Bill Text: MA H3072 | 2009-2010 | 186th General Court | Introduced
Bill Title: Authorize municipal light departments to conduct co-op training programs
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-08-04 - Accompanied a study order, see H04969 [H3072 Detail]
Download: Massachusetts-2009-H3072-Introduced.html
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
PRESENTED BY:
James H. Fagan
_______________
To the
Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the passage of the accompanying bill:
An Act authorizing municipal light department co-op training programs.
_______________
PETITION OF:
Name: |
District/Address: |
James H. Fagan |
3rd Bristol |
[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS
SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3301 OF 2007-2008.]
The Commonwealth of
Massachusetts
_______________
In the Year Two Thousand and Nine
_______________
An Act authorizing municipal light department co-op training
programs.
Be
it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court
assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION
1. Section 69B of chapter 164 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006
Official Edition, is hereby amended by adding after line 3 the following
definitions:—
“Co-op Training Program”. A program designed by the manager to encourage
students to enter a career field in municipal utility work, which will allow
the department to assess the person prior to a hiring commitment, and assure
that a trained person will be available.
“Co-op Trainee”. Any individual who has contracted with a city or town pursuant
to the provisions of Section 69C-½.
SECTION 2. Chapter 164 of said General Laws is hereby
further amended by adding the following new section:—
Section 69C-½. Any city or town owning or operating a municipal lighting or
municipal gas plant pursuant to the provisions of this chapter may contract for
the training and employment of co-op trainees in its plant. Such contract shall
be in writing, and signed by the manager and the applicant for training and
employment as a co-op trainee. Such contract shall not be voidable or
unenforceable because of the age of the co-op trainee; provided, that he or she
has attained the age of 16 when the contract was executed and that his or her
parent or parents assent thereto in writing. The selection of co-op trainees
shall be made by the manager.
The contract shall provide (a) that the co-op trainee shall, by a date to be
specified, begin or continue attendance at a duly accredited technical training
school or other educational institution, having a course of study leading to the
training, to be determined by the manager, to be necessary for the efficient
operation of the plant. The contract may, in the discretion of the manager,
prescribe certain minimum courses of study to be taken by the co-op trainee in
the technical school or other educational institution;
(b) that the co-op trainee shall, throughout the
course of his or her training as aforesaid, engage in work to be known as “on
the job training” at the plant under the supervision and direction of the
manager or his or her duly authorized representative, for such number of weeks
during regular school vacations as the manager may determine. The compensation
for “on the job training” shall be an hourly rate to be determined by the
manager;
(c) that the co-op trainee shall, upon final completion of his or her course of
study as aforesaid, engage in work to be known as “graduate on the job
training” on a full-time basis at the plant under the supervision and direction
of the manager or his or her duly authorized representative, for a period of
time to be determined by the manager, and specified in the contract, which
period of time shall in no event exceed a period of five years. The
compensation for “graduate on the job training” shall be at an hourly rate to
be determined by the manager;
(d) that the co-op trainee shall, throughout his or her courses of study as
aforesaid, maintain such a minimum academic standing in such institution as may
be prescribed in the contract by the manager;
(e) that the co-op trainee shall not work for any other person, corporation or
municipality until such time as he or she has completed “graduate on the job
training” as prescribed in the contract; provided, however, that the manager
may credit all or any part of time spent by a co-op trainee in active service
in the armed forces of the United States as part of the co-op trainee’s
prescribed “graduate on the job training”;
(f) that the city or town shall pay all or such portion of the co-op trainee’s
tuition for the course of study aforesaid, as the manager shall determine and
prescribed in the said contract. The term “tuition” shall be deemed to include
the actual cost of all books or laboratory or similar equipment that may be
required by the co-op trainee in his or her course of study;
(g) that the manager may, in the event that the co-op
trainee at any time fails to maintain his or her attendance or academic
standing at the institution prescribed in the contract, or in any other way
fails to perform his or her obligations under the contract, terminate the
contract by written notice to the co-op trainee; provided, however, that this
remedy shall not be deemed to be conclusive, and shall not prejudice any other
remedies which the contracting city or town may have for the breach of the said
contract; whether at law or in equity;
(h) that the co-op trainee shall, after successful completion of the “graduate
on the job training”, as certified by the manager, be granted civil service
status in his or her job title;
(i) for such other and further provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions
of sections 69B to 69F, inclusive, as the manager may deem necessary or
appropriate.
Sections 69B, 69E and 69F shall be applicable to co-op trainees to the extent
applicable to cadet engineers.