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Revised August 2015
The Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee (J.A.T.C.)
The J.A.T.C. is a group composed of an equal number of labor and management members. Acting in an advisory capacity only are the Training Director, one representative from the school department (Foothill College), and one representative from the State apprenticeship office (DAS – Division of Apprenticeship Standards). This committee meets on the fourth Monday of every month. They govern the training of all apprentices, check record books, review attendance and grades and grant wage increases. It is within their power to withhold wage increases and dispense whatever disciplinary action is necessary.
Acceptance Into The Apprenticeship
The applicant, having passed the required tests and having been accepted into the apprenticeship program, signs an Apprenticeship Agreement (DAS-1). An apprentice is expected to perform the work required on–the-job, to attend school regularly and maintain satisfactory grades.
Supervision
The J.A.T.C. also acts to see that apprentices work with and under the immediate supervision of a qualified journeyman who will devote the necessary time and interest to the apprentice’s training. A qualified journeyman is a worker who has passed the I.B.E.W. examination or completed an apprenticeship program for the work in which the apprentice is being supervised.
Change of Address
The apprentice is solely responsible to the J.A.T.C. and Union for maintaining a current address and phone number at all times.
Probation
The first 2000 hours of the on-the-job training and the first year of school are a probationary period. All probationary apprentices may be dropped for any reason during their probationary period. All probationary apprentices are required to have their record books (Blue Books) checked by their journeyman. The pages of the Blue Book must be properly filled out, and signed by the apprentice’s on-the-job supervisor. An apprentice must complete 2000 hours of on-the-job training and one year of school with satisfactory grades and job performance evaluations to complete the probationary period.
Employer Evaluation
A confidential report of progress on-the-job shall be supplied to the employer every month during probation and every six months thereafter, or as needed based on Committee discretion. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the apprentice’s progress for on-the-job training and job performance. If any apprentice has below average or unsatisfactory marks in any of the categories, they will be subject to review.
Related Instruction
Apprentices shall satisfactorily complete a course of 160 hours of related and supplemental instruction (school) per year.
Apprentice Record Book (Blue Book)
The apprentice is required to maintain a Blue Book. The Blue Book is furnished by the J.A.T.C. at the Training Director’s office. Proper completion of Blue Books is required before any wage increase is granted. Blue Books must be completed as follows: Work hours must be totaled and each yellow sheet must be signed by the on-the-job supervisor. Monthly totals must be posted on the back cover of each book and the cumulative totals on the back cover are carried foreword to the next book. Blue Books must be handed into the Training Director at the end of each six month period. The Blue Book is to be presented to the J.A.T.C. for review whenever an apprentice is notified to appear. Blue Books shall be turned in at the end of the month prior to wage increase effective date. Apprentices who fail to turn in their Blue Books, properly filled out, within two weeks of written notice, will be removed from the job until the Blue Book is turned in. The back cover of the Blue Book is to be signed by the on-the-job supervisor.
Complaints
If an apprentice wishes to register a complaint, an appointment to appear before the J.A.T.C. may be made at the Training Director’s office.
Leave of Absence
An apprentice may request in writing for a leave of absence not to exceed one year. A leave of absence will only be granted once during the term of apprenticeship. Before a leave of absence is granted, the apprentice may be asked to appear before the J.A.T.C. The request should state the reasons for the leave and secure the Committee’s approval. Apprentices failing to return from a leave of absence within the time granted will be dropped from the program.
A leave of absence will not be granted to accept other employment.
For medical leave of absence, documentation must be received by the J.A.T.C. To return from a medical leave of absence, an apprentice may be asked to appear before the J.A.T.C. or make a formal written request. A written medical release provided by a physician shall be submitted to the J.A.T.C. before the apprentice can resume school or work.
First Aid and CPR Training
It shall be the responsibility of each apprentice to receive training in and maintain current cards for First Aid and CPR. All apprentices shall receive training in First Aid and CPR in addition to regular class work. The First Aid and CPR training shall be completed in the first six months of apprenticeship and renewed as required to maintain current First Aid and CPR cards. Failure to maintain current First Aid and CPR certification will result in disciplinary action.
Wage Increases
All Apprentice records will be reviewed for a wage increase approximately each six month period starting with the date of indenture, in accordance with the apprentice wage schedule.
(Six Periods) Percent of OJT Hours Related Training
Journeyman Rate
1 50% 0 N/A
2 60% 801 Completion of 1st Semester, CPR
3 65% 1601 1st year School Completed, Tool List
4 70% 2401 Completion of 1st Semester, 2nd year
5 80% 3201 2nd year School Completed
6 85% 4001 Completion 1st Semester, 3rd year
Completion 100% 4800 3rd year School Completed
No wage increase will be issued until period process hours have been completed and supporting Blue Books have been turned in. Apprentices will not advance until they have completed the corresponding semester of school with satisfactory grades (see wage schedule), and current CPR/FA certification. When the apprentice has qualified for advancement, a wage increase letter will be sent to the apprentice and the employer. Wage increase will be processed no less than 60 days between raises.
Required Tools
An apprentice will not be advanced to the third pay period without a full tool kit listed in the Inside Wireman’s Agreement. The “Residential Wireman Tool List” form provided by the J.A.T.C. must be verified and signed by the employer and turned into the Training Director before advancing to the third pay period.
Rotation
Based on industry needs, an apprentice may be rotated to several shops over the course of their apprenticeship. These rotations are used to ensure that apprentice training is varied and divers. When rotations occur, both the employer and the apprentice will be notified by the J.A.T.C.. Before any apprentice is referred to another employer, the apprentice Residential Blue Book must be up to date and verified by the J.A.T.C..
Job Assignments
The J.A.T.C. is responsible for assigning apprentices for training. An Apprentice shall contact the J.A.T.C. if being asked to stay home by an employer due to lack of work. If an Apprentice is held on an employer “waiting list” for prolonged periods, the Apprentice may be subject to disciplinary action by the J.A.T.C.
Apprentices should notify the Training Director or the Union of job conditions that need correction. An Apprentice shall not quit their training assignment. An Apprentice who quits an assignment shall be disciplined and subject to appear before the Committee.
If an Apprentice is laid-off or terminated, the Apprentice shall report to the J.A.T.C. with release paperwork provided by the employer. The Apprentice shall report to the Union to sign the Out-of-Work list. Training assignments will be at the discretion of the Apprentice Coordinator.
An Apprentice shall not work for or with relatives until they are in their last pay period.
Transfer
No transfer of apprentices into this J.A.T.C. program will be considered until they meet this J.A.T.C.’s entrance requirements.
Geographical Jurisdiction
No apprentice shall travel outside the jurisdiction of this J.A.T.C. in the performance of work process hours. Employers shall assign apprentices to jobs in this J.A.T.C.’s jurisdiction only; except at the direction of the Committee. If an Apprentice is asked to report to a job site outside the jurisdiction, the apprentice shall contact the J.A.T.C. for direction.
Grading Policy
Classroom instructors will submit semester grades to Foothill College based on the class grading policy. Instructors will report to the J.A.T.C. scores on the standardized tests. An apprentice who scores below 85% on a standardized test, will be subject to up to 30 days off work. A student who fails to maintain the required 85% grade point average may be subject to discipline or cancellation.
Test Makeup
It is the responsibility of the apprentice to maintain an 85% grade point average. The Committee will allow the retest of one failed test per semester. The apprentice must make arrangements with the instructor for any retest prior to the end of the semester when final grades are submitted to Foothill College.
Disciplinary Action May Be Taken By The J.A.T.C. For Any Infraction of the Following Rules
1.Failure to perform the work on the job indicated by any below average or unsatisfactory rating on an employer evaluation.
2.Failure to attend school as scheduled.
3.Scoring below 85% on a standardized test.
4.Failure to maintain or turn in a Blue Book.
5.Failure to appear in response to notification.
6.Failure to be available for training assignment when unemployed.
7.Failure to accept job assignment.
8.Working for any electrical contractor during a period of disciplinary suspension from the job.
9.Failure to follow school policies.
10.Disciplinary problems in the classroom.
11.Failure to complete homework required for Day School classes.
12.Failure to maintain First Aid/CPR certification.
For Violations of Apprentices Standards or Rules and Regulations of JATC Other Than Unexcused Absences
1st Violation - 1 to 5 days off of work.
2nd Violation - 10 to 30 days off of work
3rd Violation - Subject to cancellation of Apprenticeship Agreement.
The lesser discipline(s) need not be imposed before the greater discipline so long as the number of violations warrants the discipline(s) imposed.
Disciplinary Actions for Absences
Absences are based on total hours of curriculum missed. Each three (3) hour block of curriculum missed is considered as one absence,
Example: Missing one night school class (3hrs) = 1 absence
Missing one day school class (8hrs) = 2? absence
A.ALL ABSENCES
Curriculum hours must be made up for all absences, excused or unexcused.
For an absence to be considered EXCUSED, a “Request for Excused Absence” form must be completed and submitted to the instructor along with any documentation at the next class. If the form is not submitted, the absence will be considered UNEXCUSED and the penalties noted below will be assessed where applicable.
Excused absences must be made up ON or BEFORE the following Saturday of the week missed, unless granted an extension by the Training Director’s Office. Excused absences may be made up on at a journeyman class.
If a student has a total of five (5) excused or unexcused absences during a semester, the apprentice may be required to repeat the year upon review by the Committee.
Example of absences considered excused by the Committee:
a) Death in the immediate family,
b) Illness documented by a doctor’s letter.
c) Serious family problems.
Example of absences considered unexcused by the Committee:
a)Inconvenience
b)Vacations
c)Social Commitments
d)Any conflict over which the apprentice had control over scheduling.
e)Lack of transportation.
B.PENALTIES
UNEXCUSED ABSENCES
1 Unexcused Absence - No penalty (school hours must be made up)
2 Unexcused Absences - 1 day off of work (made-up at Day school, 8 hours each day)
3 Unexcused Absences - 5 days off of work (made-up at Day school, 8 hours each day)
4 Unexcused Absences - 10 days off of work (made-up at Day school, 8 hours each day)
5 Unexcused Absences - Cited before the Board - Subject to cancellation of your Apprenticeship Agreement.
The Committee need not impose the lesser discipline prior to the greater discipline so long as the number of unexcused absences satisfies the disciplinary action taken by the Committee. When an apprentice is given days off of work, the Apprentice shall be required to report to school to attend the ongoing day school classes or as directed by the Committee.
When an apprentice is off on disciplinary action, the regular nights or days of school shall be attended. However, if part of the disciplinary action includes suspension from school, then the above sentence (relating to attending the ongoing day classes) does not apply.
C.Tardies
1.3 Tardies = 1 Absence
2.Tardies over 1 hour = 1 Absence
3.Leaving at break = 1 Absence
Integrity
Indentured apprentices, who have qualified for the program, have been selected for certain qualities. Among those are: “a good moral character, integrity and maturity, in essence, a good citizen”.
Apprentices, who by their personal actions display a disregard for the above, could have their indenture papers canceled by the J.A.T.C.
The JATC will not condone moonlighting, theft of material, use of drugs, or any violation of the law or the instructions, rules and regulations of this J.A.T.C. All offenders will immediately be cited before the J.A.T.C. for disciplinary action.
Certificate of Completion
In order to turn out as a Journeyman Wireman, an apprentice must complete 4800 OJT (on-the-job) hours and attend at least 450 hours of related instruction.
Upon successful completion of the 4800 (forty eight hundred) work process hours and 6 (six) semesters of related instruction, each apprentice will receive 2 (two) Certificates of Completion; one from the National J.A.T.C. and one from the State of California, Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS).
General Savings Clause
It is the intent of the parties to establish apprenticeship standards which comply in all particulars with the requirements of Federal and State law, and in the event that any provisions of these Standards, the Rules and Regulations, or Instructions are finally held or determined to be illegal, or void as contravening any such laws, rules or regulations, nevertheless the remainder of the Standards, Rules and Regulations shall remain in full force and effect unless the parts affected are wholly inseparable from the remainder. If and when any provisions of the Standards, Rules and Regulations, or Instructions are held or determined to be illegal or void, the parties will promptly take steps to correct such illegality.
POLICY AGAINST SEXUAL HARRASSMENT
1. GENERAL
The Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee does not tolerate sexual harassment of any type. Sexual harassment is unlawful and such prohibited conduct exposes not only the Committee, but individuals involved in such conduct to significant liability under the law. The Committee expects committee employees, including instructors, employers who hire apprentice, and apprentices to treat each other with respect and dignity so as not to offend the sensibilities of the individual. Sexual harassment not only hurts the immediate victim, but other employees. Incidents of harassment can result in a general atmosphere in which the purpose of the apprenticeship and training program is undermined. The Committee therefore is committed to vigorously enforcing this policy against sexual harassment. J.A.T.C. employees or apprentices who engage in such conduct shall be disciplined. Employers who engage in such conduct against apprentices will be denied access to apprentices.
2. WHAT CONSTITUTED SEXUAL HARRASEMENT?
Sexual harassment according to the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) consists of unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and any other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:
a.submission to such conduct is made explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual’s training or employment;
b.submission to, or rejection of, such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for training-related or employment-related decision affecting such individual; or
c.such conduct has the purpose of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, abusive or offensive teaching / working environment.
Sexual harassment may include, but is not limited to, intentional physical conduct that is sexual in nature, such as; touching, pinching, patting, sexually-oriented gestures, noises, remarks, jokes or comments about a person’s sexuality or sexual experiences; and displaying pictures, posters, calendars, graffiti, objects, promotional materials, reading materials or other materials that are sexually suggestive, sexually demeaning or pornographic.
POLICY REGARDING SUBSTANCE ABUSE
The J.A.T.C. has provided an environment that is conducive to learning. Therefore, it is imperative that all students recognize that being under the influence of drugs or alcohol on J.A.T.C. property cannot and will not be tolerated. Any student found to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol will be subject to disciplinary action by the J.A.T.C.
To provide a drug-free workforce for the Electrical Construction Industry, the JATC defers to the IBEW 332/NECA established Substance Abuse Policy. All training assignments made by the JATC and dispatched through the IBEW will comply with the “Drug Free Applicant Pool” requirements as described in IBEW Local 332 Referral Procedures. For further information regarding drug screening, consult the IBEW 332/NECA Substance Abuse Testing Policy.
COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
The Santa Clara County Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Committee desires for apprentices to feel comfortable raising any and all issues they may have with regard to their classroom or on-the-job training. This includes raising complaints with regard to discrimination and sexual harassment.
We have established the following procedure to assist apprentices in resolving such issues.
An apprentice who has reason to believe that he or she may be the victim of harassment or discrimination based on race, color, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, martial status or physical or mental disability, may resolve the matter through the following process:
1. An apprentice alleging that he or she has suffered harassment or discrimination, or would like assistance in determining whether or not he or she has been or is victim of harassment or discrimination should refer the complaint immediately to the Training Director. It is important to raise the complaints as soon as possible so that the training program has the ability to evaluate and take action on an immediate basis. Complaints may be made orally or in writing. Anyone who observes discrimination or sexual harassment is encouraged to report it. Complaints must be on file no later than 30 days after the alleged unlawful event or when an apprentice knew or should have known of the facts the incident involved.
2. Once a complaint has been filed, the Training Director will meet with the concerned individual to understand the nature of the complaint and conduct a fact finding investigation of the complaint. The Training Director or his designee will meet with the complainant and all persons involves including any witness and review of documents which are relevant.
3. If the complaint evolves an employee of the Training Committee and if the investigation concludes that there are meritorious and credible facts to support the complaint, the Training Committee will take appropriate disciplinary action which may include a warning, reprimand, suspension and dismissal.
4. If the complaint involves conduct at the apprentice’s workplace, and after a full investigation has concluded with facts supporting the basis for the complaint, the Training Committee will intercede to determine an appropriate resolution with the employer in question and the apprentice in question to attempt to reach a mutually satisfactory resolution.
5. If there are persistent complaints or complaints are not corrected by an employer, the Committee can temporarily suspend an employer’s ability to continue training apprentices or disqualify said employer from training apprentices in the future.
6. The Training Committee shall complete its investigation within 90 days of any complaint which has not been resolved satisfactory under item 4 above and shall issue a written statement of findings. The investigation shall be documented in writing. A copy of the written statement of findings shall be provided to the complainant within 30 days.
APPEAL RIGHTS
If the apprentice is not satisfied with the results of any final actions by the Training Director, he or she may appeal the Director’s action to the Board of Trustees of the Santa Clara County Electrical Joint Apprenticeship and Training Fund. A written appeal should be filed along with a request for a hearing before the Board of Trustees on the matter. Said request for appeal should be filed within 30 days of any final action by the Training Director.
The Board of Trustees may review the appeal and any and all results of the investigation including any further information or witnesses the apprentice wishes to present to make a final written decision on the appeal within 60 days. An apprentice may further appeal any findings by the JATC to Foothill-De Anza Community College District, Dean of Student Affairs and Activities, Pat Hyland.
This complaint procedure is intended to assist resolving internal concerns and issue raised by apprentices with regard to their classroom and on-the-job training. This procedure does not supersede or take the place of the apprentice’s rights to file actions before other State and Federal agencies and/or grievances with the Local Union with regard to employment issues.
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