07/10/2009   Important Notice - Public Works Apprentice Dispatch Request Changes

Changes to Regulation 230.1 have been posted by DAS and affect projects bid after June 30, 2009.  These changes impact contractors doing public works projects because they modify the existing requirement to request dispatch of apprentices to work on public works projects.

Below is a summary of the changes:

• The change will affect projects bid after June 30, 2009. Projects bid on or before June 30, 2009 will still be subject to the requirements as stated in the previous version of 230.1 .
•  The change requires all contractors that are not already employing apprentices at or above the required 1:5 hour ratio to request dispatch, either consecutively or simultaneously, from all approved apprenticeship programs in the geographical area of the project to exhaust all efforts to meet the required ratio.
• The change also requires that contractors that employ apprentices but are not meeting the required ratio for their craft must request dispatch from any other programs in their craft that exist in the geographical area of the project
• The change also requires contractors to give the approved apprenticeship programs written notice of the request for dispatch at least 72 hours in advance of the date the apprentice is needed. Previously, only 48 hours advance notice was required and the notice was not required in writing.

What do these changes mean to WECA Members?

All WECA Members that do not currently employ enough apprentices per project to meet the required ratio of one hour of apprentice work for every five hours of journeyman work by the end of the project must request additional apprentices from WECA.  If WECA is not able to provide the number of apprentices requested, the member contractor must then request dispatch from all other apprenticeship programs that are approved to provide apprentices to the area of the Public Works Project – this would include requesting from ABC and even the IBEW.

The regulations also require that these requests must be made in writing. WECA Members can use the dispatch request form on our web site at http://www.weca-iec.org/DispatchRequestform.asp, or use the DAS 142 (Request for Dispatch Form).  WECA will continue to log requests for dispatches made over the phone and will be able to provide you with a detailed report of your requests for dispatch upon request.

In order to help WECA meet your apprentice needs please make an effort to give us as much notice as possible prior to the date the apprentices are needed so that we can recruit applicants for areas where apprentices are needed.  WECA will make every effort to meet our members’ dispatch needs, however, in areas where we would not be able to provide sustained employment for an Apprentice once specific jobs are completed we may weigh factors such as length of the project, travel stipend offered, desire of applicant to relocate, current number of out-of-work apprentices in the general geographic area, etc. before indenturing new apprentices in the area.

The full version of the revised 230.1 regulation can be found on the DAS web site at http://www.dir.ca.gov/DAS/PublicWorksImpNot230-1.htm

If you have questions about the new regulations, please contact WECA via phone at (877) 444-9322 or via email at info@goweca.com.