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SB 1227

Department of Industrial Relations: apprenticeship pilot program.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by María Elena Durazo

SB 1227 creates a merit-based apprenticeship pilot within DIR, developed with CalHR and unions, to address staffing shortages while preserving civil service principles and not disp

Referred to Coms. on P. E. & R. and L. & E.
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Bill Summary · SB 1227

Summary of SB 1227 (2025-2026) — Department of Industrial Relations: Apprenticeship Pilot Program

Quick take

SB 1227 would establish an apprenticeship pilot program within the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) to address staffing shortages and improve recruitment and retention in hard-to-fill classifications. The program would be designed in partnership with CalHR (Department of Human Resources) and bargaining units representing DIR employees, and would operate in a manner consistent with California’s constitutional merit principle and applicable apprenticeship and civil service laws. Pay for participants would be set through collective bargaining, and successful completion could lead to civil service advancement.

1) Purpose and intent

  • Address chronic staff shortages at DIR that impede enforcement of labor laws and responsiveness to investigations.
  • Leverage apprenticeship as a merit-based approach to staffing, with potential pathways to civil service positions.
  • Create a pilot program that augments state capacity without displacing current workers.

2) Key provisions and changes

  • Article 9 added to the Labor Code (commencing with Section 3150), creating the Department of Industrial Relations Apprenticeship Pilot Program.
  • Definitions:
    • Apprenticeship program: the DIR apprenticeship pilot program(s).
    • CalHR: Department of Human Resources.
    • Constitutional merit principle: the merit-based selection and advancement standard under the California Constitution.
    • Department: DIR.
  • Development deadline:
    • By January 1, 2028, DIR and CalHR must partner with DIR’s exclusive bargaining units to design and develop the apprenticeship program addressing staffing challenges (e.g., industrial hygienists and other titles).
  • Program design and administration requirements:
    • Use meet-and-confer processes, collective bargaining, and joint apprenticeship committees in line with:
    • Ralph C. Dill Act (government code on labor relations for the public sector),
    • Shelley-Maloney Apprenticeship and Labor Standards Act of 1939,
    • Other applicable apprenticeship laws.
    • Must align with constitutional merit principle:
    • Participation selection must reflect merit-based interpretations of the principle.
    • Completion must be merit-based per court interpretations.
    • Implementation subject to an agreement between DIR and the exclusive representative (union).
    • Joint apprenticeship committees (JACs) will hold the full powers granted to them under applicable laws and regulations.
    • Candidate pool may include incumbent state employees and prospective state employees not yet in civil service.
  • Pay and career advancement:
    • Apprenticeship participants’ pay will be determined through collective bargaining.
    • Participants hired into a civil service apprenticeship classification will accrue full civil service credited time for retirement and seniority during the apprenticeship.
    • Upon successful completion, participants may be considered qualified and eligible for appointment to the journey classification via an apprentice transfer.
  • Program purpose and scope:
    • The program is intended to augment state capacity and improve recruitment/retention for hard-to-fill classifications.
    • It is explicitly not designed to displace incumbent state workers.
    • DIR’s authority and the State Personnel Board’s jurisdiction are preserved; the bill does not limit their powers.

3) Who and what is affected

  • Affected entities:
    • Department of Industrial Relations (DIR)
    • California Department of Human Resources (CalHR)
    • DIR employees (existing and prospective) in relevant classifications
    • Exclusive bargaining representatives of DIR employees
  • Impact areas:
    • Staffing and recruitment for DIR enforcement divisions (e.g., occupational safety, labor standards enforcement).
    • Pay structures for apprentices, determined via collective bargaining.
    • Pathways to civil service advancement for participants, with credit for time in apprenticeship.
    • Potential expansion to additional DIR titles over time (beyond initial targets).

4) Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Legislative history:
    • Introduced February 19, 2026; amended in April 2026; referred to committees; set for hearing.
  • Key deadlines:
    • January 1, 2028: DIR and CalHR to design and develop the apprenticeship program with DIR’s bargaining units.
  • Oversight and governance:
    • Program design and implementation must occur through negotiation with exclusive representatives and in accordance with applicable labor and apprenticeship laws.
    • Joint apprenticeship committees receive equivalent powers to standard JACs under governing codes.

5) Fiscal considerations

  • The bill does not include an appropriation (no explicit funding requested in the bill text).
  • Fiscal committee: yes (budgetary implications to be assessed in committee; potential future funding decisions may accompany implementation).

Bottom line

SB 1227 creates a structured, merit-based apprenticeship pilot within DIR, developed with CalHR and unions, to address staffing shortages while safeguarding civil service principles and avoiding displacement of current employees. It sets a clear path toward enhanced DIR capacity, with pay and advancement tied to collective bargaining outcomes and successful program completion.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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