Boeing’s laid-off workers eligible for 100-plus weeks of income support
Boeing is moving forward with plans to cut about 10% of workforce
As Boeing moves forward with plans to reduce its workforce during the coronavirus pandemic, laid-off workers will receive an extremely generous unemployment support package.
In a letter to members this week, The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers union (IAM) explained that workers will receive additional federal benefits pursuant to the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program, which was approved by the Department of Labor earlier this week.
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Benefits include relocation assistance, income support, training, tuition support and health care coverage support.
Washington Sen. Maria Cantwell, who lobbied for the assistance, said workers would be eligible for 104 weeks of income support plus other benefits.
Most other workers are eligible for about 39 weeks of unemployment insurance under the CARES Act expansion, though it varies by state.
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The TAA certification covers workers who were laid off – or will be laid off – between May 5, 2019, and June 23, 2022.
It doesn’t just apply to union members, either.
“Our members and any workers laid-off from Boeing will be able to draw on a wide range of job retraining, income assistance and other benefits through TAA, thanks to the proactive work done by Machinists District 751, the Washington State Labor Council and SPEEA,” IAM District 751 President Jon Holden said in a statement. “This gives those laid-off more options for a better future following layoff.”
TAA was designed to provide assistance to workers who lost their jobs or saw hours reduced due to trade-related issues.
Individuals will need to apply for the benefits at the state level, which will be tailored to the specific unemployment needs of the worker.
The benefits were first reported by The Seattle Times.
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Boeing recently told another 1,000-plus workers they would be laid off next month, which is part of a broader plan to reduce the workforce by about 10 percent due to the effects of the pandemic.
Overall, nearly 14,000 positions will be lost.