This bill amends the registered apprenticeship requirements for public works contractors in New Jersey, allowing contractors to opt-out of participating in a registered apprenticeship program by paying an annual fee of $1,000 per craft classification. The bill stipulates that contractors who choose to opt-out must still pay their tradespeople at least the prevailing journeyman rate for the craft work performed. Additionally, the funds collected from the opt-out fees will be split equally between the Department of Labor and Workforce Development for apprenticeship initiatives and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority for supporting minority, female, and veteran-owned construction firms.

The bill also revises the standards for registered apprenticeship programs, removing the previous requirement for apprentices to complete a minimum of 2,000 hours of on-the-job training and 144 hours of classroom instruction each year. Instead, it establishes that the required hours and years of apprenticeship must meet or exceed the standards set by the relevant building and construction trade unions. Furthermore, the bill introduces the establishment of an ERISA-covered apprenticeship training program trust fund, which is intended to finance the registered apprenticeship programs. Lastly, it repeals a provision that exempted subcontractors from registration requirements if they did not perform work at construction sites governed by the Public Works Contractor Registration Act.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 34:11-56.52, 34:11-56.55, 34:11-56.51