Virginia Law

A. Eligibility for registration of an apprenticeship program for various federal purposes is conditioned upon a program's conformity with the apprenticeship program standards of this chapter. For a program to be determined by the United States Secretary of Labor as being in conformity with the published standards, the program must apply for registration with the department. The determination by the commissioner that the program meets the apprenticeship program standards is effectuated only through such registration.

B. Only an apprenticeship program or agreement that meets all of the following criteria is eligible for registration:

1. Conformity with the requirements of this chapter and the training is in an apprenticeable occupation having the characteristics in 16VAC20-21-40.

2. Conformity with the requirements of the council and the Virginia State Plan for Equal Employment Opportunity in Apprenticeship.

C. Except as provided under subsection D of this section, apprentices must be individually registered under a registered program. Such individual registration may be effected:

1. By filing copies of each individual apprenticeship agreement with the department; or

2. Subject to department approval, by filing a master copy of such agreement followed by a listing of the name and other required data of each individual when apprenticed.

D. The name of a person in probationary employment as an apprentice under an apprenticeship program registered by the department, if not individually registered under such program, must be submitted within 45 days of employment to the department for certification to establish the apprentice as eligible for such probationary employment.

E. The sponsor must notify the department within 45 days of (i) the successful completion of an apprenticeship program, (ii) transfers, (iii) suspensions, and (iv) cancellations of apprenticeship agreements and shall provide a statement of the reasons therefore.

F. Operating apprenticeship programs, when approved by the department, are accorded registration evidenced by a certificate of registration. Programs approved by the department and, as such, complying with the requirements of the council for such programs, must be accorded registration or approval evidenced by a similar certificate or other written indicia.

G. Applications for new programs that the department determines meet the required standards established by the council for program registration must be given provisional approval for a period of one year. The department shall review all new programs for quality and for conformity with the requirements of this chapter at the end of the first year after registration. At that time:

1. A program that conforms to the requirements of this chapter (i) may be made permanent or (ii) may continue to be provisionally approved through the first full training cycle.

2. A program not in operation or not conforming to this chapter during the provisional approval period must be recommended for deregistration procedures.

H. The department must review all programs for quality and for conformity with the requirements of the council and this chapter at the end of the first full training cycle.

1. A satisfactory review of a provisionally approved program will result in conversion of provisional approval to permanent registration. Subsequent reviews must be conducted no less frequently than every five years. Programs not in operation or not conforming to this chapter must be recommended for deregistration procedures.

2. Any sponsor proposals or applications for modification or change to registered programs must be submitted to the department. The department must make a determination on whether to approve such submissions within 90 days from the date of receipt. If approved, the modification or change will be recorded and acknowledged within 90 days of approval as an amendment to such program. If not approved, the sponsor must be notified of the disapproval and the reasons therefore and provided the appropriate technical assistance.

I. Under a program proposed for registration by an employer or employers' association where the standards, collective bargaining agreement, or other instrument provides for participation by a union in any manner in the operation of the substantive matters of the apprenticeship program, and such participation is exercised, written acknowledgment of union agreement or evidence of no objection by the union to the registration is required. Where no such participation is evidenced and practiced, the employer or employers' association must simultaneously furnish to an existing union that is the collective bargaining agent of the employees to be trained a copy of its application for registration and of the apprenticeship program. The department must provide for receipt of union comments, if any, within 45 days before final action on the application for registration or approval.

J. Where the employees to be trained have no collective bargaining agreement, an apprenticeship program may be proposed for registration by an employer, a group of employers, or an employer association.