Ricko1980
Member
- Location
- San Francisco
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Hi Folks,
We're in California, and I'm not sure how this works in other states. I'd particularly welcome advise from contractors in California.
We have trainees with "Electrician Trainee" cards, which in my opinion are a bit of a scam. You need them in order to work as a trainee for an electrical contractor here. This is since about 20 years ago. Before that it was permissible for contractors to have trainees without any official documentation, accruing experience hours and eventually getting licensed (but not needing to be an official "trainee" on some state list).
Anyone can get an "ET" card, you just have to enroll in some $350 online course four times a year, and keep enrolling until you are eligible to get the electrician license and pass the exam. The courses don't seem very valuable.
Contractors aren't allowed to employ people who don't have the "ET" card for anything that could come off as "making electrical connections." This is a bit of a gray area, and all of the smaller contractors I know around here have a mix of people with "ET" cards or without them. (Do the people doing supply runs need them? Do the people sweeping up? What about the people bending conduit or helping pull wire?)
I have an employee who is licensed in a foreign country, wants to validate his experience here in California. He says that he's been told to provide a letter from his current employer... but he doesn't have the ET card. I want to help this employee out, and rely on him continuing to work for me so want to be tactful, but I'm really reluctant to sign anything. I should have insisted he get an ET card already, and have tried to help him get one, but he only speaks Spanish so the options for online courses are limited. Since hiring this guy 2 years ago, I've been much more diligent about making sure that any and all trainees have the ET card and sign an agreement to maintain it in good standing.
My employee found a PDF (I can't find the source) with a sample letter for me to write to the Department of Industrial Relations, as well as a paragraph saying:
"Does this create any legal liability for the employer?
No. The DIR does not require the employer to legally certify the worker, nor does it hold the employer liable. The DIR only asks for an honest and verifiable letter confirming factual work experience.
The letter will not be made public, it is not used for any legal proceedings, and it carries no legal risk or obligation to the signer as long as it is based on truthful information."
Anyone have experience in this area and have any story to report about how the Department of Industrial Relations responded?
We're in California, and I'm not sure how this works in other states. I'd particularly welcome advise from contractors in California.
We have trainees with "Electrician Trainee" cards, which in my opinion are a bit of a scam. You need them in order to work as a trainee for an electrical contractor here. This is since about 20 years ago. Before that it was permissible for contractors to have trainees without any official documentation, accruing experience hours and eventually getting licensed (but not needing to be an official "trainee" on some state list).
Anyone can get an "ET" card, you just have to enroll in some $350 online course four times a year, and keep enrolling until you are eligible to get the electrician license and pass the exam. The courses don't seem very valuable.
Contractors aren't allowed to employ people who don't have the "ET" card for anything that could come off as "making electrical connections." This is a bit of a gray area, and all of the smaller contractors I know around here have a mix of people with "ET" cards or without them. (Do the people doing supply runs need them? Do the people sweeping up? What about the people bending conduit or helping pull wire?)
I have an employee who is licensed in a foreign country, wants to validate his experience here in California. He says that he's been told to provide a letter from his current employer... but he doesn't have the ET card. I want to help this employee out, and rely on him continuing to work for me so want to be tactful, but I'm really reluctant to sign anything. I should have insisted he get an ET card already, and have tried to help him get one, but he only speaks Spanish so the options for online courses are limited. Since hiring this guy 2 years ago, I've been much more diligent about making sure that any and all trainees have the ET card and sign an agreement to maintain it in good standing.
My employee found a PDF (I can't find the source) with a sample letter for me to write to the Department of Industrial Relations, as well as a paragraph saying:
"Does this create any legal liability for the employer?
No. The DIR does not require the employer to legally certify the worker, nor does it hold the employer liable. The DIR only asks for an honest and verifiable letter confirming factual work experience.
The letter will not be made public, it is not used for any legal proceedings, and it carries no legal risk or obligation to the signer as long as it is based on truthful information."
Anyone have experience in this area and have any story to report about how the Department of Industrial Relations responded?
