IN GENERAL.

SEC. 326. IN GENERAL. (a) To assure that the readjustment of adversely affected workers shall occur as quickly and effectively as possible, with minimum reliance upon trade readjustment allowances under this chapter, every effort shall be made to prepare each such worker for full employment in accordance with his capabilities and prospective employment opportunities. To this end, and subject to this chapter, adversely affected workers shall be afforded, where appropriate, the testing, counseling, training, and placement services provided for under any Federal law. Such workers may also be afforded supplemental assistance necessary to defray transportation and subsistence expenses for separate maintenance when such training is provided in facilities which are not within commuting distance of their regular place of residence. The Secretary of Labor in defraying such subsistence expenses shall not afford any individual an allowance exceeding $5 a day; nor shall the Secretary authorize any transportation expense exceeding the rate of 10 cents per mile. (b) To the extent practicable, before adversely affected workers are referred to training, the Secretary of Labor shall consult with such workers’ firm and their certified or recognized union or other duly authorized representative and develop a worker retraining plan which provides for training such workers to meet the manpower needs of such firm, in order to preserve or restore the employment relationship between the workers and the firm.