Proposed Changes to Equal Opportunity Regulations in Apprenticeships

CALL TO ACTION!  PLEASE RESPOND TO PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY REGULATIONS IN REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP!

NAPE is encouraged to see that the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for updating the equal opportunity regulations for the National Apprenticeship Act of 1937.

Because this is a significant opportunity to impact federal regulations regarding Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action in apprenticeship, we are asking as many of our allies as possible to submit comments about the proposed regulations to USDOL by the January 20 deadline.  Please include specific and concise examples that describe your organization’s best practices and innovative discoveries to increase the participation and retention of underrepresented groups in CTE programs. It is essential that you share your “on the ground” experiences promoting equity.  To aid in this effort, NAPE and the National Taskforce on Tradeswomen Issues have summarized recommendations in a draft letter template to further strengthen and enhance equal opportunity.

These regulations prohibit discrimination in registered apprenticeship on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, and sex and require that sponsors of registered apprenticeship programs take affirmative action to provide equal opportunity in such programs. They have not been updated in more than 40 years. However, as an entryway to good jobs with good wages and benefits, apprenticeship remains an important opportunity for all Americans, and women in particular, who continue to be severely underrepresented in apprenticeship nationwide.

According to USDOL, less than 6% of all apprentices are women, and in nontraditional occupations such as construction, manufacturing, and utilities, which tend to pay significantly higher wages than female-dominated occupations, less than 4% are women.  Because women in these programs often experience isolation, lack of support, and other barriers, such as discrimination, lack of equal opportunity implementation, oversight, and enforcement, strengthening of the equal opportunity regulations is critical.

NAPE urges you to submit your comments to USDOL through the online portal before Wednesday, January 20, 2016.  The full proposed rulemaking is available through the portal.