Affirmative action plans

(a) Adoption of affirmative action plans. A sponsor's commitment to equal opportunity in recruitment, selection, employment and training shall include the adoption of a written affirmative action plan as required by this regulation. (b) Outreach and positive recruitment. Acceptable affirmative action plans should include provisions for outreach and positive recruitment that would reasonably be expected to increase minority and female participation in apprenticeships by expanding the opportunities of minorities and females to become eligible for apprenticeship selection. Each sponsor shall effectively communicate its equal opportunity policy in such a manner as to foster understanding, acceptance and support among the sponsor's various officers, supervisors, employees and members and to encourage such persons to take the necessary action to aid the sponsor in meeting its obligations under these regulations. Each sponsor shall disseminate information concerning the nature of apprenticeship requirements, availability of apprenticeship opportunities, sources of applications and explanation of the equal opportunity policy of the sponsor. Such information shall be given as openings in the program arise, to the department and the Connecticut apprenticeship information job service network, which in turn will disseminate it to local schools, women's centers, outreach programs, the permanent commission on the status of women and community organizations which can effectively reach minorities and females in the sponsor's labor market area. In recognition of the fact that the scope of a particular affirmative action plan will be determined by the size of the apprenticeship program and the amount of a particular sponsor's resources, any individual sponsor will not necessarily be requested to take specific steps in all the areas listed below. However, the affirmative action plan shall set forth those specific steps the sponsor does intend to take. Suggested actions follow: (1) Each sponsor may cooperate with local school boards and vocational educational systems to develop programs for preparing students to meet the standards and criteria required to qualify for entry into apprenticeship programs. (2) Each sponsor may make provision in its affirmative action program that those who complete pre-apprenticeship and preparatory trade training programs are afforded equal opportunity to participate in the sponsor's apprentice training program. It is understood that the completion of such training programs in no way confers favored status upon such applicants, and that those eventually selected for the apprenticeship program will be selected on the basis of merit. (3) Each sponsor may utilize journeypersons to assist in the implementation of the affirmative action program. (4) Each sponsor may grant advanced standing or credit on the basis of previously acquired experience, training, skills or aptitude for program applicants. (5) Each sponsor may admit to apprenticeship programs persons whose age exceeds the usually preferred maximum age for admission to the program providing such individuals possess equal skills and aptitudes as those applicants whose age does not exceed the usually preferred maximum age. (6) Each sponsor may take any other action needed to ensure the implementation of the objectives of its affirmative action program. Nothing in this section is meant to perform any violation of an existing, valid collective bargaining agreement, so long as such collective bargaining agreement was not written to circumvent or discourage affirmative action in apprenticeship programs and so long as such collective bargaining agreement does not have the effect of circumventing or discouraging affirmative action in apprenticeship programs. (c) Department obligations. The department will provide technical assistance in the development and maintenance of a suitable affirmative action plan. Specifically, the department will: (1) Provide a model affirmative action plan to be modified to meet the sponsor's employment situation. (2) Provide, on at least an annual basis, the availability data necessary to maintain and update a sponsor's affirmative action plan. (3) Provide individual counseling by department personnel to program sponsors with specific problems in the affirmative action plans upon request of such sponsors. (4) Provide, through its offices, information on a pool of qualified applicants in the geographical area of any program sponsor. (5) Expand its apprentice information system advisory and coordinating committee to include persons representing community-level organizations and apprenticeship outreach agenices as well as representatives of industry program sponsors. (6) Expand the development of programs with the state department of education, the state community college system, the state technical college system and local boards of education in establishing trade preparatory classes, work experience foundation studies and pre-apprenticeship training programs to prepare for apprenticeship. (7) Promote, with program sponsors in selected trades, their participation in the state's apprentice scholarship program or other special projects. (8) Continue to offer, within the limits of existing funding, financial assistance to program sponsors for special training needs. (d) Goals and timetables. A sponsor shall establish goals and timetables in its affirmative action plan regarding the utilization of minorities and women (minority and non-minority). Goals and timetables shall be related to the following factors: (1) The size of the working age minority and female population in the program sponsor's labor market area. (2) The size of the minority and female labor force in the program sponsor's labor market area. (3) The percentage of minority and female participation as apprentices in the particular craft. (4) The percentage of minority and female participation as journey persons employed by the employer or employers participating in the program. (5) The general availability of minorities and females with present or potential capacity for apprenticeship in the program sponsor's labor market area. Such capacity or potential capacity shall be determined in part by the experience of the department and other outreach agencies. (e) Attainment of goals and timetables. The department recognizes that goals and timetables cannot be inflexibly established or achieved by program sponsors and that each sponsor's goals and timetables must be subject to periods of reevaluation and modification. Compliance with these regulations shall be determined by the department to the degree that (1) a sponsor has met its goals within its timetables or (2) failing that, it has made a good faith effort to meet its goals and timetables. "Good faith effort" shall be as defined in section 46a-68-2(k). The department shall make all data relevant to minority and female labor force characteristics for the sponsor's labor market area, as specified in section 46a-68-5(c), available to all program sponsors.