainees from directly or indirectly
contributing towards the cost of training. This means that all training
related expenses are paid on behalf of the trainee directly to the
provider by the Connecticut Department of Labor (CTDOL), via third party
billing.
TAA clients must be approved before training begins and are not
permitted to pay for training related expenses with personal funds.
Federal Student Financial
Assistance: Any federal financial aid the participant is
eligible for must be paid directly to the participant while attending
TAA approved training. The participant may use Federal student financial
assistance for other expenses, as allowable under applicable rules for
such financial assistance.
Upon the approval of a Trade Act training program and if applicable, any
payments of Federal student financial assistance must cease to be
applied to the training participant's tuition or other training-related
costs covered by TAA Program funds. Any remaining Federal financial aid
must be paid directly to the participant while attending TAA approved
training.
If payments of Federal student financial assistance or other training
allowances from other Federal funding sources were made to the training
provider instead of the worker and were applied towards the worker's
approved training costs, the State must deduct the amount of those other
payments from the amount of TAA Program funds payable to the training
provider in order to prevent duplication in the payment of training
costs. However, if possible, the financial assistance applied toward
approved training costs should be refunded to the participant by the
training provider and subsequently paid by the TAA program.
Invoicing: Once an invoice is received and approved by
the TAA Administration Unit, it is passed on to our Business Management
Unit for payment.
To expedite payment, we strongly recommend signing up for electronic
direct deposit (ACH) instead of paper checks. Vendors participating in
direct deposit will also be enrolled in Vendor Self-Serve (VSS), which
allows vendors to check on outstanding invoices, confirm payment
information, review address information, or reconcile accounts
receivable. Through electronic banking, funds will be automatically
transferred to your financial institution the evening you see them as
PAID in VSS. This allows you to utilize those funds on the very next
business day after the payment is processed through the Comptroller’s
Office. The link to find out more and enroll is:
https://www.osc.ct.gov/vendor/directdeposit.html.
Please note, as a State agency, CTDOL is exempt from paying Connecticut
sales and use taxes on the purchase of property and services.
Release of Educational
Information: When a training plan is approved, we ask the
participant to sign a consent form allowing the training provider to
disclose information related to their academic records to the
Connecticut Department of Labor. This information is used for the
purposes of federal program monitoring requirements.
In cases where we do not have the consent form, we ask your cooperation
in obtaining this information, based on the following:
The Department recognizes that under
the FERPA Act and regulations (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99),
generally, schools must have written permission from the parent or
eligible student in order to release any information from a student's
education record. However, FERPA allows schools to disclose those
records, without consent, to the following parties or under the
following conditions (34 CFR § 99.31):
• School officials with
legitimate educational interest;
• Other schools to which a student is transferring;
• Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
• Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a
student;
• Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the
school;
• Accrediting organizations;
• To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
• Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies;
and
• State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system,
pursuant to specific State law.
Given that the Connecticut Department
of Labor, TAA program, has provided all or a substantial portion of
financial aid in the form of payment of tuition and fees on behalf of
the TAA participant, accordingly the Department falls within the above
exception of “an appropriate party in
connection with financial aid to a student”, and submit that
we may receive the requested information, without prior consent of the
student (TAA participant).
Information requested may include:
• Attendance records
• Grades, transcripts, report cards, progress reports
• Credentials earned, including copies of diplomas, degrees and
certifications
• Financial records
If you have questions or additional
assistance is needed, you may speak with the client’s counselor who made
the referral to you, or you may contact the TAA Administration Unit at:
(860) 263-6070, Fax (860) 263-6631.
CTDOL TAA Web:
https://www.ctdol.state.ct.us/TradeAct
US Department of Labor TAA Web:
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/tradeact
