Any Idahoans who are out of work due to international competition could have the federal government pay for their job search, training, and education.

The Idaho Department of Labor has received $14 million from the federal government as part of the Trade Act.  Affected Idahoans whose former employer has been certified under the Trade Act can recoup the costs for traveling for job interviews or work relocation as well as training programs such as college classes.  However, such expenses must be approved in advance through the program run by the labor department.

Unemployed workers 50 years or older who find a new job with lower wages could get a subsidy paying them half the difference between their old job and their new job.

These benefits to jobless Idahoans doesn’t affect other programs, such as weekly unemployment payments.

Idaho companies currently certified for Trade Act include some divisions of Hewlett-Packard, RedBuilt, iLevel, Inspire Technologies, Quality Logic, Marvel Semiconductor, Axcelis Technologies, Kimball Office, Supervalu, Micron Technology, Negevtech, US Products, Applied Materials, Canon USA, Cypress Semiconductor, Lam Research, Accretech USA, ASML Customer Support Division, Novellus Systems, Photronics, Plexus Services Corp., Three Rivers Timber, Bennett Lumber Products, Woodgrain Millworks, MPC Computers, and JD Lumber.