Section 181-2-7 - Utilization goals for individuals with disabilitiesa.Utilization goal. The U.S.D.O.L. Administrator of the Office of Apprenticeship (OA) has established a utilization goal of 7 percent for employment of qualified individuals with disabilities as apprentices for each major occupation group within which the sponsor has an apprenticeship program.b.Purpose. The purpose of the utilization goal established in paragraph (a) of this section is to establish a benchmark against which the sponsor must measure the representation of individuals with disabilities in the sponsor's apprentice workforce by major occupation group. The goal serves as an equal opportunity objective that should be attainable by complying with all the affirmative action requirements of this Chapter.c.Periodic review of goal. The OA will periodically review and update, as appropriate, the utilization goal established in paragraph (a) of this section.d.Utilization analysis1.Purpose. The utilization analysis is designed to evaluate the representation of individuals with disabilities in the sponsor's apprentice workforce grouped by major occupation group. If individuals with disabilities are represented in the sponsor's apprentice workforce in any given major occupation group at a rate less than the utilization goal, the sponsor must take specific measures outlined in paragraphs (e) and (f) of this section.2.Apprentice workforce analysisi.Process. Sponsors are required to analyze the representation of individuals with disabilities within their apprentice workforce by occupation. This is a two-step process. First, as required in section 2.5, each sponsor must group all apprentices in its registered apprenticeship program according to the occupational titles represented in its registered apprenticeship program. Next, for each occupation represented, the sponsor must identify the number of apprentices with disabilities.ii.Schedule of evaluation. The sponsor must conduct its apprentice workforce analysis at each compliance review, and again if and when three years have passed without a compliance review. This updated workforce analysis, grouped according to major occupation group, should then be compared to the utilization goal established under paragraph (a) of this section.iii.Compliance date.A. Sponsors registered with the Maine Apprenticeship Program as of the date this Chapter is effective must conduct their first workforce analysis, pursuant to this section, within 180 days of the effective date of this plan or within two years of registration, whichever is later.B. New sponsors registering with the Maine Apprenticeship Program must conduct their initial workforce analysis pursuant to this section no later than two years after the date of registration.e.Identification of problem areas. When the sponsor, working with the Registration Agency, determines that the percentage of individuals with disabilities in one or more major occupation groups within which a sponsor has apprentices is less than the utilization goal established in paragraph (a) of this section, the sponsor must take steps to determine whether and/or where impediments to equal opportunity exist. When making this determination, the sponsor must look at the results of its assessment of personnel processes required by section 2.9 and the effectiveness of its outreach and recruitment efforts required by section 2.8 of this part, if applicable.f.Action-oriented programs. The sponsor must undertake action-oriented programs, including targeted outreach, recruitment, and retention activities identified in section 2.8, designed to correct any problem areas that the sponsor identified pursuant to its review of personnel processes and outreach and recruitment efforts.g.Utilization goal relation to discrimination. A determination that the sponsor has not attained the utilization goal established in paragraph (a) of this section in one or more major occupation groups does not constitute either a finding or admission of discrimination in violation of this part.h.Utilization goal not a quota or ceiling. The utilization goal established in paragraph (a) of this section must not be used as a quota or ceiling that limits or restricts the employment of individuals with disabilities as apprentices.