What happened?

On December 14, 2023, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced a Proposed rulemaking to enhance the National Apprenticeship System by modernizing regulations for Registered Apprenticeships, which was published in the Federal Register on January 17, 2024. However, its effects could harm the progress made.

What are the details?

According to the DOL, the proposed rule would include the following enhancements: 

• Strengthening of labor standards, quality, and worker protections by making occupational skills and training more portable, enhancing alignment with postsecondary education, and providing better performance data. 
• Better defining roles for State Apprenticeship Agencies and other stakeholders within the National Apprenticeship System.
• Codifies the Office of Apprenticeship’s role in national leadership, promotion, and standards. 
• Promoting apprenticeship pathways, including pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship readiness programs, by expanding performance and data requirements to improve accountability, transparency, and program outcomes. 
• Creating a student-centric model of Registered Apprenticeship, called Registered Career and Technical Education Apprenticeship designed to make it more seamless for full-time high school and community college students to enroll in a Registered Apprenticeship. This approach is modeled after high-quality youth apprenticeship systems in states across the country.

However, the House Committee on Small Business issued a letter warning the DOL that the changes introduced would make it more difficult for small businesses to comply and participate in the program, by imposing difficult administrative requirements (such as the adoption of a time-based model instead of the flexible competency-based approach).

Business Considerations

• If you want to comment on the Proposed Rule, identified by Docket No. ETA–2023–0004 and Regulatory Identification Number (RIN) 1205–AC13, follow the instructions provided here.
• Review the new procedure and update your accordingly.
• Update or create new policies, practices and procedures as needed to participate and comply with the Proposed Rule.

Resources

• DOL Official Press Release
• Proposed Rule National Apprenticeship System Enhancements
• House Committee on Small Business Letter

Source References

• NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP SYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS
• DOL rule would promote apprenticeships, tighten program labor standards (Industry Dive)
• Republicans say proposed rule would disincentivize apprenticeships (Industry Dive)
• House Committee on Small Business Letter

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