JAY – The U.S. Department of Labor has approved a Trade Act Petition for Wausau Paper workers who worked on No. 10 paper machine, said Judy Pelletier, a Maine Department of Labor representative.

Pelletier learned Tuesday that the No. 10 machine workers were certified for assistance on Dec. 8.

The federal Trade Adjustment Assistance program helps workers who lose their jobs as a result of more imports or shifts of production out of the United States. The program’s services and benefits are designed to facilitate workers in getting back to work quickly, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Web site.

Most of the Wausau Paper employees who worked on No. 10 paper machine were laid off as of Sunday. The company announced in August that it would be shutting down the machine permanently and laying off about 150 workers.

Employees on No. 11 machine were temporarily laid off Sunday but are expected to be called back Jan. 5.

Pelletier said the certification is for the No. 10 machine. It means that those workers will be able to find out which federal program would best meet their needs.

Among the programs available are re-employment assistance, including health insurance assistance, a wage subsidy program for people over 50, or training assistance.

It also extends unemployment benefits for up to 130 weeks, Pelletier said.

Affected workers need to enroll within 16 weeks of the lay-off date, she said.

Four trade information sessions will be held beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, Dec. 22, at the CareerCenter on routes 2 and 4 in Wilton. Former United Steelworkers Union Vice President Mike Castenada is making calls to affected employees to give them the designated time of the session they’re expected to attend.

“It’s just important that they attend one of the sessions,” Pelletier said, and if they cannot attend one they are assigned to then they could attend another session. The meeting room at the CareerCenter only fits so many people and that is why four sessions are being held.

The sessions will be held at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m.

Anyone who does not attend will be mailed the information, she said.