BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY

STATE OF MONTANA

 

In the matter of the amendment of ARM 24.21.1003 pertaining to apprenticeship training ratios

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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED AMENDMENT

TO: All Concerned Persons

 

          1. On May 11, 2015, at 10:00 a.m., the Department of Labor and Industry (department) will hold a public hearing in the auditorium of the DPHHS Building, 111 North Sanders, Helena, Montana, to consider the proposed amendment of the above-stated rule.

 

          2. The department will make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities who wish to participate in this public hearing or need an alternative accessible format of this notice. If you require an accommodation, contact the department no later than 5:00 p.m., on May 6, 2015, to advise us of the nature of the accommodation that you need. Please contact the Workforce Services Division, Department of Labor and Industry, Attn: Darrell Holzer, P.O. Box 1728, Helena, MT 59624-1728; telephone (406) 444-3556; fax (406) 444-3037; Relay Service for persons needing TTY or voice assistance, 711; or e-mail [email protected].

 

          3. The rule proposed to be amended provides as follows, new matter underlined, deleted matter interlined:

 

     24.21.1003 APPRENTICE-TO-JOURNEYMAN RATIO

     (1) through (3) remain the same.

          (4) In order to prevent abuse of the apprentice-to-journeyman ratio, the department will monitor the progress toward completion of all apprentices who have reached the 60 percent completion criteria provided for in (2).  

          (a) An apprentice that does not, without good cause, maintain significant progress towards completion of the apprenticeship will be suspended from the apprenticeship program. Not maintaining significant progress, for the purpose of this rule, means that the apprentice's number of hours of related instruction and number of hours of experience are less than 90 percent of the number of hours provided for in the apprenticeship standards, relative to the amount of time the apprentice has been working. An apprentice that is notified by the department of insufficient progress has 60 days in which to catch up to the number of hours of related instruction and work experience before being suspended.   

          (b) An apprenticeship sponsor who fails, without good cause, to have at least a 60 percent rate of apprentices that timely complete the apprenticeship will be subject to restrictions on the sponsor indenturing new apprentices, and may be subject to deregistration as an apprenticeship sponsor.

          (c) As a general practice, the apprentice-to-journeyman ratio may not ordinarily be more than one apprentice to one journeyman, notwithstanding the provisions of (2). A ratio of more than one-to-one may be allowed in the special case of a shop with a single working master with no journeyman employees, or in the event of a separation from employment by a journeyman employee that temporarily creates a more than one-to-one ratio.

          (d) An apprentice who is aggrieved by a suspension, or a sponsor who is aggrieved by a restriction or deregistration may request in writing a contested case within 30 days of the department's action of suspension, restriction, or deregistration.

 

     AUTH: 39-6-101, MCA

     IMP:   39-6-102, 39-6-106, MCA

 

STATEMENT OF REASONABLE NECESSITY: There is reasonable necessity to amend ARM 24.21.1003, in response to comments made as a result of the proposals made in MAR Notice No. 24-21-301. The Notice of Amendment for MAR Notice No. 24-21-301 is published on page 374 of this issue of the Montana Administrative Register. That notice identifies comments made regarding ARM 24.21.1003, and the department's response to those comments. As part of the responses, the department has drafted and is now proposing the above amendments to address the concerns of various commenters.

 

          4. Concerned persons may present their data, views, or arguments, either orally or in writing, at the hearing. Written data, views, or arguments may also be submitted to: Darrell Holzer, Apprenticeship Program, Workforce Services Division, Department of Labor and Industry, P.O. Box 1728, Helena, Montana 59624-1728; by facsimile to (406) 444-3037; or by e-mail to [email protected], and must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., May 18, 2015.

 

          5. An electronic copy of this notice of public hearing is available through the department's web site at http://dli.mt.gov, under the events section, as well as the Secretary of State's web site. The department strives to make the electronic copy of this notice of public hearing conform to the official version of the notice, as printed in the Montana Administrative Register, but advises all concerned persons that in the event of a discrepancy between the official printed text of the notice and the electronic version of the notice, only the official printed text will be considered. In addition, although the department strives to keep its web site accessible at all times, concerned persons should be aware that the web site may be unavailable during some periods, due to system maintenance or technical problems, and that a person's difficulties in sending an e-mail do not excuse late submission of comments.

 

          6. The department maintains a list of interested persons who wish to receive notices of rulemaking actions proposed by this agency. Persons who wish to have their name added to the list shall make a written request, which includes the name and e-mail or mailing address of the person to receive notices, and specifies the particular subject matter or matters regarding which the person wishes to receive notices. Such written request may be mailed or delivered to the Department of Labor and Industry, attention: Mark Cadwallader, 1327 Lockey Avenue, P.O. Box 1728, Helena, Montana 59624-1728, faxed to the department at (406) 444-1394, e-mailed to [email protected], or may be made by completing a request form at any rules hearing held by the agency.

 

          7. The bill sponsor contact requirements of 2-4-302, MCA, do not apply.

 

          8. Pursuant to 2-4-111, MCA, the department has determined that the rule changes proposed in this notice do not have a significant and direct impact upon small businesses.

 

          9. The department's Office of Administrative Hearings has been designated to preside over and conduct this hearing.

 

 

/s/ MARK CADWALLADER          /s/ PAM BUCY

Mark Cadwallader                       Pam Bucy, Commissioner

Alternate Rule Reviewer              DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRY

 

Certified to the Secretary of State April 6, 2015