Bill Summary: SF2124 - Apprenticeship Program Federal Conformity

• Aligns Minnesota apprenticeship statutes with federal regulations in Code of Federal Regulations, title 29, parts 29 and 30, effective as of July 1, 2013.

• Establishes the Division of Labor Standards and Apprenticeship as the State Apprenticeship Agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Labor and creates a new comprehensive framework for apprenticeship program registration, standards, and agreements.

• Requires apprenticeship programs to include minimum 144 hours of related instruction per training cycle (with at least 50 hours of safety instruction), at least 2,000 hours of on-the-job work, and apprentice-to-journeyworker ratios with options based on collective bargaining agreements or board-approved alternatives.

• Implements new procedures for program registration with provisional approval periods, biannual reviews, and grounds for deregistration based on federal compliance and program performance standards.

• Specifies apprenticeship agreement requirements including graduated wage schedules, probationary periods, equal employment opportunity provisions, and establishes a 90-day determination period for complaint investigations with appeals to the commissioner and hearing board.