pennsylvania
u
DEPARTMENT
OF
EDUCATION
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Tom Wolf, Governor
Department of Education
Noe Ortega, Acting Secretary
Office of Elementary and Secondary Education
Matthew Stem, Deputy Secretary
Bureau of Career and Technical Education
Lee Burket, Director
The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) does not discriminate in its educational programs,
activities, or employment practices, based on race, color, national origin, [sex] gender, sexual orientation,
disability, age, religion, ancestry, union membership, gender identity or expression, AIDS or HIV status, or
any other legally protected category. Announcement of this policy is in accordance with State Law
including the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act and with Federal law, including Title VI and Title VII of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, and the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990.
The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the Pennsylvania Department
of Education’s nondiscrimination policies:
For Inquiries Concerning Nondiscrimination in Employment:
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Equal Employment Opportunity Representative
Bureau of Human Resources
Voice Telephone: (717) 783-5446
For Inquiries Concerning Nondiscrimination in All Other Pennsylvania Department of Education
Programs and Activities:
Pennsylvania Department of Education
School Services Unit Director
333 Market Street, 5th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
Voice Telephone: (717) 783-3750, Fax: (717) 783-6802
If you have any questions about this publication or for additional copies, contact:
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Bureau of Career and Technical Education
333 Market Street, 11th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
Voice: (717) 772-4870, Fax: (717) 783-6672
www.education.pa.gov
Table of Contents
Introduction.........................................................................................................1
National Commission for Cooperative Education
Time Needed to Deliver a Cooperative Education/Diversified Occupations
.............................................2
Cooperative Education Programs .....................................................................4
Types of Cooperative Education Opportunities ................................................5
Program .............................................................................................................5
Facilities and Equipment ...................................................................................6
Special Population Services ..............................................................................6
Guidelines for Operating Capstone Cooperative Education Programs.............7
Pennsylvania Capstone Cooperative Education-Related Instructional Guide..8
Guidelines for Operating Cooperative Diversified Occupations Programs.......9
Planning, Organization and Operation of Local Programs ............................ 10
Secondary Curricula ....................................................................................... 11
Pennsylvania Cooperative Education Diversified Occupations Scope of
Instruction ....................................................................................................... 12
Pennsylvania Cooperative Education Diversified Occupations
Competencies........................................................................................15
Staffing Requirements
Pennsylvania Career and Technical Education Professional Development
.................................................................................... 18
Grade Level Scope of Certificate ................................................................... 18
Certification Assignment................................................................................. 19
Special Considerations................................................................................... 19
Centers ........................................................................................................... 19
Administrative Requirements.......................................................................... 20
Sample Training Agreement for Cooperative Education ............................... 21
Training Plan................................................................................................... 23
Sample Training Plan for Cooperative
Education
.......................................... 24
Sample Training Plan for Cooperative Education (Cont.) .............................. 25
Revised December 2020 i
Pennsylvania Laws Relevant to Cooperative Education ............................... 26
Pennsylvania Child Labor
Act
......................................................................... 27
Pennsylvania Child Labor Act Prohibited Occupations for All Minors............ 30
Hazardous Occupations Exemptions for Student Learners........................... 33
Work Permit – Child Labor Act 151 ................................................................ 34
Parental Acknowledgement of Minor’s Duties and Hours of Employment Form 37
Application for Work Permit Form .................................................................. 38
Hazardous Occupations Exemptions for Diversified Occupations (DO)
Students.......................................................................................................... 39
Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act/Fair Labor Standards Act ........................ 39
Pennsylvania Worker and Community Right to Know Act ............................. 40
Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act .................................................... 40
Pennsylvania Human Relations Act ............................................................... 41
Tort Liability..................................................................................................... 42
Mandatory Postings for Pennsylvania Employers.......................................... 44
Federal Laws Relevant to Cooperative Education......................................... 45
The Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA)
..................................................... 46
Federal Required Employee Notices.............................................................. 47
Federal and Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation ............................ 53
Evaluation of Cooperative Education ............................................................. 54
Approved Program Evaluation Checklist........................................................ 55
Types of Work-Based Programs and Activities.............................................. 59
Contacts and Sources of Information ............................................................. 61
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Pennsylvania Offices . 61
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Labor Law
Compliance District Offices ............................................................................ 62
Critical Issues in Career and Technical Education Cooperative Education... 63
Revised December 2020 ii
Introduction
Cooperative education is a method of instruction that enables students to combine academic
classroom instruction (school-based learning component) with occupational instruction through
learning on the job (work-based learning component) in a career area of choice. Emphasis is
placed on the students’ education and employability skills.
Pennsylvania continues to be a leader in this effort through cooperative education. Cooperative
education has been a part of both the secondary and postsecondary school programs in
Pennsylvania for many years, having its beginning around the turn of the 20th century.
In Pennsylvania, cooperative education is provided for in Chapter 4 of the Pennsylvania State
Board of Education Regulations (SBR): Academic Standards and Assessment, Section 4.31 (c)
,
or Section 4.3 of Title 22 of the Pennsylvania Code, 22 Pa. 4.3.
Vocational-technical education programs must consist of a series of planned academic and
vocational-technical education courses that are articulated with one another so that knowledge
and skills are taught in a systematic manner. When appropriate, vocational-technical education
programs must adopt, in program areas for which they are available, industry recognized skill
standards and may also include cooperative vocational-technical education and participation in
vocational student organizations to develop leadership skills.
Cooperative education program content is provided for in
Chapter 339 of the Pennsylvania
Code: Vocational Education, Section 339.22.
Career and technical schools and comprehensive high schools offering the Pennsylvania
Department of Education (PDE)-approved career and technical education programs may
provide Capstone Cooperative Education as a method of instruction that includes an off-
campus, occupationally-related experience.
Capstone Cooperative Education shall be planned and implemented as a method to assist
students in their transition from school to work; it shall be planned and implemented in
accordance with the student’s declared career objective and in concert with predetermined,
expected academic and occupational learning outcomes.
Diversified occupations education is also provided for in Chapter 339 of the Pennsylvania Code
Vocational Education, Section 339.29.
Diversified occupations programs may include any of the occupational areas defined in the
Pennsylvania Code subsection (a) 22 Pa. Code 339.22(a) or other occupational areas not
offered at the comprehensive high schools or area vocational technical school. The diversified
occupations program shall be available as a one-year or two-year program. This program is for
11th and 12th grade students who are unable to gain admission to a vocational program due to
excessive numbers of applicants, inability to meet entrance requirements for other existing
vocational programs, or lack of specific vocational areas offered at the comprehensive high
school or participating area vocational technical school
.
The major components of a quality cooperative education program are:
1. Job placements where students perform work related to acquired skills with the
opportunity to develop additional competencies and contribute to the productivity of the
business organization.
2. Certified cooperative education teacher-coordinators with appropriate occupational
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 1
experience to provide planned, supervised instruction.
3. Worksite training supervisors who can share occupational expertise with students.
4. Accurate and realistic descriptions of the jobs to be performed by students, as well as
realistic employer expectations of the skills the students bring to the job.
5. Individualized, written training plans that are correlated to the students’ school-based
instruction and work-based on-the-job training.
6. Evaluations that are formal and informal assessments of the students’ progress on the
job, including feedback and follow-up to assist students in improving performance.
7. Parents/guardians who have a full understanding of their responsibilities in the program.
8. Assistance with job placement in full-time positions or referrals for additional education
for graduates.
9. Follow-up studies of graduates that are conducted in a systematic manner.
10. Instruction in all aspects of the industry the student is preparing to enter, which provides
a broad base of knowledge of all facets of the business operation including
management, finances, health and safety.
11. Strong commitment by school administration for the program.
These guidelines were specifically developed to assist administrators and cooperative education
teacher-coordinators in complying with federal and state laws, and regulations regarding
cooperative education. The guidelines address laws, regulations and operational issues that
should be followed to ensure an effective work-based learning environment for all students.
National Commission for Cooperative Education
Definition and Essential Characteristics
A national committee of experienced practitioners developed the cooperative education
model, which follows. The definition and essential characteristics were approved by the
boards of the National Commission for Cooperative Education, Cooperative Education
Association and the Cooperative Education Division of the American Society for Engineering
Education. Also included is a list of anticipated outcomes.
Definition of Cooperative Education
Cooperative education is a structured educational strategy integrating classroom studies
with learning through productive work experiences in a field related to a student's academic
or career goals. It provides progressive experiences in integrating theory and practice.
Cooperative education is a partnership among students, educational institutions and
employers, with specified responsibilities for each party. These include:
Essential Characteristics:
1. Formal recognition by the school as an educational strategy integrating classroom
learning and progressive work experiences, with a constructive academic
relationship between teaching faculty and cooperative education faculty or
administrators.
2. Structure for multiple work experiences in formalized sequence with study leading to
degree completion of an academic program.
3. Work experiences, which include both an appropriate learning environment and
productive work.
4. Work experiences related to career or academic goals.
5. Formal recognition of the co-op experience on student records (e.g., grade, credit
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 2
hours, part of degree requirement, notation on transcript, etc.).
6. Pre-employment preparation for students, as well as ongoing advising.
7. Agreement among the school, employer, parent/guardian
1
and the student on:
a. Job description and new learning opportunities.
b. Specified minimum work periods equivalent in length to an academic term
(quarter, semester or trimester). In alternating programs, students work
approximately 40 hours/week, full-time during the term. In parallel programs,
students work approximately 20 hours/week, part-time during the term.
c. Work monitored by the school and supervised by employers.
d. Official school enrollment during employment.
e. Recognition as a co-op employee by the employer.
f.Evaluations by the student, the school, and the employer, with guided reflection by
the student.
g. Remuneration for the work performed.
8. Provision for employer and school evaluation of quality and relevance of the work
experience and curriculum.
9. Designed to maximize outcomes for students, employers and the school.
Outcomes
1. Student Outcomes
a. Academic
(1) Ability to integrate classroom theory with workplace practice
(2) Clarity about academic goals
(3) Academic motivation
(4) Technical knowledge through use of state-of-the-art equipment
b. Professional
(1) Clarity about career goals
(2) Understanding of workplace culture
(3) Workplace competencies
(4) New or advanced skills
(5) Career management professional network
(6) After-graduation employment opportunities
c. Personal
(1) Maturity
(2) Determination of strengths and weaknesses
(3) Development/enhancement of interpersonal skills
(4) Earnings to assist college expenses or to support personal financial
responsibilities
(5) Productive and responsible citizenship skills
(6) Lifelong learning skills
2. Employer Outcomes
a. Well-prepared, short-term employees
b. Flexibility to address human resource needs
c. Cost-effective long-term recruitment and retention
d. Access to candidates with sought-after skills and/or background
e. Increased staff diversity
f. Partnerships with schools
g. Input on quality and relevance of school's curricula
1
In Pennsylvania, the parent/guardian must be included as a key component of the partnership.
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 3
h. Cost-effective productivity
3. College and University Outcomes
a. Recruitment of new students
b. Retention of current students
c. Wider range of learning opportunities for students
d. Enriched curriculum
e. Enhanced reputation in the employment community
f. Improved rate of employment of graduates
g. Increased alumni participation (hire students, contribute money, etc.)
h. Partnerships with business, government and community organization
i. Increased external support by corporations, foundations and government grants
4 Societal Outcomes
a. Established model for workforce preparedness
b. Income tax revenue
c. Reduced demand for student loans
d. Productive and responsible citizens
e. Industry-education partnerships
Developed by the National Center for Construction Education Practitioners Committee.
Reproduced with permission obtained in August 2013 from Paul Stonely, CEO of the World
Association for Cooperative Education, which has since acquired the National Center for
Construction Education.
Cooperative Education Programs
Cooperative education is a structured method of instruction combining school-based classroom
learning with productive work-based learning in an occupation matching the student’s academic
and career objectives. At the secondary level, cooperative education involves a planned
partnership with specified connecting activities and responsibilities among students,
parent/guardians, schools, employers, labor organizations and government. These specified
connecting activities and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. School-based learning activities including career awareness, career exploration and
counseling, and the initial selection of a career objective by interested students.
2. Student enrollment in a PDE-approved career and technical education program which
facilitates linkages with postsecondary education, a coherent multi-year sequence of
instruction and the opportunity for full-time employment.
3. A written training agreement outlining responsibilities and a training plan detailing work-
based competencies relevant to the student’s career choice.
4. Students receive pay comparable to entry-level wage.
5. Supervision, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of student progress and
performance between the school-based and work-based learning components are
performed by appropriately certified professional school personnel because school credit
is to be awarded for this experience. A minimum of one on-site visit per month is
required.
6. An employer/employee relationship exists therefore, all state and federal laws regarding
employer/employee relationships are enforced. Particular attention shall be given to the
Child Labor Act regarding work permits, working hours, insurance, workers’
compensation, safety and hazardous occupations.
7. Cooperative education teacher-coordinators shall complete a training agreement and
training plan and receive copies of each student’s employment certificate or work permit
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 4
and proof of workers’ compensation before the student is placed at the work site.
Types of Cooperative Education Opportunities
Capstone
Students receiving a cooperative education experience from the specialized areas of career
and technical education including agriculture; business, computer and information
technology; family and consumer sciences; marketing education (formerly distributive
education); health occupations; and trade and industrial education may participate in
Capstone. Through cooperative education, these students “cap off” their formal in-school
career and technical education with a related employment experience at a school-approved,
work-based learning site. (22 Pa. Code, Chapter 4 § 4.3)
Diversified Occupations
Diversified Occupations is a planned vocational program which may be offered at either the
area vocational-technical school or comprehensive high school. The program prepares a
heterogeneous group of students for more than one vocational education area of instruction
for gainful employment. The program is a direct relationship/partnership between a local
business/industry and the local education agency. Career competency and manipulative
aspects of a skill are developed at the job training station site. The school, in a classroom
setting, provides related general as well as technical instruction, including safety.
Diversified occupations programs may include any of the occupational areas defined in
(Chapter 339.22 Program Content/subsection (a)) or other occupational areas not offered at
the comprehensive high schools or area vocational technical school. The diversified
occupations program shall be available as a one-year or two-year program. This program is
for 11th and 12th grade students who are unable to gain admission to a vocational program
due to excessive numbers of applicants, inability to meet entrance requirements for other
existing vocational programs, or lack of specific vocational areas offered at the
comprehensive high school or participating area vocational technical school. When
diversified occupations programs are provided, they shall be planned in accordance with the
student’s stated career objective.
Time Needed to Deliver a Cooperative Education/Diversified
Occupations Program
Often asked is the question, “How much time should be devoted to teaching, coordinating and
supervising cooperative education?” The best answer to this question is another question, “How
successful do you want your program to be?”
School administrators, as well as cooperative education teacher-coordinators, need to
recognize that all good things take time. Therefore, if you are going to enter a cooperative
education program, adequate and appropriate time must be provided for the cooperative
education teacher-coordinator to do his or her job. The cooperative education teacher-
coordinator – a specially certified teacher who may come from a career and technical center or
a comprehensive high school – will need time to assume added responsibilities in the following
areas:
1. Delivering a school-based learning component to include academic integration and
postsecondary articulation.
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 5
2. Helping students with their career major and/or career objective.
3. Matching students with highly skilled jobs.
4. Helping students enter work-based learning.
5. Developing broader comprehensive training plans.
6. Integrating academic and career and technical education subject matter.
7. Fostering greater involvement with industry-education partnerships.
8. Working with diverse student populations.
9. Providing for transportable skill certification.
10. Infusing community exploration.
11. Becoming involved with work-based mentor training and on-site coordination.
12. Explaining all aspects of the industry.
Time requirements vary by the type of cooperative education offered. For Capstone Cooperative
Education, students must meet with their certified vocational instructor at least 45 minutes per
week or 90 minutes every other week to discuss job problems and related information. A
minimum of one onsite evaluation for on-the-job activities must occur each month.
For school district-operated diversified occupation program, students shall meet with their
teacher-coordinator for at least one 40- to 45-minute period per day or a minimum of three
hours per week. To meet this requirement at a career and technical center operated program,
diversified occupations students shall meet their teacher-coordinator for at least one 40- to 45-
minute period per week.
Facilities and Equipment
It is important that adequate classroom space be available for the teaching of general and
occupationally specific information to Capstone Cooperative Education or Diversified
Occupations students. The cooperative education facilities should contain areas in which to
store occupational reference books, periodicals and individual student notebooks and study
guides. The cooperative education facilities should be comparable to other classrooms at the
school.
Special Population Services
Career and technical education provides employment opportunities for many students who are
economically disadvantaged, foster children, disabled, limited English proficient, single
parent/guardians and individuals who participate in programs preparing for nontraditional
training and employment. With current law, a greater emphasis must be placed upon
accountability within the career and technical education program, and developing more fully the
academic, and career and technical skills of all students who enroll in these programs. The
cooperative education program provides an opportunity for special population students to
succeed in career and technical education and become gainfully employed.
The cooperative education teacher-coordinator must strive to provide supportive
services/strategies as needed. Strategies include:
1. To bring about a thorough understanding of what is expected of students in the
classroom and on the job by explaining:
a. The training agreement and training plan.
b. Problems arising in connection with the job.
c. The value of the program to students and employees.
2. To introduce areas of information to beginning workers by describing:
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 6
a. State and federal laws.
b. Workers’ compensation, unemployment compensation, etc.
c. Initial employer expectations – promptness, correct dress, willingness to work,
etc.
3. To teach students to use a study guide and other modifications used in connection with
work and study.
4. To explain fully how students and their work will be evaluated at school and work.
5. To comply with the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Improvement Act of 2004
which requires transition services for students with special needs at the age of 16.
To accomplish the above, the cooperative education teacher-coordinator should incorporate
curriculum, and/or physical modifications and adaptations appropriate to each student.
Note: Special populations means: individuals with disabilities; individuals from economically
disadvantaged families, including foster children; individuals preparing for nontraditional training
and employment; single parent/guardians, including single
pregnant women; displaced
homemakers and individuals with other barriers to educational achievement, including
individuals with limited English proficiency. (Public Law 105-332.)
Guidelines for Operating Capstone Cooperative Education Programs
Career and technical schools and comprehensive high schools offering PDE-approved career
and technical education programs may provide Capstone Cooperative Education as a method
of instruction that includes an off-campus, occupationally-related experience.
Capstone Cooperative Education shall be planned and implemented as a method to assist
students in their transition from school to work. These programs should be planned and
implemented in accordance with the student’s declared career objective and in concert with
predetermined, expected academic and occupational learning outcomes.
If cooperative vocational education is provided, it shall be planned in accordance with the stated
career or occupational objectives of the student and include:
1. Related learning experiences held at a school-approved work station.
2. A training plan and a training agreement developed with the employer and available on
file with both the school entity and the employer. The training agreement and training
plan must be signed by the student, parent/guardian, school officials and cooperating
employer.
3. Payment of the existing legal wage when applicable under Section 206 of the Fair
Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C.A. § 206) and the Minimum Wage Act of 1968
(43 P. S. § § 333.101 – 333.115).
4. Provision for administration and supervision by school staff members in cooperation
with the employer.
5. A minimum of one onsite student evaluation by a certified teacher for on-the-job
activities per month.
6. At least 45 minutes per week, or 90 minutes every other week, for students to meet
with their vocational instructor to discuss job problems and related information.
7. Credit for cooperative vocational education work experience.
8. A certified teacher coordinating the program.
9. Compliance with federal and state statutes.
10. Insurance protection for both the school and students.
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 7
11. It is recommended that a training plan detailing the types of on-the-job, work-based
experiences and sequentially anticipated learning outcomes the student will complete
be written and signed. See sample training plans on pages 23 and 24.
12. It is recommended that students meet with the cooperative education teacher-
coordinator and their assigned technical education instructor to discuss job-related
progress. It is also an opportunity to discuss problems and receive additional
instruction in order to meet prescribed course outcomes and enhance their
performance on the job.
Related instruction for Capstone Cooperative Education has been designed by cooperative
education teacher-coordinators in the field to assist in the development of specific competencies
identified in the 37 Capstone Activity Packets which are listed on the following pages. This
should be used as a planning guide for related instruction. Individual needs of the students will
determine which modules
will be used. The Capstone Activity Packets are available from the
career and technical education professional development centers at Indiana University of
Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State University and Temple University, or at the Pennsylvania
Cooperative Education Association (PCEA) website.
Pennsylvania Capstone Cooperative Education-Related Instructional
Guide
The cooperative education capstone learning modules will enable the student to:
Orientation
1. Identify cooperative education program goals, policies and procedures
2. Describe work ethics
3. Discuss the transition from the classroom to the actual job situation
Human Relations
1. List and evaluate your personality traits to indicate self- understanding
2. List characteristics of a responsible employee
3. Develop and describe positive working relationships with others on the job
4. Demonstrate ways to resolve conflict
Health and Safety
1. Identify appropriate occupational safety practices and procedures
2. Describe the role of government agencies in providing for a safe workplace
Employment Retention
1. List ways you can show interest and enthusiasm on the job
2. List ways to show initiative and assertiveness on the job
3. List techniques for maintaining self-control
4. Explain importance of attendance and punctuality on the job
5. Prioritize your activities as they relate to your job
6. Diagram the organizational structure of your company
7. Interpret the purpose and use of a performance evaluation and complete a self-
evaluation
8. Identify source of employee information regarding company policies and procedures
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 8
9. Identify proper procedures for job termination
10. List the occupational and leadership requirements to maintain and improve
employment at the job
Communications
1. Distinguish between positive and negative feedback; define and give examples of
constructive criticism
2. Demonstrate basic skills for both verbal and nonverbal communication
3. Define the elements of communicating with a supervisor
4. Define the elements of communicating with coworkers, emphasizing appropriate
group behavior on the job
5. Demonstrate appropriate skills in communicating with the public
Consumer Skills
1. Understand and prepare a sample budget
2. List and describe fringe benefits provided by the employer
3. Describe how to open a checking account, balance a checkbook and apply for a loan
4. Demonstrate the ability to file federal, state and local tax forms
Legal Awareness
1. List the steps in obtaining an employment certificate
2. Describe labor regulations that affect wages, hours and conditions of employment
3. Describe the withholding laws and the benefits provided by Social Security, workers’
compensation and unemployment compensation
Future Planning
1. Develop a resume
2. Practice skills needed to be successful in a job interview
3. Discuss the importance to adapt to change
4. Establish short-term goals
5. Establish long-term goals
6. Complete a job application
Guidelines for Operating Cooperative Diversified Occupations
Programs
The cooperative education Diversified Occupations approach provides the occupational skill
training and knowledge acquisition essential to high school students having career objectives
that cannot be met by any of the existing in-school career and technical education programs.
Through the cooperative Diversified Occupations program, students with specific career
objectives are matched with related employment experiences while they attend planned periods
of related classroom theory during the school year.
The cooperative education Diversified Occupations program is designed for 11th and 12th
grade students who are:
1. Unable to gain admission to a vocational program due to excessive applicants.
2. Unable to meet entrance requirements for other existing vocational programs. Or
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 9
3. Unable to participate in a specific vocational area because it is not offered at the
comprehensive high school or participating area vocational-technical school.
Note: Diversified Occupations is a program of study with its own Classification of Instructional
Program (CIP) Code, 32.0105 (Job Seeking/Changing Skills). Career and Technology Centers
and school districts must apply for program approval to PDE’s Bureau of Career and Technical
Education, if seeking PDE-approved status and reimbursement.
Planning, Organization and Operation of Local Programs
Successful cooperative education Diversified Occupations programs never begin haphazardly.
Work-based learning programs are unique in the degree to which the employers in the
community are involved. For a meaningful program, employers assist in establishing the
curriculum and student training plans. The most successful programs have given special
attention to the following items:
1. Employ a certified cooperative education teacher-coordinator (See CSPG No. 37 –
Cooperative Education Certification and Assignment Scope [7-12]).
2. Conduct student interest and community interest surveys to determine the need for, and
acceptance of, a cooperative education Diversified Occupations program.
3. Select advisory committees that can facilitate the effective operation of a cooperative
education Diversified Occupations program.
4. Determine the program cost and method of financing the cooperative education
Diversified Occupations program.
5. Cooperative education Diversified Occupations programs may be offered at a career and
technology center or comprehensive high school. When cooperative education
Diversified Occupations programs are provided, they are planned in accordance with the
student’s stated career objective and must include:
a. Work-based learning experiences held at a school-approved worksite.
b. A training plan and a training agreement shall be developed with the employer and
available on file with both the school and the employer. The training agreement and
training plan must be signed by the student, parent/guardian, school official(s) and
cooperating employer.
c. School-based, academic and career-specific instruction.
d. One planned course – equal to one unit of credit – of general related theory or
technical
related content, or both, per year. In order to meet this requirement, the
Diversified Occupations student must meet with his/her teacher-coordinator for at
least one 40- to 45-minute period per day or a minimum of three hours per week for
school district-operated programs. In a career and technical center operated
program, the Diversified Occupations student shall meet with the teacher-coordinator
for at least one 40- to 45-minute period per week.
e. Payment of the existing legal wage.
f. Provision for administration, supervision and monitoring by a certified cooperative
education teacher-coordinator in cooperation with the employer.
g. Provision of worksite supervision by an experienced person, and the student has had
an opportunity to perform a variety of work assignments.
h. A certified cooperative education teacher-coordinator to manage the program.
i. Provision for coordination of worksite activities of at least one-half hour per week per
student, including worksite visits and observations, as well as preparation for the
related in-school instruction.
j. Students shall be legally employed a minimum of 15 hours a week during the school
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 10
year. Graduation credits can be awarded for hours worked outside of school hours.
k. Students shall be legally employed a minimum of 150 school days to be eligible for
PDE reimbursement.
l. Recognition and high school credit for the student’s participation in the cooperative
education diversified occupations program.
m. Compliance with federal and state statutes.
n. Insurance protection for both the school and students.
o. PDE-approved career and technical education programs must meet the minimum
hour requirements in the Pennsylvania Code, Chapter 339.22 (a)(9)(i)(A). One-year
sequence programs must meet a minimum of 720 hours, and these hours must
occur within the school day. These 720 hours can be a combination of related
classroom instruction and work experience. Two-year sequence programs must
meet the minimum of 720 hours.
Secondary Curricula
The following descriptions concern cooperative education Diversified Occupations programs at
both career and technology centers and comprehensive high schools (grades 11 and 12).
1. Two-Year Program (grades 11 and 12)
a. Eleventh Grade – School-Based Learning
(1) Planned instruction that assures successful student competency in related theory
and
(2) specific curricular content should include, but not be limited to, the Diversified
(3) Occupations Scope of Instruction.
(4) Worksite placement of 11th grade students would be prohibited except where
this experience is essential to meet the needs of individual students.
(5) A specific planned instruction sufficient to cover related theory and specific
curricular content to include instruction on school-based and work-based safety
and accident prevention. Students are required to meet with the teacher-
coordinator at least one 40- to 45-minute period per day or a minimum of three
hours per week for school district operated programs. In a career and technical
center operated program, the Diversified Occupations student shall meet with the
teacher-coordinator for at least one 40- to 45-minute period per week.
b. Twelfth Grade – School-Based Learning
(1) Planned instruction that assures successful student competency attainment in
related theory and specific curricular content should include, but not be limited to,
the Diversified Occupations Scope of Instruction.
(2) Students shall be legally employed a minimum of 15 hours per week during the
school year. The specific planned instruction should be sufficient to cover related
theory and specific curricular content to include instruction on school-based and
work-based safety and accident prevention.
(3) It is required that students be employed a minimum of 150 school days.
(4) Students are required to meet with the teacher-coordinator at least one 40- to 45-
minute period per day or a minimum of three hours per week in a school district
operated program. In a career and technical center operated program, the
Diversified Occupations student shall meet with the teacher coordinator for at
least one 40 to 45-minute period per week.
(5) A certified cooperative education teacher manages the program.
2. One-Year Program (grade 12)
a. The specific planned instruction should be sufficient to cover related theory and
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 11
specific curricular content. Refer to scope of instruction.
b. Students shall be legally employed a minimum of 15 hours per week during the
school year. The specific planned instruction should be sufficient to cover related
theory and specific curricular content to include instruction on school-based and work-
based safety and accident prevention.
c. It is required that students be employed a minimum of 150 school days.
d. Students are required to meet with the teacher-coordinator at least one 40- to 45-
minute period per day or a minimum of three hours per week for school district
operated programs. In a career and technical center operated program, the
Diversified Occupations student shall meet with the teacher-coordinator for at least
one 40- to 45-minute period per week.
e. A certified cooperative education teacher manages the program.
Related instruction for Diversified Occupations has been designed by cooperative education
teacher-coordinators in the field to assist in the development of specific competencies identified
in the 88 Diversified Occupations Co-op Activity Packets listed on the following pages. This
should be used as a planning guide for related instruction. Individual needs of the students will
determine which modules will be used. The Diversified Occupations Co-op Activity Packets are
available from the Career and Technical Education Professional Development Centers at Indiana
University of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State University and Temple University, or at the
Pennsylvania Cooperative Education Association (PCEA) website.
Pennsylvania Cooperative Education Diversified Occupations Scope
of Instruction
General Related Instruction
Orientation
1. Program Terms and
Definitions
2. Program Objectives,
Policies, Procedures, Forms, Grading and Expectations
3. Career and Technical Education Programs
4. Work Ethics
5. Introduction to Youth
Organizations
Career Development and Planning
1. Self-Assessment
2. Values Clarification
3. Personal Responsibilities
4. Individual Development
5. Decision Making Skills
6. Career Investigations
7. Labor Force Trends
Employment Acquisition
1. Application Forms and Letters
2. Interviews
3. Resumes
4. Tests
5. Employment Agencies/Services
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 12
6. Job Sources
7. Personal Appearance
8. Attitudes
9. Pennsylvania Office of Employment Security Services
Human Relations
1. Human Needs
2. Personality Development
3. Ethnic Understanding
4. Racial Understanding
5. Sex Equity
6. Managing Conflict
7. Employee Organizations (Professional Associations/Unions)
8. Employer-Employee Relations
9. Getting Along with Co-Workers
Health and Safety
1. Drugs and Alcohol
2. Stress
3. Healthful Living
4. Occupational Health Hazards
5. Personal Safety
6. Home Safety
7. Job Site Safety
8. First Aid
Employment Retention
1. Good Worker Attributes
a. Knowledge
b. Skills
c. Attitudes
2. Job Changes and Promotions
3. Organizational Structure
4. Employee Responsibilities
Communications Development
1. Listening Skills
2. Speaking Skills
3. Nonverbal Skills
4. Writing Skills
5. Telephone Skills
Legal Awareness
1. Child Labor Law
2. Occupational Safety & Health
3. Social Security
4. Fair Labor Standards
5. Civil Law
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 13
6. Workers’ Compensation
7. Equal Opportunity
8. Targeted Jobs Tax Credit
9. Work Force Investment Board
10. Americans with Disabilities Act
11. Right-to-Know
12. Pennsylvania Human Relations Act
Youth Organizations
1. Public Relations
2. Community Service
3. Parliamentary Procedures
4. Leadership Development
5. Citizenship
6. Community Involvement
7. Community Responsibilities
8. School Improvement
Technical Related Instruction
Consumer Skills
1. Banking
2. Credit
3. Money Management
4. Taxes (Income and Wages)
5. Insurance
6. Investments
7. Consumer Protection
8. Wages and Salaries
9. Fringe Benefits
10. Methods of Transportation
Literacy Skills
Economics
1. Entrepreneurship
2. Economic Systems
3. Supply and Demand
4. Organizational Types
a. Sole Proprietorship
b. Partnership
c. Corporation
Future Planning
1. Technological Changes
2. Technological Advances
3. Professional Development
4. Career Changes
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 14
5. Computer Awareness
6. Short and Long-Term Goals
7. Educational Opportunities
8. Occupational Opportunities
Related Instruction
1. Job Safety
2. Occupational Terms
3. Occupational Requirements
4. Entry-Level Occupational Competencies
5. Professional and Trade Associations
6. Further Training Needed
7. Apprenticeship Programs
8. Licenses and Permits
General Related Instruction in a cooperative education diversified occupations program
encompasses the competencies necessary to succeed as employees in the world of work.
Learning activities, based on career planning and development, are generated through
classroom group instruction. The curriculum areas include: Career Development and
Planning, Employment Acquisition, Human Relations, Health and Safety, Employment
Retention, Communications Development, Legal Awareness, Consumer Skill and
Economics.
Technical Related Instruction is a cooperative education teacher-coordinator directed
individualized method of study that allows each student to obtain theory about an area
related to his/her current job or career objective. Cooperative education teacher-
coordinators may apply a variety of instructional techniques using the students’ training plans
as a learning guide.
The students practice and demonstrate their occupational competencies on the job and
reinforce the technical theory through classroom instruction.
Pennsylvania Cooperative Education Diversified Occupations
Competencies
A student will be able to:
Orientation
1. Identify program policies and procedures
2. List program objectives
3. Describe work ethics
4. Complete forms
5. List the benefits of career and technical student organizations
Career Development and Planning
1. Construct a profile of personal interests, aptitudes, abilities and values
2. Compare careers in relation to job tasks, work environment, job availability and
educational requirements
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 15
Employment Acquisition
1. Prepare a resume
2. Prepare a letter of application
3. Complete employment applications
4. Demonstrate job interview techniques
5. Demonstrate job interview/application follow-up activities
6. List potential employers
Human Relations
1. Analyze human relations in terms of:
a. Employer responsibilities
b. Employee responsibilities
c. Coworker responsibilities
2. Demonstrate positive decision-making skills
3. Identify methods to resolve conflicts
4. Distinguish between positive/negative criticisms
5. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of unions and other employee
organizations
Health and Safety
1. Describe the need for safety practice and procedures
2. Identify ways to achieve personal safety
3. Identify general occupational safety practices
4. Demonstrate general first aid procedures
5. Describe the role of government agencies in providing for a safe workplace
Employment Retention
1. Demonstrate the positive attributes of a “good employee”
2. Evaluate job changes and promotions
3. Diagram the organizational structure of a company
4. Interpret a performance evaluation
5. Identify sources of employee information regarding company policies and procedures
6. Summarize proper procedures for job termination
Communications Development
1. Demonstrate listening skills
2. Demonstrate speaking skills
3. Demonstrate nonverbal skills
4. Demonstrate writing skills
5. Demonstrate telephone skills
6. Demonstrate self-assertiveness
Legal Awareness
1. Describe how labor regulations (federal and state) affect employment certificates
2. Describe how labor regulations affect where a student can work
3. Describe how labor regulations affect the time a student can work
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 16
4. Describe how labor regulations affect wages
5. List the benefits provided by:
a. Social Security
b. Workers’ compensation
c. Unemployment compensation
6. Describe the purpose of Equal Opportunity Employment
7. Identify major laws that regulate management relations
Youth Organizations
1. List good citizenship activities
2. Participate in a leadership activity
3. Demonstrate leadership qualities
4. Demonstrate parliamentary procedure skills
5. Participate in a public relations activity
Consumer Skills
Banking
1. Discuss financial institutions
2. Demonstrate ability to use basic banking services
Credit
1. Describe the function and purposes of credit
2. Describe how to use credit wisely
3. Money Management
4. List personal financial goals
5. Prepare a budget
Taxes
1. Describe the types and function of taxes
2. Prepare tax forms of payroll deductions
Insurance
1. Describe types and purposes of insurance
2. List factors in buying insurance
Consumer Protection
Identify actions that can be taken for consumer protection.
Wages
1. Identify types of earnings
2. Describe forms of payroll deductions
Fringe Benefits
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 17
Describe various fringe benefits.
Economics
1. Describe types of business organizations
2. Describe the opportunities of entrepreneurship
3. Identify major differences in economic systems
Future Planning
1. Describe the impact of technological change in the workplace
2. List the occupational opportunities at your present skill level
3. List short- and long-term career goals
4. Develop a plan for professional growth
5. Discuss career changes
Technical Related Instruction
1. List specific safety rules and identify potential hazards at the job site
2. Demonstrate safe work habits and attitudes on the job
3. Define the specific occupational terms related to your job
4. List your occupational skills
5. List the occupational requirements to maintain employment at your job site
6. Describe the policies and procedures used by your cooperating employer
7. Diagram your company’s organizational structure
8. Identify technical related resources that correlate with on the job experiences
The above competencies may be arranged according to individual preference. This is not to be
a syllabus. PDE is committed to promoting the adoption and implementation of competency-
based career and technical education for all occupational programs. It is suggested that an 80
percent or better level of mastery be achieved for each competency.
Staffing Requirements
The staffing requirements for cooperative education are noted in Certification and Staffing
Policies and Guidelines (CSPG) available on the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s
website.
The two CSPGs that refer to cooperative education staffing requirements are: CSPG No. 37 –
Cooperative Education; and CSPG 61 – Special Education – Cognitive, Behavior and
Physical/Health Disabilities. A person holding a Pennsylvania certificate endorsed for an area of
special education, and who is engaged in cooperative education activity within a special
education program also, shall hold certification for cooperative education to be qualified for such
assignment.
CSPG No. 37 covers the cooperative education certification and assignment scope. It includes
the following: “Cooperative Education is the science or art involved in teaching the technical
skills, knowledge acquisition and workplace training essential to students. Students with specific
career objectives are molded with related employment experiences while they attend planned
periods of career-related classroom theory.”
Grade Level Scope of Certificate
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 18
A person holding a valid Pennsylvania certificate for cooperative education is qualified to plan
and teach cooperative education training and courses, including work-based instruction and
training activities in grades 7 through 12.
Certification Assignment
An educator holding a valid Pennsylvania certificate for cooperative education is qualified to
teach cooperative education programs of study; and to provide work placement services for
students into selected training agencies in the community and supervise students at a work-
based site.
Special Considerations
Cooperative education certification requires a pre-existing Pennsylvania Instructional I or II, or
Vocational Instructional I or II certificate. The certified educator may teach cooperative
education courses to special education or gifted students within the scope of the certificate. An
educator certified in this field may provide school staff development services regarding their
collegial studies/skills, may serve in the role of mentor or advisor and may assist students in
understanding the “reading” content area materials related to this subject area.
A person holding an administrative or supervisory level certificate is not qualified, by virtue of
such certificate, to perform cooperative education activities.
Pennsylvania Career and Technical Education Professional
Development Centers
A candidate seeking certification in cooperative education should contact one of the three
following professional development centers.
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Center for Career and Technical Personnel Preparation
1110 Maple Street
Reschini House
Indiana, PA 15705-1057
Phone: 724.357.4435
Fax: 724.357.6200
Pennsylvania State University
Professional Personnel Development Center
301 J. Orvis Keller Building
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: 814.863.0804
Fax: 814.863.7532
Temple University
Center for Professional Development in Career and Technical Education
Ritter Hall, Room 340
1301 Cecil B. Moore Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19122-6091
Phone: 215.204.6249
Fax: 215.204.5154
Revised December 2020 Section I – Cooperative Education 19
Administrative Requirements
Training Agreements and Training Plans
Successful cooperative education experiences are the result of planned, relevant
experiences for students. The importance of formalizing agreed-upon learning experiences
and activities for students cannot be overemphasized. The training agreement and training
plan provide the connection between participants and assure a beneficial experience for all
involved.
The standards for career and technical education are located in Chapter 339, issued under
the Public School Code of 1949 Chapter 339.29(2). According to the standards, cooperative
education shall include “a training plan and a training agreement” per PDE guidelines,
signed by the student, parent/guardian, school official and cooperating employer or
representative.”
A sample training agreement and training plan are included in this section of the
[Cooperative Education Guidelines] and meet the requirements for a memorandum of
understanding.
Training Agreement
A training agreement is a statement of fundamental agreements and responsibilities
regarding the participation of a student in a work environment that is signed by all
participants. The training agreement states the conditions and understandings that the
school, student and supervisor agree to when participating in a training program. The
training agreement is initiated by the school and reflects a cooperative commitment on the
part of the cooperative education teacher-coordinator, employer, parent/guardian, student
and school administrator.
The training agreement is essential for several reasons:
1. As a planning document, it serves as a management tool for directing various
learning experiences.
2. As an information document, it helps employers to appreciate their teaching role and
to understand the purpose of the cooperative education program.
3. As a permanent record, it is useful for subsequent placement services and follow-up
studies.
4. As a career decision-making document, it builds student satisfaction in fulfilling a
prevailing career interest.
The training agreement is a compilation of important information and data relative to the
employment of the student. The student, parent/guardian, employer and cooperative
education teacher-coordinator should each have a copy of the training agreement when the
student begins the training experience.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 20
SAMPLE TRAINING AGREEMENT FOR COOPERATIVE EDUCATION
Pennsylvania Career and Technical Education Regulations and Standards and Pennsylvania and Federal
Child Labor Laws Require a Written Training Agreement and Training Plan for Each Student Learner in a
Cooperative Education Program.
Student Learner Name__________________________________ PAsecureID ___________________
Address _______________________________________________ Telephone ____________________
Birth Date_________________________________Age _______ Work Permit No. _____________________
Student Learner Career Objective ________________________ Job Title ______________________
Date of Employment: Beginning __________________________ Ending _______________________
High School or CTC/AVTS_____________________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________ Telephone ____________________
Training Agency_____________________________________________________________________
Address _______________________________________________ Telephone ____________________
Training Supervisor ____________________________________ Telephone ____________________
Weekly Hours _____________________________________________ Beginning Rate of Pay ___________
EMPLOYER/TRAINING SITE RESPONSIBILITIES:
The employer/training site will adhere to all State and Federal regulations regarding safe working
environment and conditions, employment, child labor laws, minimum wages and workers’
compensation.
1. The student learner will be given a variety of work assignments and be supervised by an
experienced person.
2. A periodic evaluation of job progress will be made by the training supervisor on a rating form
provided by the school.
3. The training supervisor will arrange a conference with the coordinator when a trainee
problem arises.
4. The training sponsor will provide necessary safety instruction throughout student learner
training period.
5. Employer/training site will not employ a student learner to displace a regular worker.
6. Exposure to the hazardous work will be incidental to the student’s training and that any such
work will be intermittent and under the direct supervision of an experienced, qualified
person.
7. The employer is not liable to the unemployment compensation fund for wages paid to the
student learner while under the training program. This is provided in Section 4(l)(4)(10)(C) of
the Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation Law.
8. The employer will comply with the requirements of Act 15 of 2015 regarding background
clearances for the student-learner’s supervisor in the workplace. Three clearances are
required:
a. Act 34 PA Criminal History Clearances
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 21
_________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
b. Act 151 PA Child Abuse History Clearance
c. Act 114 FBI Federal Fingerprint Report.
STUDENT LEARNER RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. The student learner agrees to perform the assigned duties in a loyal manner and work to the
best interest of all concerned.
2. The student learner agrees to report job problems to the training supervisor and cooperative
education coordinator.
3. The student learner will adhere to company policy; employment may be terminated for the
same reasons as regular employees.
4. The student learner must be regular in attendance at school and on the job. If unable to
report to work, the student learner will notify the employer and coordinator before the start of
the normal workday.
5. The student learner’s employment will be terminated upon withdrawal from school.
6. The student learner will report to school for designated meetings and related instruction.
7. The student learner will follow school rules at the work and school sites. Violation of school
rules will lead to disciplinary action, which may include termination from employment.
SCHOOL RESPONSIBLITIES:
1. The program is under the direct supervision of a certified cooperative education coordinator.
2. The student learner will receive related instruction and safety instruction from the
occupational instructor or the cooperative education coordinator prior to job placement.
3. The cooperative education coordinator will visit the student learner and training supervisor
on a regular basis at the training site.
4. The cooperative education coordinator will investigate compatibility of job circumstances
with requirements for student learner attainment of advanced standing in an apprenticeship
program upon graduation from high school.
5. The school will maintain signed copies of the written training agreement and plan for each
student learner participating in the program for three years from the date of enrollment in the
program.
6. Student learner transportation, insurance and attendance at school and work will be covered
by school policy.
This memorandum is for the purpose of outlining the agreement between the school and employer on
the conditions of training to be given a student learner while on the job. We, the undersigned, agree to
the conditions and statements in this agreement.
Student Learner Date Parent or Guardian Date
Employer Date Principal, CTC/AVTS Director or Designee Date
Cooperative Education Coordinator Date
Employer/Training sites and schools of cooperative education students shall not discriminate in educational programs, activities or employment
practices based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, ancestry, union membership or any other legally
protected classification. Announcement of this policy is in accordance with state and federal laws including Title IX of the Education
Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
PDE-4555 (1/2007)
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 22
Training Plan
A training plan details who, what, when, where and why of a student’s on-the-job training experience.
The training plan is an educational plan and, as such, the student receives recognition and school
credit(s) for performance in carrying out the plan. The training plan is a document separate from the
training agreement. The plan outlines training activities that the student will learn to perform while on
the job.
The following principles should be considered in the development and use of a training plan:
1. The plan is individualized with the student’s career objective or career interest as its basis.
2. The cooperative education teacher-coordinator, student and employer work as a team to
prepare the training plan, which identifies the activities to be performed by the student learner.
3. Safety instruction should be a training activity for each student. Training activities for a student
exposed to hazardous occupations must show evidence of planned on-the-job safety
instruction.
4. A training plan must be modified during the training experience when conditions warrant.
5. The cooperative education teacher-coordinator and employer agree on the approximate time
needed by the student to complete a training activity.
6. The cooperative education teacher-coordinator and employer cooperatively evaluate student
performance of each training activity.
7. The cooperative education teacher-coordinator bases program planning, training site visitations
and related instructional activities on the training plan.
8. As a working document, the training plan allows the employer and cooperative education
teacher-coordinator to evaluate the student’s on-the-job placement.
The training plan provides space for student data, training site details, training activities, performance
evaluation and signatures of the student, parent/guardian, school official(s) and employer. The student,
parent/guardian, employer and cooperative education teacher-coordinator should each have a copy of
the completed training plan.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 23
__________________________________________________________________________________
Sample Training Plan for Cooperative
Education
Student Learner________________ Telephone_______________ E-Mail__________________
Training Agency_______________ Telephone________________ E-Mail______________
Training Supervisor_____________ Telephone________________ E-Mail____________________
Parent/Guardian_______________ Telephone_____________ E-Mail___________________
Signatures: Cooperative Education Teacher-Coordinator____________________ Date____________
Training Supervisor________________________Date______________________________
Student Learner__________________________________Date_____________________
Parent/Guardian________________________________Date________________________
Educational Program
Student Program Title________________________________________________
Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) ___________________________
Student Career Objective________
Approximate Training Activities
Performance Evaluation
Training Supervisor Completes This Section
Time (Include Safety Factors)
Date
Completed
Acceptable
Non-
Acceptable
General Comments
Student Learner Date Employer Date
Employer/Training sites and schools of cooperative education students shall not discriminate in educational programs,
activities, or employment practices based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion,
ancestry, union membership or any other legally protected classification. Announcement of this policy is in accordance with
state and federal laws including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
PDE-4617 (1/2007)
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 24
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Sample Training Plan for Cooperative Education (Cont.)
Student Learner _____________________ Telephone ________ E-Mail _______________________
Training Agency _____________________ Telephone ________ E-Mail _______________________
Training Supervisor___________________ Telephone ________ E-Mail _______________________
Parent/Guardian _____________________ Telephone ________ E-Mail _______________________
Signatures:
Cooperative Education Teacher-Coordinator_____________________ Date __________________
Training Supervisor ________________________________________ Date __________________
Student Learner ___________________________________________ Date __________________
Parent/Guardian ___________________________________________ Date __________________
Educational Program
Student Program Title ______________ Classification of Instructional Program (CIP) __________
Student Career Objective __________________________________________________________
Competencies to be developed (List the competencies the student is to learn on-the-job)
1. _______________________________________________________________________________
2. _______________________________________________________________________________
3. _______________________________________________________________________________
4. _______________________________________________________________________________
5. _______________________________________________________________________________
6. _______________________________________________________________________________
7. _______________________________________________________________________________
8. _______________________________________________________________________________
9. _______________________________________________________________________________
10. ______________________________________________________________________________
11. ______________________________________________________________________________
12. ______________________________________________________________________________
13. ______________________________________________________________________________
14.
______________________________________________________________________________
15.
______________________________________________________________________________
Learning Activities
(Briefly describe what the student will do to master the competencies listed above)
Employer/Training sites and schools of cooperative education students shall not discriminate in educational programs, activities,
or employment practices based on race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, religion, ancestry, union
membership or any other legally protected classification. Announcement of this policy is in accordance with state and federal
laws including Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
PDE-4617A (1/2007)
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 25
Pennsylvania Laws Relevant to Cooperative Education
There are many state and federal laws that have a significant impact on cooperative education.
The cooperative education teacher-coordinator has an ethical and professional responsibility to
know and understand the special provisions that apply to the employment of students. This
section was developed to assist teacher-coordinators in meeting these responsibilities.
By reviewing this section, cooperative education teacher-coordinators will be aware of areas
where they may need to take special action, to obtain information or to seek the assistance of
other individuals or agencies. This section is not, however, an authoritative nor comprehensive
presentation of the laws. Laws and policies constantly change therefore, it is imperative for
cooperative education teacher-coordinators to keep abreast of new developments and changes.
For that reason, the Appendix section contains sources of up-to-date information. Teacher-
coordinators should also consult their school district’s legal counsel whenever questions arise.
In most cases, employers must comply with both federal and state laws. Therefore, cooperative
education teacher-coordinators must be knowledgeable about both the federal Fair Labor
Standards Act and the Pennsylvania Child Labor Act.
Pennsylvania Child Labor Act
The Pennsylvania Child Labor Act was enacted to "provide for the health, safety, and
welfare of minors by forbidding their employment or work in certain establishments and
occupations, and under certain specified ages." The Child Labor Act establishes the age
limits, hours of employment and the prohibited occupations for students who are residents of
the commonwealth.
The provisions of the Child Labor Act apply to all situations in which an employer-employee
relationship exits, including all paid work experience as part of cooperative education.
Resource Links:
1. General information about Pennsylvania Child Labor Law. Provided by the
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry.
2. Frequently asked questions about the Pennsylvania Child Labor Law. Provided by
the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
3. Pennsylvania Child Labor Act. Provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor
and Industry.
4. Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry's Abstract of the Child Labor Law.
All employers must have a copy of the abstract posted if they employ minors.
5. Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry's regulations concerning child labor
define terms such as apprentice, laboratory student aide and student learner. The
regulations also list and define dangerous and prohibited occupations.
The Child Labor Act also requires all students under the age of 18 to complete an
Application to Work Permit prior to beginning employment. Pages 36 and 37 contain
samples of the employment certificate/work permit application and form used with
cooperative education student learners.
1. The designated school district issuing officer has responsibility for approving
applications for employment certificates and work permits.
2. Employment certificates or work permits are required for students to participate in
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 26
cooperative education. Cooperative education teacher-coordinators should be
certain that all students have obtained the necessary employment certificate or work
permit prior to being sent to their worksites.
Additional information can be obtained from any Pennsylvania Bureau of Labor Law
Compliance office and from the School Services Unit in the Pennsylvania Department of
Education.
Fair Labor Standards Act
The Fair Labor Standards Act is the federal law which contains provisions for the
employment of minors, hazardous occupations, minimum wage and overtime. It can be
viewed at the US Department of Labor (Wage and Hour Division) website.
Both the state and federal child labor laws also include a list of prohibited occupations for
minors. Cooperative education student learners may not be involved in any prohibited
occupation unless they qualify for one of the stated exceptions.
Cooperative education teacher-coordinators should be aware that infractions related to child
labor laws occasionally occur because there are inconsistencies between the state and
federal child labor laws. When such inconsistencies exist, the rule is that the most stringent
requirement of either body of law will prevail, regardless of whether it is a state or federal
mandate.
Pennsylvania Child Labor
Act
Excerpts from the Law
Note: The following information was copied verbatim from the Child Labor Law Act. (See
source listed below) Cooperative education coordinators needing clarification should contact
the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Contact information is listed in the
appendix.
Time limitations on employment of minors:
1. Rest break-No minor may be employed for more than five hours continuously without
an interval of at least 30 minutes for a rest break. No period of less than 30 minutes
shall be deemed to interrupt a continuous period of work.
2. Time restriction-Except for newspaper delivery under section 14, a minor may not be
employed for more than six consecutive days.
3. Age restriction-Except as set forth under sections 4(d) and 5, no individual under 14
years of age may be employed.
Pennsylvania Child Labor Act hours of employment for minors 16 years
of age or older
The hours of employment for minors who are 16 years of age or older are as follows:
1. When school is in session, an individual who is 16 years of age or older shall be limited
as follows:
a. The minor may not be employed for more than 28 hours per week during a
regular school week.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 27
b. The minor may not be employed for more than eight hours in a single day.
c. The minor may not be employed before 6 a.m. or after midnight, except that
during a school vacation period a minor shall be permitted to be employed until 1
a.m.
2. During a school vacation, an individual who is 16 years of age or older shall be limited
as follows:
a. The minor may not be employed for more than ten hours in a single day.
b. The minor may not be employed for more than 48 hours in a single week
provided that any hours worked more than 44 in a single week shall be
voluntarily agreed to by the minor and further provided that the minor may reject
any request for employment in excess of 44 hours in a single week without
retaliation.
3. A minor enrolled in summer school is subject to the limitations set forth under
paragraph (1).
4. An individual who is 16 years of age or older who is employed as a counselor,
counselor-in-training or junior counselor during the school vacation period by a summer
resident camp or a conference or retreat operated by a religious or scout organization
shall receive 24 consecutive hours of rest during every seven-day period. This
paragraph does not apply to a minor employed primarily for general maintenance work
or food service activities.
5. This subsection does apply to a minor who is 16- and 17- years old. Section 3 of the
Child Labor Act provides, in pertinent part, that when school is in session, an individual
who is 16 years of age or older shall be limited as follows:
a. The minor may not be employed for more than 28 hours per week during a
regular school week.
b. The minor may not be employed for more than eight hours in a single day.
c. The minor may not be employed before 6 a.m. or after 12 midnight, except that
during a school vacation period a minor shall be permitted to be employed until 1
a.m.
Significantly, the 28-hour limitation only involves employment outside of school and does not
purport to regulate employment in a school-work program. Instead, Bureau policy interprets
the Section 1 (i) to allow minors in a school-work program to work 28 hours during a school
week, outside of regular school hours, plus any additional hours worked during school hours
for which the minor has been excused from school to participate in this program. For
example, if a 17-year-old minor is excused from school at noon, instead of 3:00 p.m., to
participate in a schoolwork program, any time actually worked between 12:00 and 3:00
would be in addition to the 28 hours the minor can work outside of school hours.
Furthermore, the concept of school week is construed to mean Monday through Friday,
thereby allowing a minor to potentially work additional hours on weekends, provided the
rules on 44 total hours in a week, eight hours a day, and six days a week are observed.
A minor's hours of employment under an approved school to work program can be extended
from 28 to 32 a week in two different circumstances. First, hours for which the minor is
excused from school can be added to the 28 hours of employment outside of school hours
permitted by section 3. Second, a 16- or 17-year-old minor can work up to eight hours a day
on weekends, in addition to the 28-hour limit, provided that a weekly total of 44 hours is not
exceeded, and provided that the minor does not work more than six consecutive days.
What are the Pennsylvania Child Labor Act prohibited occupations for
minors?
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 28
1. Minors may not be employed in the following:
a. Establishments where alcoholic beverages are produced, sold or dispensed
except as follows:
(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, a hotel, restaurant or club liquor
licensee or any retail dispenser may allow students receiving instruction in a
performing art to perform an exhibition if the students are not compensated
and are under proper supervision in accordance with the act of April 12, 1951
(P.L.90, No.21) known as the Liquor Code.
(2) An individual under 16 years of age may be employed at a continuing-care
retirement community, ski resort, bowling alley, golf course, amusement park
or other similar recreational establishment where alcoholic beverages are
served if the individual is not permitted to handle or serve the beverages and
is not employed in an area where the beverages are stored or served.
(3) A minor 16 years of age or older may be employed in that part of the
establishment in which alcoholic beverages are not served.
(4) A minor 16 years of age or older may be employed in a hotel, club or
restaurant where alcoholic beverages are served if the employment consists
of serving food, clearing tables and related duties, provided that the
establishment has a valid permit for Sunday sales issued by the
Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board and the minor's duties do not include
dispensing or serving alcoholic beverages. Before employing a minor under
this subsection, an establishment licensed by the Pennsylvania Liquor
Control Board for Sunday sales must submit to the issuing officer a copy of
the current valid permit for Sunday sales.
b. In any occupation or establishment designated as hazardous and otherwise
prohibited under the Fair Labor Standards Act and regulations under that act.
c. As a pilot, fireman or engineer upon a boat or vessel; on a railroad or railway as
a track repairman, gate-tender, switch-tender, brakeman, fireman, engineer,
motorman or conductor; or in the manufacture of paint, color or white-lead,
poisonous dyes or compositions using dangerous lead or acids; and minors
under 16 years of age shall not be permitted to strip or sort tobacco, work on
scaffolding or work in a tunnel.
d. An individual under 16 years of age may not be employed or permitted to
conduct youth peddling, which entails the selling of goods or services to
customers at locations other than the minor-employer's establishment, such as
the customers' residences or places of business or public places such as street
corners and public transportation stations. Prohibited activities associated with
youth peddling not only include the attempt to make a sale or the actual
consummation of a sale, but also the preparatory and concluding tasks normally
performed by a youth peddler in conjunction with his or her sales, such as the
loading and unloading of vans or other motor vehicles, the stocking and
restocking of sales kits and trays, the exchanging of cash and checks with the
employer and the transportation of minors to and from the various sales areas by
the employer. Prohibited youth peddling also includes such promotion activities
as the holding, wearing or waving of signs, merchandise, costumes, sandwich
boards or placards in order to attract potential customers, except when
performed inside or directly in front of the employer's establishment providing the
product, service or event being advertised. This paragraph does not prohibit a
minor salesperson from conducting sales for his or her employer on property
controlled by the employer that is out of doors but may properly be considered
part of the employer's establishment. Minors may conduct sales
in such employer
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 29
exterior facilities, whether temporary or permanent, as garden centers, sidewalk
sales and parking lot sales, when employed by that establishment. Youth
peddling does not include the activities of persons who, as volunteers and
without
compensation, sell goods or services on behalf of eleemosynary
organizations or public agencies.
2. List – The department shall publish a list in the Pennsylvania Bulletin which shall
constitute hazardous or otherwise prohibited establishments or occupations under
this act. The list shall consist of those occupations and establishments prohibited
under subsection (a) (2) and those establishments and occupations specifically
enumerated as hazardous or prohibited in this act. (See Pennsylvania Child Labor
Act Prohibited Occupations for all Minors below.)
3. Additional occupations – The Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry may
establish additional prohibited or hazardous occupations or establishments which are
not included in subsection (b), through regulation.
Pennsylvania Child Labor Act Prohibited Occupations for All Minors
Brickmaker. Manufacturing bricks, tile and kindred products. Working in the brick-making
industry on horizontal or vertical pug mills (mixers) (34 Pa. Code § 11.54). Manufacturing of
clay construction products – exception: may work in storage or shipping, in offices,
laboratories and storerooms and in the drying departments of plants manufacturing sewer
pipe. For silica brick and silica refractories, office work is permitted. Prohibition does not
include non-structural bearing clay products: ceramic floor and wall tile, mosaic tile, glazed
and enameled tile, faience, and similar tile, nor shall the term include non-clay construction
products such as sand-lime brick, glass brick, or non-clay refractories, except silica
refractories (29 CFR § 570.64).
Crane Operator. Operating, tending, riding upon, working from, repairing servicing, or
disassembling cranes, hoists, derricks, high lift trucks including fork lifts and elevators (34
Pa. Code § 11.32; 29 CFR § 570.58).
Electrical Worker. Installing and removing electrical wiring*. Installing, removing,
reading and testing electric meters* (34 Pa. Code §§ 11.31; 11.35; 11.38).
Elevator Operator. Operating, managing (34 Pa. Code § 11.32), tending, riding upon,
working from, repairing, servicing or disassembling passenger or freight elevators, hoisting
or lifting machinery (34 Pa. Code § 11.32; 29 CFR § 570.58). Exception: riding inside
unattended automatic operation passenger elevator, and 16- and 17-year-old minors may
ride upon a freight elevator operated by an assigned operator (29 CFR § 570.58).
Excavator. Working within tunnels, shafts prior to completion of all driving, sinking and
shoring operations and trenches more than four feet in depth* (34 Pa. Code § 11.66; 29
CFR § 570.68).
Explosives Manufacturing. Including handling or storing explosives (34 Pa. Code §
11.43): Exception for retail establishments (29 CFR § 570.51). Must be at least 360 feet
from point of handling/storage of 200 pounds of explosives, amount of distance increases
with greater pounds of explosives (34 Pa. Code § 11.43).
Forest Firefighting. Including forest fire prevention activities. Exceptions for 16- and 17-
year-olds: if tasks are not performed in conjunction with/support of firefighting efforts. May
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 30
clear fire trails/roads, construct/maintain/patrol fire lines, pile/burn slash, maintain firefighting
equipment and act as fire lookout or fire patrolman (29 CFR § 570.54).
Forest Service/Mill Worker. Including timber tract management, logging, lath mill,
shingle mill, cooperage stock mill and saw mill operations. Exceptions for 16- and 17-year-
olds: work in offices, repair/maintenance shops, living quarters, repair/maintenance of roads,
railroads or flumes; work on telephone lines not involving the use of power-driven
machinery, handling/use of explosives, felling/bucking of timber, and collecting or
transporting of logs or work on trestles; work related to forest marketing/forest economics,
feeding/care of animals, peeling fence posts, pulpwood, chemical wood, excelsior wood,
cordwood, etc., when not done in conjunction or location with logging occupations. For
permanent saw mill, lath mill, shingle mill or cooperage stock mill operations, 16- and 17-
year-olds may straighten/mark/tally/pull lumber on dry chain or dry drop sorter, clean-up
lumber yard, piling/handling, shipping of cooperage stock, other than operating/assisting
with power-driven equipment; clerical work; clean-up work outside shake and shingle mills,
except when mill is operational; split shakes manually from precut/split blocks and pack
shakes into bundles, except inside mill building/cover; manually loading bundles of
shingles/shakes into trucks/railroad cars with doctor’s note (29 CFR § 570.54).
Meat Processing. Operation of power-driven food chopping, meat grinding, slicing or
processing machines, and any occupation on the killing floor, in curing/hide cellars*. Except
for 16- and 17-year-old minors working as messengers, runners, and hand truckers, which
require entering such workrooms infrequently and for short periods of time. All occupations
in recovery of lard and oils, except packaging and shipping, all occupations involved in
tankage or rendering of dead animals; boning, pushing or dropping of any suspended full,
half or quarter carcass; hand lifting or hand carrying any full, half or quarter carcass of beef,
horse, or buffalo; and, any hand lifting or hand carrying of full or half deer or pork carcass.
Killing and processing of rabbits and small game in areas physically separated from killing
floor permitted for 16- and 17-year-olds (34 Pa. Code § 11.65; 29 CFR § 570.61).
Motion Picture (Film) Projectionist. Exception, 17-year-old minor may work as
apprentice of a motion picture projectionist (34 Pa. Code § 11.45).
Motor Vehicle. Driving a motor vehicle and being an outside helper on public
roads/highways, in or about any mine, in or about excavation operations, and around
sawmill/logging operations. Exception for occasional driving for licensed 17-year-olds with
state approved driver education course, if vehicle does not exceed 6,000 pounds and has
restraining device, driving is during daylight, within 30-mile radius of employer, and limited to
two trips per day away from employer location. May not drive for urgent, time-sensitive
transporting and deliveries, including pizza delivery, may not tow, drive route
deliveries/sales, may not provide transportation for hire of property/goods/passengers, limit
of three passengers. Outside helper is any individual other than driver, whose work includes
riding on a motor vehicle outside the cab for purpose of assisting in transporting/delivering
goods (29 CFR § 570.52).
Paint, Acids and Poison Manufacturer. In any capacity in the manufacture of
paint, color or white-lead, poisonous dyes, or compositions using dangerous lead or acids
(Child Labor Act, § 4(a) (3)).
Roofer. All occupations* (34 Pa. Code § 11.63; 29 CFR § 570.67).
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 31
Spray Coater. Spray coating with substances containing lead, benzol or ground siliceous
material* (34 Pa. Code § 11.58).
Welder. Acetylene or electric welding* (34 Pa. Code § 11.33).
Woodworking. Using power-driven woodworking machines, including
supervising/controlling operation of machines, feeding/assisting with feeding materials into
machines; setting up, adjusting, repairing, oiling or cleaning power-driven woodworking
machines, off-bearing from circular saws and guillotine-action veneer clippers.* Exception,
16- and 17-year-olds may place material on moving chain/hopper for automatic feeding (34
Pa. Code § 11.46; 29 CFR § 570.55).
Wrecking and/or Demolition Worker. All occupations, including shipbreaking (34
Pa. Code § 11.64; 29 CFR § 570.33).
All minors are also prohibited from working:
In Establishments where Alcoholic Beverages are Produced, Sold or
Dispensed.
Except in part of establishment where alcohol is not served, or hotels, clubs,
or restaurants where alcohol is served, and the establishment has a Sunday sales license
issued by the Liquor Control Board, and minor is serving food, clearing tables and/or related
duties, but minor may not serve or dispense alcohol. Performing arts students engaged in
uncompensated exhibitions may perform at a licensed establishment, under proper
supervision in accordance with the Liquor Code (Child Labor Act, § 4(a)(1)).
On Machinery. Including repairing, cleaning or oiling machinery in motion (34 Pa. Code
§ 11.46; 29 CFR § 570.65), and operating or assisting in the operation of the following:
emery wheels,** metal plate bending (34 Pa. Code §§ 11.51; 11.55), forming, punching,
hammering, bending, rolling and shearing machines* (29 CFR § 570.59), punch presses**
(34 Pa. Code § 11.49; 29 CFR § 570.59), wire-stitching, stapling machines* (34 Pa. Code §
11.34; 11.46; 29 CFR § 570.59), circular saws, band saws, guillotine shears, chain saws,
reciprocating saws, wood chippers, and abrasive cutting discs* (29 CFR § 570.65).
On Baking Machinery. Operating, assisting, setting up, adjusting, repairing, oiling or
cleaning dough/batter mixer, bread dividing, rounding or molding machine, dough brake,
dough sheeter, bread slicer/wrapper machine or cake cutting band saw, and setting
up/adjusting cookie or cracker machine. Except for 16- and 17-year-olds setting up,
adjusting, repairing, oiling and cleaning lightweight, small capacity, portable counter-top
power-driven food mixers comparable to models intended for household use. Except for 16-
and 17-year-olds operating pizza-dough rollers constructed with safeguards to prevent
fingers, hands, clothing from being caught on the in–running point of rollers, which have
completely enclosed gears, and have micro switches that disengage machinery if the
backs/sides of rollers removed. Exception does not apply to setting up, adjusting, repairing,
oiling or cleaning of pizza-dough rollers (29 CFR § 570.62; 34 Pa. Code § 11.47).
In Metal Industries. Working in rolling mills* (34 Pa. Code § 11.37; 29 CFR § 570.59),
handling bull ladles (34 Pa. Code § 11.56) and working around furnaces (34 Pa. Code §
11.53).
In Mines. Dangerous occupations in or around any mine, including all work performed in
any underground working, open-pit, or surface part of any coal-mining plant, that contribute
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 32
to the extraction, grading, cleaning or other handling of coal. Exceptions for 16- and 17-year-
olds: slate/refuse picking at picking table/chute in a tipple or breaker at a coal mine, work in
office or repair/maintenance shops on the surface. For other mines all occupations
prohibited, except may work in above-ground office, warehouse, supply house, change
house, laboratory, repair/maintenance shops, in living quarters, outside mine in surveying,
repair/maintenance of roads, general clean-up, track crew work for sections of railroad track
when mining activities not being performed, work in or about surface placer mining
operations other than place dredging operations and hydraulic placer mining operations. At
metal mills other than in mercury-recovery mills or mills using cyanide process may operate
jigs, sludge tables flotation cells, drier-filters, may perform hand-sorting at picking table/belt,
general cleanup
(29 CFR § 570.60). Exception, 14- and 15-year-old minors may work in
office and perform clerical duties (29 CFR § 570.34).
In Quarries. Most occupations, including drilling, shot firing or assisting in loading or
tamping holes, face cleaning, attaching blocks to chains for cable hoisting,
assisting/operating steam, air or electric shovels (34 Pa. Code § 11.37).
In the Printing and Paper Industry. Operating or assisting with balers, compactors,
and power-driven paper-products machines. Operating power driven paper cutters, circular
or band saws, corner cutter/mitering machine, corrugating and single/double facing
machine, envelope die-cutting press, guillotine paper cutter/shearer, horizontal bar scorer,
laminating/combing machine, sheeting machine, scrap paper baler, paper box compactor,
vertical slotter, platen die-cutting press, platen printing press, punch press involving hand
feeding of machine, operating or assisting with any compactor designed or used to process
materials other than paper.
2
Exception for 16- and 17-year-olds loading materials into scrap
paper balers and paper box compacter which cannot be operated while being loaded,
machine must meet applicable ANSI standard, there is an on-off switch with key-lock or
other system and control maintained by employee over 18, on-off switch in off position when
machine not in operation and employer posted notice (29 CFR § 570.63).
Around Radioactive Substances. In all occupations involving exposure to
radioactive substances
3
, or ionizing radiation
4
(34 Pa. Code § 11.62; 29 CFR § 570.57).
On Railroads and Railways. Section hand (34 Pa. Code § 11.41), track
repairing, gate-tending, switch-tending, brakeman, fireman, engineer, motorman, or
conductor (Child Labor Act, § 4(a) (1)).
On Rivets. Heating and passing rivets, except for 16- and 17-year-old minors 10 feet or
less from ground or on a scaffold equipped with guardrails and board in accordance with
Chapter 47, Subchapter G (34 Pa. Code § 47.221 et seq) (34 Pa. Code § 11.52).
In Tanneries. All occupations in the tanning process (34 Pa. Code § 11.40).
Hazardous Occupations Exemptions for Student Learners
2
Except apprentices, student learners, and graduates of an approved vocational, technical or industrial education
curriculum which prepared them for employment in the specific occupation.
3
Except apprentices, student learners, laboratory student aides and graduates of an approved vocational, technical
or industrial education curriculum which prepared them for employment in the specific occupation.
4
Except laboratory student aides and graduates of an approved vocational, technical or industrial education
curriculum which prepared them for employment in the specific occupation.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 33
Student learners are minors enrolled in a course of study and training in a cooperative
vocational training program under a recognized state or local educational authority or in a
course of study in a substantially similar program conducted by a private school and employed
under a written agreement, which provides the following:
1. That the work of the student learner in the occupations declared particularly hazardous
shall be incidental to his training.
2. That such work shall be intermittent and for short periods of time and under the direct
and close supervision of a qualified and experienced person.
3. That safety instructions shall be given by the school and correlated by the employer with
on-the-job training.
4. That a schedule of organized and progressive work processes to be performed on the
job shall have been prepared. Each such written agreement shall contain the name of
the student learner and shall be signed by the employer and the school coordinator or
principal. Copies of each agreement shall be kept on file by both the school and the
employer.
Work Permit – Child Labor Act 151
1. Form and content.
a. A work permit shall be issued on a wallet-sized form prescribed by the department.
The work permit shall contain the following information related to the minor:
(1) Name.
(2) Sex.
(3) Date and place of birth.
(4) Place of residence.
(5) Color of hair and eyes.
(6) Any physical work restrictions.
b. The work permit shall certify that:
(1) the holder has personally appeared before the issuing officer and has been
examined;
(2) all papers required by law have been examined, approved and filed; and
(3) all conditions and requirements for issuing a permit have been fulfilled.
c. The work permit shall be signed in the presence of the issuing officer by the minor.
d. The work permit shall bear a number, the date of issuance and the signature of the
issuing
officer
.
2. Application.
a. Documentation shall be as follows:
(1) Except as set forth under [the following] subparagraph, the application for a work
permit must be verified as follows:
(a) The applicant's parent or legal guardian must sign the application.
(b) In lieu of a signature under clause (A), the applicant may execute a
statement before a notary public or other person authorized to administer
oaths attesting to the accuracy of the facts set forth in the application on a
form prescribed by the department. The statement shall be attached to the
application.
(2) [The previous] subparagraph does not apply if the applicant can demonstrate
official proof of high school graduation.
(3) The issuing officer shall not issue a work permit until the issuing officer has
received, examined, approved and filed the following papers which verify the
applicant's age:
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 34
(i) If proof of age is an official document or record of the Commonwealth or
government of another state or governmental subdivision of another
state, it need not be filed if the issuing officer records the information
necessary to enable the document or record to be located at the place
where it is filed. If proof of age is other than an official document or
record of the Commonwealth or government of another state or
governmental
subdivision
of
another
state, the
following
is the
order
of
preference
for
acceptable
proof
under
this
clause:
a) An attested transcript of the birth certificate, filed according to law with
a register of vital statistics or other officer charged with the duty of
recording births.
b) A certified baptismal certificate or transcript of the record of baptism
showing the date of birth.
c) A passport showing the age of the minor.
d) Any
certified
documentary record of age other than a school record or
an
affidavit
of age, which appears to the satisfaction of the issuing
officer
to be
sufficient
evidence of age.
e) The signed statement of a physician, physician's assistant or nurse
practitioner
, approved by the board of school directors, stating that,
after
examination,
it is the
opinion
of the individual signing the
statement that the applicant has attained the age required by law for
the occupation in which the applicant expects to engage. The
statement
must
be accompanied by an affidavit signed by the
applicant's parent or legal guardian or, if there is no parent or legal
guardian, by the applicant's next friend and certifying to
the
name,
date and place of birth of the applicant and that the
individual
signing the
s
tatement
is unable to produce any of the proofs of age
specified
in
subclauses a), b), c) and d).
(ii) (Reserved).
b. Examination shall be as follows:
(1) Except as set forth under subparagraph (2), a work permit shall not be issued
until the
(a) Applicant has personally appeared before and has been examined by the
issuing officer.
(2) Subparagraph (1) does not apply if the applicant can demonstrate official proof
of high school graduation.
3. Issuance. If all application requirements are met, a work permit shall be issued by an
issuing officer unless it is the issuing officer's judgment that the applicant cannot maintain
adequate academic achievement if permitted to work during the school year.
4. Revocation. An issuing officer may revoke a work permit if it is the issuing officer's
judgment that the applicant cannot maintain adequate academic achievement if permitted
to work during the school year.
5. Cooperation. The issuing officer shall cooperate with an enforcement officer with
investigation and enforcement of this act.
Duties of employer.
1. Work permits and parental authorization.
a. Unless a minor has the items listed in paragraph c.
b. A minor may not be employed or permitted to work:
(1) In, about or in connection with an establishment; or
(2) In an occupation.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 35
c. To be employed, a minor must have all of the following:
(1) A work permit.
(2) For individuals who are under 16 years of age, a written statement by the minor's
parent or legal guardian acknowledging understanding of the duties and hours of
employment and granting permission to work subject to the provisions of 18 Pa.C.S.
§ 4904 (relating to unsworn falsification to authorities).
d. Before employing a minor, an employer shall do all of the following:
(1) Verify the work permit under paragraph b. (1).
(2) Receive the verified statement under paragraph c. (2).
e. An individual who is more than 16 years of age employed in the distribution, sale,
exposing or offering for
sale
of
any newspaper,
or
any minor
who
can demonstrate that he
is working independently of the newspaper publisher in this work, shall not be required
to procure a work permit.
2.
Notification. The
employer shall notify the issuing
officer
in writing of the employment of a
minor and shall detail the normal duties and hours of employment within five days after the
beginning of employment and shall include the age and permit number of the minor. On
termination of employment of a minor, the employer shall notify the issuing officer within
five days of the final day of employment that the minor no longer is employed by the
employer.
3. Posting requirement. An employer shall post a printed abstract of the sections of this act
relating to the hours of labor in a conspicuous place in the establishment.
4. Records. An employer shall maintain the following records at the workplace: (1) A list of
all the minors employed in the establishment.
a. A schedule of the hours of labor of the minors listed in subparagraph (ii). The schedule
of hours of labor shall contain:
(1) The maximum number of hours each minor is required or permitted to work on each
day of the week;
(2) The weekly total for each minor; and
(3) The daily hours for commencing and stopping work and for time allowed for meals.
b. For each minor, the employer shall keep a copy of the work permit, the original
verified permission statement required in subsection (a) and a copy of the letter sent
to the issuing officer announcing the employment of the minor.
c. An employer shall maintain records for employed minors in compliance with the
recordkeeping requirements of the act of January 17, 1968 (P.L.11, No.5), known as The
Minimum Wage Act of 1968, and shall maintain accurate records of the actual days,
hours and times of day the minors worked, including breaks.
d. An employer shall provide an enforcement officer with access to records kept
under this subsection at all reasonable
times.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 36
~
pennsylvania
~
D
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m
ade
s
ub
j
ect
to
th
e
prov
is
ion
s of 18
Pa
. C.S. § 49
04
(r
ela
tin
g
to
un
swo
rn
falsi
fi
ca
tio
ns
to
aut
ho
ri
ties).
____________________
:::J
Pare
nt
of
( Pri
nt
ed name
of
pare
nt
or l
eg
al guardia
n)
:::J
Legal gua
rdi
an
(N
ame
of
m
inor)
{S
ign
at
ur
e of par
ent
or
legal
gua
rdi
an)
{Da
te
)
•
Th
is f
orm
is
requ
ired
to
be c
omp
leted
by
th
e pare
nt
or
l
ega
l gua
rd
ian of a
min
or
emp
l
oy
ee
under
16
y
ea
rs
of
age
pursua
nt
to
Secti
on
8(
a
)(
2
)(
ii)
of
the Ch
il
d
La
bor
Act.
and
th
e original
co
py
mu
st
be k
ep
t
by
the e
mploy
er at
th
e workpla
ce
a
lon
g with other
rec
or
ds
of
th
e
minor'
s e
mp
lo
ymen
t re
quired
by
Se
ct
i
on
S(
d),
Aux
ilia
ry
ai
ds
and
se
rvic.
es
are availa
bl
e
upo
n r
eq
ue
st
to
i
ndividu
a
ls
wi
th
dis
a
bili
tie
s.
Equa
l
Opp
o
rtunity
E
mploy
e
r/Pro
gra
m
UC-.7
5
01
-
13
Parental Acknowledgement of Minor’s Duties and Hours of
Employment Form
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 37
APPLICATI
ON
FOR
WORK
PERMIT
Date of appl
ica
ti
on
_______________
_
Certificate/Permit
nu
mber
_____________
_
PDE-4
565
(1/
13)
Date i
ss
u
ed
__________________
_
A. To be com
plete
d
by
issuing
off
i
cer
Name
of
min
or
Sex
.
___________
_
Signature
of
iss
uing
off
i
ce
r
Co
l
or
of
hair
________
_
Co
l
or
of
eyes
________
_
Any
phys
i
ca
I work restri
ct
i
ons
Schoo
l di
st
rict - na
me
and
addres;
Pl
ace
of
res
idence Pl
ace
of
bi
rth
1---
D~a~te_ o_f_b~
irt
~h
----1
E
vi
d
en
ce
of
age a
cceo
ted and fil
ed
. Evi
de
n
ce
shall
be
r
eq
uir
ed
in
th
e order
de
si
gnated
. cro
ss
out
al
l but the
one
ac
cep
t
ed
.
Mo t h
Day
Yea
r a. Trans
cript
of b
irt
h certificate b. Baptismal certi
fi
ca
te
or
transcript
c.
Pa
s
sport
d. Other document
ary
evidence e. A
ff
i
davit
of
parent or guardian accompanied
by
ph•1sician's statement
of
opinion
as
to
the age of
the
mi
nor
B.
To be
comp
l
eted
by
parent
or
g
uardian
,
unl
ess mi
nor
is
a high s
chool
gradua
t e
(p
lease
attach
pr
oof
of
grad
u
at
i
on)
Signat
ur
e
of
parent, guardi
an
or
l
ega
l custodian• Name and address
of
parent,
gua
rdian or l
ega
l custodian
Commonwea
lt
h
of
P
ennsy
lv
an
ia - Department of Edu
c3t
ion
*In lieu of signature under
clause
(B)
, t he appli
can
t may execute a statement before a notary public or other per
so
n
au
thori
zed
to
administ
er
oa
ths attest
in
g
to
the accuracy
of
the facts
set
fort
h in the appli
ca
tion on a
fo
rm pr
esc
ribed
by
the departme
t.
T
he
statement
shal
l be attached to the appli
ca
tion.
Application for Work Permit Form
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 38
Hazardous Occupations Exemptions for Diversified Occupations (DO)
Students
Student learners – Minors enrolled in a course of study and training in a cooperative vocational
training program under a recognized state or local educational authority or in a course of study
in a substantially similar program conducted by a private school and employed under a written
agreement, which provides the following:
1. That the work of the student learner in the occupations declared particularly hazardous
shall be incidental to his training.
2. That such work shall be intermittent and for short periods of time and under the direct
and close supervision of a qualified and experienced person.
3. That safety instructions shall be given by the school and correlated by the employer with
on-the-job training.
4. That a schedule of organized and progressive work processes to be performed on the
job shall have been prepared. Each such written agreement shall contain the name of
the student learner and shall be signed by the employer and the school coordinator or
principal. Copies of each agreement shall be kept on file by both the school and the
employer.
Concern: Are Diversified Occupations students eligible for the student-learner exemption under
prohibited occupations?
Answer: To be eligible for the student-learner exemption, students must have specific and
adequate occupational training in school. (Note the student-learner definition above.) As most
Diversified Occupations students have had no training and are being placed specifically for the
purpose of receiving initial training on the job, they are not eligible for the student-learner
exemption.
Definitions
Specific Training – Training directly related to the career objective.
Adequate Training – Training in one of the six vocational areas normally considered
adequate to develop occupational competence.
For more information on Regulations Governing the Employment of Minors in Industry,
access the Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Labor Law Compliance website.
Pennsylvania Minimum Wage Act/Fair Labor Standards Act
Pennsylvania’s Minimum Wage Act of 1968 (P.L. 11, No. 5, as amended, 43 P.S.
§333.101.115) and the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C.A. §206) establish
minimum wage and overtime standards, require equal pay for equal work, regardless of sex,
and contain certain child labor standards that apply to cooperative education when an employer-
employee relationship is established.
Information on Pennsylvania’s Minimum Wage can be found at the
Department of Labor and
Industry website.
Keeping Records
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 39
Every employer shall keep a true, accurate and legible record for each employee. The
records shall be preserved for a period of three years from date of last entry and shall
contain the following information:
1. Name
2. Home address
3. Regular hourly rate of pay
4. Occupation
5. Time and day that the work week begins
6. The number of hours worked daily and weekly
7. Total daily or weekly straight time wages
8. Total overtime excess compensation for the work week
9. Total additions to, or deductions from, wages paid each pay period
10. Allowances, if any, claimed as part of the minimum wage
11. Total wages paid each pay period
12. Date of payment and the pay period covered by payment
13. Special certificates for students and learners as set forth in Section 12 of the Act (43
P.S. §333.104(b))
Pennsylvania Worker and Community Right to Know Act
The Pennsylvania Worker and Community Right to Know Act requires that information about
hazardous substances in the workplace and in the environment be available to public sector
employees and employees of private sector workplaces not covered by the Federal
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard, and
to all persons living or working in the state.
Students participating in cooperative education in the workplace are covered by this Act and are
entitled to information about hazardous substances in their specific work area or workplace. The
Pennsylvania Worker and Community Right to Know Act workplace notice can be downloaded
from the Department of Labor and Industry website
.
For additional information, contact the Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of
PENNSAFE, Room 155-E, Seventh and Forster Streets, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17120,
phone (717) 783-2071, Fax (717) 783-5099.
Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act
Workers' Compensation is an employer-financed, no-fault insurance that compensates
employees who have been disabled due to a work-related injury or disease. The passage of Act
44, Workers' Compensation Reform Act of 1993, and Act 57, Reform Act of 1996, have led to
major reductions in employer insurance rates while encouraging employers to provide safer
working environments.
Nearly every Pennsylvania worker is covered by the PA Workers’ Compensation Act. Employers
must provide workers’ compensation (WC) coverage for all of their employees, including
seasonal and part-time workers.
Cooperative education teacher-coordinators should remind students participating in cooperative
education that they should immediately report any injury or work-related illness to their worksite
supervisor to ensure they will receive any eligible benefits under the Workers’ Compensation
Act. A copy of the declaration page of the Workers’ Compensation policy should be on file in the
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 40
cooperative education teacher- coordinator’s office.
Anyone who commits fraud may be subject to civil or criminal penalties. Reports of workers’
compensation fraud should be directed to the Pennsylvania Insurance Fraud Prevention
Authority.
The Department of Labor and Industry, through the Bureau of Workers' Compensation
, is
responsible for the administration and maintenance of this program.
Pennsylvania Human Relations Act
Pennsylvania Human Relations Act of 1955, P.L. 744, No. 222 as amended July 12,1996 by Act
117 of 1996 prohibit certain practices of discrimination because of race, color, religious creed,
ancestry, age or national origin by employers, employment agencies, labor organizations and
others as defined in the Act. It also authorized the Human Relations Commission to adopt
guidelines as a prevention tool to help assure that everyone in Pennsylvania can work in an
environment from unsolicited and unwelcome sexual advances. Although complaints of sexual
harassment will be decided by the Commission on a case-by-case basis, the guidelines outlined
below have been designed to help employers and employees understand how the Commission
will make such decisions.
The following are Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission sexual harassment guidelines.
1. Harassment on the basis of sex is a violation of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical
conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when (1) submission to such
conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of an individual's
employment, (2) submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as
the basis for employment decisions affecting such individual or (3) such conduct has the
purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or
creating an
intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.
2. In determining whether alleged conduct constitutes sexual harassment, the Commission
will
look at the record as a whole and at the totality of the circumstances, such as the
nature of the sexual advances and the context in which the alleged incidents occurred.
The determination of the legality of a particular action will be made from the facts, on a
case-by-case basis.
3. Applying general Title VII and Pennsylvania Human Relations Act principles, an
employer, employment agency, joint apprenticeship committee or labor organization
(hereinafter collectively referred to as 'employer') is responsible for its acts and those of
its agents and supervisory employees with respect to sexual harassment regardless of
whether the specific acts complained of were authorized or even forbidden by the
employer and regardless of whether the employer knew or should have known of their
occurrence. The Commission will examine the circumstances of the particular
employment relationship and the job functions performed by the individual in determining
whether an individual acts in either a supervisory or agency capacity.
4. With respect to conduct between fellow employees, an employer is responsible for acts
of sexual harassment in the workplace where the employer (or its agents or supervisory
employees) knows or should have known of the conduct, unless it can show that it took
immediate and appropriate corrective action.
5. An employer may also be responsible for the acts of nonemployees, with respect to
sexual harassment of employees in the workplace, where the employer (or its agents or
supervisory employees) knows or should have known of the conduct and fails to take
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 41
immediate and appropriate corrective action. In reviewing these cases the Commission
will consider the extent of the employer's control and any other legal responsibility, which
the employer may have with respect to the conduct of such nonemployees.
6. Prevention is the best tool for the elimination of sexual harassment. An employer should
take all steps necessary to prevent sexual harassment from occurring, such as
affirmatively raising the subject, expressing strong disapproval, developing appropriate
sanctions, informing employees of their right to raise and how to raise the issue of
harassment under Title VII and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, and developing
methods to sensitize all concerned.
7. Other related practices: Where employment opportunities or benefits are granted
because of an individual's submission to the employer's sexual advances or requests for
sexual favors, the employer may be held liable for unlawful sex discrimination against
other persons who were qualified for but denied that employment opportunity or benefit.
(Pa. B. Dec. No. 81-201. Filed January 30, 1981)
For more information on the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, visit the
Pennsylvania
Human Relations Commission website.
Tort Liability
Tort of Negligence is the act of unintentionally committing harm to the person or property of
another.
The Four Elements of Negligence are:
1. Duty (teachers have a duty to exercise care in the supervision of students);
2. Breach of Duty (negligent supervision is a breach of duty);
3. Injury (a teacher’s negligent supervision must be the proximate cause for the injury) and
4. Damages (can be monetary, pain and suffering, future earnings, etc.).
Tort Liability and Public School Teachers.
1. At one time, public school systems enjoyed sovereign immunity.
2. From 1973-1978, school districts became subject to liability for ordinary negligence.
3. In 1978, the Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act was passed (42 Pa. C.S.A. §8541),
which restored immunity except in eight specific circumstances. Thus, school districts
(and other political subdivisions) are not immune from liability, if a plaintiff can
demonstrate negligence in any one of the following areas:
a. The operation of a motor vehicle;
b. The care, custody or control of personal property;
c. The care, custody or control of real property;
d. A dangerous condition of trees, traffic signs, lights or other traffic controls or street
lighting systems;
e. A dangerous condition of the facilities or steam, sewer, water, gas or electric
systems;
f. A dangerous condition of streets;
g. A dangerous condition of sidewalks and
h. The care, custody or control of animals.
Damages and Employee Liability.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 42
1. Damages arising from the same occurrence are limited to $500,000 in the aggregate.
2. The Act requires the employer to indemnify an employee of a public school district,
provided the employee has given timely written notice to the district and the employee
was acting within the scope of his/her employment at the time of the accident. In
addition, the district must either defend or pay for the cost of defense of the employee.
3. Where employee’s conduct constitutes a crime, fraud, malice or willful misconduct, the
individual will assume liability and the district will enjoy immunity.
Caution: Negligence can rise to the level of willful misconduct. Thus, if the district
successfully argues that negligence was willful (or outside the scope of employment), the district
escapes liability and the employee assumes liability.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 43
Mandatory Postings for Pennsylvania Employers
Pennsylvania employers are required to post certain notices in their worksites, so employees
have access to and information about applicable labor laws. These posters can be downloaded
for free from the links below. Each poster link identifies the content of the poster, which
employers are required to post it and contact information should you require additional
information.
All notices must be posted in a conspicuous place so that they can be seen and read by
employees. Failure to post notices can result in stiff penalties and possible fines. In addition to
the notices listed below, all government agencies and private employers with government
contracts over $25,000 are required to publish and post an anti-drug policy statement in
accordance with the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1998.
You will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader to successfully view/print some information.
State Required Employee Notices
NOTICE
Abstract of the Pennsylvania Child
Labor Act Form No. LLC-5 (Rev 1-13)
Resumen de la Ley de Trabajo Infantil
Form No. LLC-5 (ESP) (6-08)
Hours of Work for Minors Under
Eighteen Form No. LLC-17 (Rev 2-07)
Minimum Wage Law Poster and Fact
Sheet Form No. LLC-1 (Rev 9-16)
More Minimum Wage Information
Abstract of Equal Pay Law Form No.
LLC-8 (Rev 2-07)
POSTING
REQUIREMENTS
All PA Employers of
Minors
All Employers of
Minors
(To be posted for
Spanish-speaking
employees.)
All PA Employers of
Minors
All PA Employers
All PA Employers
HOW TO OBTAIN NOTICE
Department of Labor & Industry
Labor Law Compliance
1-800-932-0665
Department of Labor & Industry
Labor Law Compliance
1-800-932-0665
Department of Labor & Industry
Labor Law Compliance
1-800-932-0665
Department of Labor & Industry
Labor Law Compliance
1-800-932-0665
Department of Labor & Industry
Labor Law Compliance
1-800-932-0665
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 44
NOTICE
Resumen de la Ley de Igualdad
Salarial Form No. LLC-8 (ESP) (6-08)
Unemployment Compensation Form
No. UC-700 (Rev 9-17)
Compensacion Por Desempleo Form
UC-700(ESP) (Rev 9-16)
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Posting Form No. LIBC-500 (Rev 1-
15)
PA Clean Indoor Air Act Signage for
No Smoking
Equal Opportunity & Fair Practices
Notices
POSTING
REQUIREMENTS
All Employers
(To be posted for
Spanish-speaking
employees.)
All Employers
All Employers
(To be posted for
Spanish-speaking
employees.)
All PA Employers
All Employers
identified under the
PA Clean Indoor Air
Act
Click here for
specific
requirements.
HOW TO OBTAIN NOTICE
Department of Labor & Industry
Labor Law Compliance
1-800-932-0665
Department of Labor & Industry
Office of UC Policy
717-783-8794
Department of Labor & Industry,
Office of UC Policy
717-783-8794
Your Insurance Carrier or
Department of Labor & Industry
Workers’ Compensation
717-783-5421
PA Department of Health Clean
Indoor Air Helpline:
1-877-835-9535
Pennsylvania Human Relations
Commission
717-772-2845
Federal Laws Relevant to Cooperative Education
Employment Relationship under the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act
Before the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) apply to a person’s
employment, an employer-employee relationship must exist. An employment relationship
requires an “employer” and “employee,” and the act or condition of employment. The courts
have made it clear that an employment relationship under the Fair Labor Standards Act is
broader than the traditional common law concept of master and servant. The difference
between an employment relationship under the Fair Labor Standards Act and one under the
common law arises from the fact that the term “employ” as defined in the Fair Labor
Standards Act includes “to suffer or permit to work.” Mere knowledge by an employer of
work done for him or her by another is sufficient to create an employment relationship under
the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Employment Relationship of Trainees
The Supreme Court has held that the words "to suffer or permit to work," as used in the Fair
Labor Standards Act to define "employ," do not make all persons employees who, without
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 45
any express or implied compensation agreement, work for their own advantage on the
premises of another. Whether trainees or students are employees of an employer under the
FLSA will depend upon all the circumstances surrounding their activities on the premises of
the employer. If all the following criteria apply, the trainees or students are not employees
within the meaning of the Act:
1. The training, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer,
is similar to that which would be given in a career and technical school;
2. The training is for the benefit of the trainees or students;
3. The trainees or students do not displace regular employees, but work under close
supervision;
4. The employer that provides the training receives no immediate advantage from the
activities of the trainees or students and, on occasion, his operations may even be
impeded;
5. The trainees or students are not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the
training period and
6. The employer and the trainees or students understand that the trainees or students
are not entitled to wages for the time spent in training.
More detailed information is provided in the resource, “
Employment Relationship Under the
Fair Labor Standards Act.”
The Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA)
The American Disabilities Act Public Law 336 of the 101st Congress, enacted July 26, 1990,
prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government,
public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation and telecommunications. It also
applies to the United States Congress.
Title I requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide qualified individuals with
disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from the full range of employment-related
opportunities available to others. For example, it prohibits discrimination in recruitment, hiring,
promotions, training, pay, social activities and other privileges of employment. It restricts
questions that can be asked about an applicant's disability before a job offer is made, and it
requires that employers make reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental
limitations of otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities, unless it results in undue hardship.
Religious entities with 15 or more employees are covered under Title I.
To be protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act, one must have a disability or have a
relationship or association with an individual with a disability. An individual with a disability is
defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act as a person who has a physical or mental
impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history
or record of such impairment or a person who is perceived by others as having such
impairment. The Americans with Disabilities Act does not specifically name all of the
impairments that are covered.
The term “qualified individual with a disability” means an individual with a disability who, with or
without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the employment
position that such individual holds or desires. For the purposes of this subchapter, consideration
shall be given to the employer's judgment as to what functions of a job are essential, and if an
employer has prepared a written description before advertising or interviewing applicants for the
job, this description shall be considered evidence of the essential functions of the job.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 46
All provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act must be followed in the placement of
students in cooperative education. If a cooperative education student believes that an employer
is engaging in employment discrimination on the basis of disability, or they wish to request an
accommodation, they should contact the local field office of the U.S. Equal Employment
Opportunity Commission.
Federal Required Employee Notices
Some of the statutes and regulations enforced by agencies within the Department of Labor
require that posters or notices be posted in the workplace. The Department provides electronic
copies of the required posters and some of the posters are available in languages other than
English.
Please note that posting requirements vary by statute; that is, not all employers are covered by
each of the Department's statutes and thus may not be required to post a specific notice. For
example, some small businesses may not be covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act and
thus would not be subject to the Act's posting requirements. For information on coverage, visit
the Employment Laws Assistance for Workers and Small Business (elaws) Poster Advisor
. You
may also contact the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, for assistance
with these notice requirements.
To obtain posters or for more information about poster requirements or other compliance
assistance matters, you may contact the U.S. Department of Labor at 1-866-4-USA-DOL.
U.S. Department of Labor Workplace Poster Requirements for Small
Businesses and Other Employers
Poster Who Must Post
Citations /
Penalty
Other Information
Job Safety and
Health Protection,
Occupational Safety
and Health
Administration
29 USC 657(c), 29
CFR 1903.2
En Español
Private employers
engaged in a
business affecting
commerce. Does not
apply to federal,
state or political
subdivisions of
states.
Any covered
employer
failing to post
the poster
may be
subject to
citation and
penalty.
Employers in states operating
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration-approved state
plans should obtain and post the
state’s equivalent poster.
For more information about Job
Safety and Health, please visit the
OSHA website
.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 47
Poster Who Must Post
Citations /
Penalty
Other Information
Equal Employment
Entities holding
Opportunity Is the
federal contracts or
Law, Office of
subcontracts or
Federal Contract
federally assisted
Compliance
Programs
Executive Order
11246, as amended;
Section 503 of the
Rehabilitation Act of
1973, as amended;
38 U.S.C. 4212 of the
Vietnam Era
Veterans’
Readjustment
Assistance Act of
1974, as amended;
41 CFR Chapter 60-l
.42; 41 C.F.R 60-
250.4(k); 4 1 C.F.R.
construction
contracts of $10,000
or more; financial
institutions which are
issuing and paying
agents for U.S.
savings bonds and
savings notes;
depositories of
federal funds or
entities having
government bills of
lading.
Please note that the
EEOC* may provide
additional posting
Appropriate
contract
sanctions may
be imposed
for
uncorrected
violations.
Post copies of the poster in
conspicuous places available to
employees, applicants for
employment, and representatives
of labor organizations with which
there is a collective bargaining
agreement. Also, non-construction
contractors or subcontractors with
50 or more employees and a
contract of $50,000 or more
[otherwise required by 41 CFR 60-
2.1 (a)] should develop an equal
opportunity policy as part of an
affirmative action plan and post the
policy on company bulletin boards.
41 CFR 60-2.2 1 (a) (9).
60-74 1.5(a)4
requirements at
Section 2000e-10
En Español
[§711].
Fair Labor Standards
Act (FLSA)
Minimum wage
poster Wage and
Hour Division
En Español
Specific posters for:
• State & Local Gov't
Employees (PDF)
Every private,
federal, state and
local government
employer employing
any employee
subject to the Fair
Labor Standards Act,
No citations or
penalties for
failure to post.
Any employer of employees to
whom sec. 7 of the Fair Labor
Standards Act does not apply may
alter or modify the poster legibly to
show that the overtime provisions
do not apply.
• Agricultural
Employees (PDF)
29 USC 211, 29 CFR
516.4 posting of
notices.
For information on how to order a
poster, please visit the
US
Department of Labor website.
• American Samoa
(PDF)
• Northern Mariana
Islands (PDF)
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 48
Poster Who Must Post
Citations /
Penalty
Other Information
Employee Right for
Workers with
Disabilities/Special
Minimum Wage
Poster, Wage and
Hour Division
Every employer
having workers
employed under
special minimum
wage certificates
authorized by section
No citations or
penalties for
failure to post.
Where an employer finds it
inappropriate to post such a notice,
the employer may provide the
poster directly to all employees
subject to its terms.
29 CFR 525.14
14(c) of the Fair
Labor Standards Act.
For information on how to order a
poster, please visit the
US
En Español
Department of Labor website.
Your Rights Under
the Family and
Medical Leave Act,
Wage and Hour
Division
29 CFR 825.300,
.402
En Español
Public agencies
(including state,
local, and federal
employers), public
and private
elementary and
secondary schools,
as well as private
sector employers
who employ 50 or
more employees in
20 or more work
weeks and who are
engaged in
commerce or in any
industry or activity
affecting commerce,
Willful refusal
to post may
result in a civil
money penalty
by the Wage
and Hour
Division not to
exceed $100
for each
separate
offense.
Where an employer’s workforce is
not proficient in English, the
employer must provide the notice in
the language the employee speaks.
The poster must be posted
prominently where it can be readily
seen by employees and applicants
for employment.
For information on how to order a
poster, please visit the
US
Department of Labor website.
including joint
employers and
successors of
covered employers.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 49
Poster Who Must Post
Citations /
Penalty
Other Information
Uniformed Services
Employment and
Reemployment
Rights Act (Notice for
use by all
employers.)
Veterans'
Employment and
Training Service
38 U.S.C. 4334, 20
CFR 1002.
The full text of the
notice must be
provided by each
employer to persons
entitled to rights and
benefits under
USERRA.
No citations or
penalties for
failure to
notify. An
individual
could ask
USDOL to
investigate
and seek
compliance or
file a private
enforcement
action to
require the
employer to
provide the
notice to
employees.
Employers may provide the notice
by posting it where employee
notices are customarily placed.
However, employers are free to
provide the notice in other ways
that will minimize costs while
ensuring that the full text of the
notice is provided (e.g., by
distributing the notice by direct
handling, mailing, or via electronic
mail).
For more information about
USERRA, please visit the
US
Department of Labor website.
Notice to All
Employees Working
on Federal or
Federally Financed
Construction Projects
(Davis-Bacon Act)
Wage and Hour
Division
29 CFR 5.5(a)(l)
En Español
Any contractor/
subcontractor
engaged in contracts
in excess of $2,000
for the actual
construction,
alteration/repair of a
public building or
public work or
building or work
financed in whole or
in part from federal
funds, federal
guarantee, or federal
pledge which is
subject to the labor
standards provisions
of any of the acts
listed in 29 CFR 5.1.
No citations or
penalties for
failure to post.
The contractor or subcontractor is
required to insert in any
subcontract the poster
requirements contained in 29 CFR
5.5(a) (l). The poster must be
posted at the site of work, in a
prominent and accessible place
where it can easily be seen by
workers.
For information on how to order a
poster, please visit the
US
Department of Labor website.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 50
Poster Who Must Post
Citations /
Penalty
Other Information
Notice to Employees
Working on
Government
Contracts, (Service
Contracts Act)
Every contractor or
subcontractor
engaged in a
contract with the
United States or the
District of Columbia
No citations or
Contractors and any subcontractors
engaged in federal service
contracts exceeding $2,500 shall
notify each service employee or
post the minimum monetary wage
Wage and Hour
in excess of $2,500
penalties for
and any fringe benefits required to
Division
the principal purpose
of which is to furnish
failure to post.
be paid pursuant to the contract.
29 CFR 4.6(e), .184
services in the U.S.
For information on how to order a
En Español
using service
employees.
poster, please visit the
US
Department of Labor website.
Notice: Employee
Polygraph Protection
Act, Wage and Hour
Division
29 CFR 801.6
En Español
Any employer
engaged in or
affecting commerce
or in the production
of goods for
commerce. Does not
apply to federal,
state and local
governments, or to
circumstances
covered by the
national defense and
security exemption.
The Secretary
of Labor can
bring court
actions and
assess civil
penalties for
failing to post.
The Act extends to all employees
or prospective employees
regardless of their citizenship
status. Foreign corporations
operating in the United States must
comply or will result in penalties for
failing to post. The poster must be
displayed where employees and
applicants for employment can
readily observe it.
For information on how to order a
poster, please visit the US
Department of Labor website.
Notice Migrant and
Seasonal Agricultural
Worker Protection
Act, Wage and Hour
Division
29 CFR 500.75, .76
Agricultural
employers,
agricultural
associations and
farm labor
contractors.
A civil money
penalty may
be assessed.
Each employer covered by the Act
who provides housing to migrant
agricultural workers shall post in a
conspicuous place, throughout the
occupancy period, information on
the terms and conditions of
occupancy of such housing.
For information on how to order a
poster, please visit the US
Department of Labor website.
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 51
Poster Who Must Post
Citations /
Penalty
Other Information
Notification of
Employee Rights
Under Federal Labor
Laws, Office of
Labor-Management
Standards
Executive Order
13496; 29 CFR Part
471
Federal contractors
and subcontractors
must post the
employee notice
conspicuously in and
around their plants
and offices so that it
is prominent and
readily seen by
employees.
Contractors and
subcontractors must
post the notice
where other notices
to employees about
their jobs are posted.
Additionally, federal
contractors and
subcontractors who
post notices to
employees
electronically must
also post the
required notice
electronically via a
link to the OLMS
website. When
posting
electronically, the
link to the notice
must be placed
where the contractor
customarily places
The sanctions,
penalties, and
remedies for
non-
compliance
with the notice
requirements
include the
suspension or
cancellation of
the contract
and the
debarring of
Federal
contractors
from future
Federal
contracts.
The notice, prescribed in the
Department of Labor's regulations,
informs employees of Federal
contractors and subcontractors of
their rights under the NLRA to
organize and bargain collectively
with their employers and to engage
in other protected concerted
activity. Additionally, the notice
provides examples of illegal
conduct by employers and unions,
and it provides contact information
to the National Labor Relations
Board (www.nlrb.gov), the agency
responsible for enforcing the NLRA.
For more information about Federal
Labor Laws, please visit the
Department of Labor, OLMS
website.
other electronic
notices to employees
about their jobs. The
link can be no less
prominent than other
employee notices.
Electronic posting
cannot be used as a
substitute for
physical posting.
Where a significant
portion of a federal
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 52
Poster Who Must Post
Citations /
Penalty
Other Information
contractor's or
subcontractor's
workforce is not
proficient in English,
they must provide
the employee notice
in languages spoken
by employees.
OLMS will provide
translations of the
employee notice that
can be used to
comply with the
physical and
electronic posting
requirements.
Retrieved July 2013 from U.S. Department of Labor Website.
Federal and Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation
The Federal Unemployment Tax Act Reg. 31-3306(c) (10)-3 provides for unemployment tax
exemption of students engaged in work-study programs.
“The term ‘employment’ shall not include…service performed by an individual
under the age of 22 who is enrolled at a non-profit or public educational
institution which normally maintains a regular faculty and curriculum and normally
has a regularly organized body of students in attendance at the place where its
educational activities are carried on, as a student in a full-time program, taken for
credit at such institutions, which combined academic instruction with work
experience, if such service is an integral part of such program, and such
institution has so certified to the employer, except that this subparagraph shall
not apply to service performed in a program established for or on behalf of an
employer or group of employers.”
The Pennsylvania Unemployment Compensation Law
in its entirety is available on the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry home page; click on "Laws
and Regulations" and scroll to "Unemployment Compensation”; click on "Law" and click on
"Unemployment Compensation Law."
Revised December 2020 Section II – Administrative Requirements 53
Evaluation of Cooperative Education
The purpose of any evaluation is to be practical and effective in determining how to improve the
quality of a program and/or services. Evaluation provides information to decision makers on how
to examine a program to determine how and where to make program improvements. This
involves defining the program and establishing quality indicators.
What is Cooperative Education?
The term “cooperative education” means a method of education for individuals who, through
written cooperative arrangements between a school and employers, receive instruction,
including required rigorous and challenging academic courses and related career and
technical education instruction, by alternation of study in school with a job in any
occupational field. Alternation:
1. Shall be planned and supervised by the school and employer so that each
contributes to the education and employability of the individual; and
2. May include an arrangement in which work periods and school attendance may be
on alternate half days, full days, weeks or other periods of time in fulfilling the
cooperative program.
(Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Career and Technical Education,
Perkins Local Plan Guidelines, 2007-2008.)
What Elements Determine a Cooperative Education Program Based on
the Definition?
1. Alternate or parallel periods of instruction in school and supervised public or private
employment are required. Periods of work and classroom activities may be made up
of alternate half days, full days, weeks or other time segments. The average
minimum number of hours is usually between 15 and 20 hours per week. This
facilitates compliance with federal and state law as affecting the employment of
minors.
2. A written agreement among the school, the employer, the student and where
appropriate, the parent/guardian is required. This written agreement, commonly
known as the training agreement, is school initiated and outlines the responsibilities
of the educational agencies, employers and students to the program. It is
Pennsylvania’s position that the parent/guardian be included as a key component of
the partnership for high school students.
3. Instruction (including required academic instruction) must be related to the job and to
the students’ academic study or career goals. Vocational cooperative education
programs normally have time requirements for related career and technical
instruction by program area, as dictated by the state guidelines. (See Title 22
Section §339.22 Program Content) This required related instruction can range from a
minimum of one hour up to three hours per day. At the secondary level, in-school
courses are specifically designed to develop students’ attitudes, knowledge and
employability skills and are generally designed to be taken concurrently with
employment.
4. The alternation of study and work must be planned and supervised to further the
students’ education and employability
. Cooperative education coordinators are
responsible for planning and conducting related academic and career and technical
Revised December 2020 Section III – Evaluation of Cooperative Education 54
□
□
□
□
□
instruction designed to meet the students’ on-the-job needs. The training sponsors
have the responsibility of providing a variety of well-planned tasks to assist students
in becoming competent employees. Competent supervision by both parties ensures
that experience, in a systematic progression of job-related skills, is correlated with
classroom instruction.
5. Students must be employed and compensated in compliance with federal, state and
local laws. Such compliance ensures that students are not exploited for private gain.
Approved Program Evaluation Checklist
The Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Career and Technical Education uses
the following criteria to evaluate Cooperative Education services and Diversified Occupations
programs. These criteria were copied directly from the Approved Program Evaluation checklist.
5
20. Capstone Cooperative Education – Chapter 339.29
20.1 Describe how cooperative education is planned in accordance with the
stated career or occupational objectives of the student.
Documentation/
• Documentation of co-op requirements and procedures
Evidence
20.2 Provide a list of related learning experiences held at school-approved
workstations.
Documentation/
• List of students, work-site placements, and type of work to be performed
Evidence
20.3 Provide completed training plans and training agreements developed with
the employer and signed by the student, parent/guardian, school officials, and
cooperating employers.
Documentation/
• Student files with completed and signed training plans and training
Evidence
agreements and the employer clearances in separate folders.
20.4 Provide documentation of payment of the existing legal wage.
Documentation/
• Student records and copies of time/pay statements
Evidence
20.5 Provide the professional certificate in cooperative education for all
cooperative education coordinators.
Documentation/
• Professional certificate for Cooperative Education staff
Evidence
5
Shaded items apply to the school entity rather than individual programs.
Revised December 2020 Section III – Evaluation of Cooperative Education 55
□
□
□
□
□
□
□
20.6 Provide documentation of one on-site student evaluation per month by the
cooperative education coordinator.
Documentation/
• Student records
Evidence
20.7 Provide documentation of at least 45 minutes per week or 90 minutes every
other week for students to meet with their career and technical instructor to
discuss job problems and related information.
• Teacher schedule
Documentation/
Evidence
• Student schedules
20.8 Provide documentation of credit for cooperative education work
experience.
Documentation/
• Student transcripts
Evidence
20.9 Provide documentation of insurance protection for both the school and
students.
Documentation/
• Liability insurance policy issued to the school/CTC
Evidence
ALL REQUIREMENTS MET
THERE IS NO COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM
Commendations:
Recommendations:
Corrections:
Comments:
21. Diversified Occupations Cooperative Education – Chapter 339.22(c)
NOTE: In addition to all other items in the checklist, this compliance item must be
completed for CIP 32.0105.
21.1 Describe whether students are in this program because they were unable
to gain admission to a career and technical program due to: excessive number of
applicants; inability to meet entrance requirements for other existing career and
technical programs; or lack of specific career and technical areas offered at the
comprehensive high school or participating CTC/AVTS.
Revised December 2020 Section III – Evaluation of Cooperative Education 56
□
□
□
□
□
□
• Rationale for diversified occupations placements that compete with
Documentation/
CTC/AVTS/school district programs due to excessive number of
Evidence
applicants
21.2 Describe how a diversified occupation is planned in accordance with the
stated career or occupational objectives of the student.
• Discussion with cooperative education staff and diversified occupation
Documentation/
students
Evidence
• Educational and occupational objective forms
21.3 Provide a list of work-based related learning experiences held at school-
approved work sites.
Documentation/
• List of students, work-site placements, and type of work to be performed
Evidence
21.4 Provide completed training plans, showing a variety of work assignments,
and training agreements developed with the employer and signed by the student,
parent/guardian, school officials, and cooperating employers.
Documentation/
• Student files with completed and signed training plans and training
Evidence
agreements and the employer clearances in separate folders.
21.5 Describe the school-based, academic and career-specific instruction for
this CIP.
Documentation/
• Lesson plans
Evidence
•
CIP specific related curriculum
21.6 Provide documentation of one planned course, equal to one unit of credit,
of general related theory or technical related content, or both, per year. To meet
this requirement, the school district operated diversified student shall meet with
his teacher-coordinator for at least one 40- to 45-minute period PER DAY or a
minimum of three hours per week. To meet this requirement at a career and
technical center operated program, the diversified occupations student shall meet
with his teacher-coordinator for at least one 40- to 45-minute period per week.
Documentation/
• Student transcripts
Evidence
• Student schedules
21.7 Provide documentation of payment of the existing legal wage.
Documentation/
• Student records and copies of time/pay statements
Evidence
Revised December 2020 Section III – Evaluation of Cooperative Education 57
□
□
□
□
□
□
□
21.8 Provide documentation of coordination of work site activities of at least ½
hour per week per student, including work site visits and observations, as well as
preparation for the related in-school instruction.
• Student records
Documentation/
• Lesson plans
Evidence
• Unit plans
•
Teacher travel log
21.9 Provide documentation that students in this CIP are legally employed a
minimum of 15 hours a week during the school year. Graduation credits can be
awarded for hours worked outside of school hours.
Documentation/
• Time/pay statements
Evidence
• Employed a minimum of 150 school days
21.10 Provide documentation of credit for participation in the cooperative
education diversified occupations program.
Documentation/
• Student transcripts
Evidence
21.11 Provide documentation of insurance protection for both the school and
students.
Documentation/
• Liability insurance policy issued to the school/CTC
Evidence
21.12 Provide documentation of one on-site student evaluation per month by the
cooperative education coordinator.
Documentation/
• Student records
Evidence
ALL REQUIREMENTS MET
THERE IS NO DIVERSIFIED EDUCATION PROGRAM
Commendations:
Recommendations:
Corrections:
Comments:
Revised December 2020 Section III – Evaluation of Cooperative Education 58
Types of Work-Based Programs and Activities
Program
or Activity
School-Based
Elements
Work-Based
Elements
Connecting Activities
and
Coordination
Clinical
Experiences
Specific occupational
area
School training in
specific field
Develop technical
competencies
School credit
Practical experience –
short term
Supervised work-
based learning
Broad overview of an
occupational field
Teachers supervise and work
with employers to give students
added development of
technical competencies in a
work setting
Teachers, students and
employers meet to evaluate the
work experience and
performance
Cooperative
Education
Technical skills in a
specific career area
Integrated career and
technical and
academic studies
Employability skills
School credit
Hands-on experience
at a worksite
Work related to school
training
Paid work experience
Evaluation by a
supervisor
Training plan and agreement
between school, student,
parent/guardian and employer
Supervised visits by school
Cooperative Education
Coordinator
Students matched by ability
with the job experience
Community
Service
No specific
preparation
Volunteer services,
usually in nonprofit
organizations
Coordination with community
organizations to provide
situation whereby students can
learn work skills, take
responsibility and contribute to
the community
Internships
Specific occupational
area
School training in a
specific field
Develop technical
competencies
School credit
Practical experience –
short term
Supervised work-
based learning
Broad overview of an
occupational field
Teachers supervise and work
with employers to give students
added development of
technical competencies in a
work setting
Teachers, students and
employers meet to evaluate the
work experience and
performance
Revised December 2020 Appendix 59
Program
or Activity
School-Based
Elements
Work-Based
Elements
Connecting Activities
and
Coordination
Job Shadowing
Career awareness
No specific
preparation
Exposure to work
environment
Student paired with
adult for experience
Structured visits to worksites to
acculturate students to the
world of work
Registered
Apprenticeships
Technical skills in a
specific area
Integrated academic
and technical
coursework
School credit
Hands-on experience
at work site
Work related to school
training
Written training plan
Paid work experience
Evaluation by
supervisor
Can be connected to post-
secondary partner
Portable, nationally recognized
credential
School-Based
Enterprises
Specific career focus
Related academics
Technical skills
Situational learning All aspects of the industry
Service Learning
Community service
Academics
Technical skills
Experiential learning
Supervised work
related
experience
Teachers work with community
organization representatives to
give students added
development of technical
competencies in a community
setting
Work Release
No career objective
or school credit
awarded
Paid employment No school/work connection
Revised December 2020 Appendix 60
Contacts and Sources of Information
Association for Career and Technical
Education
1410 King Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 683-3111
(800) 826-9972
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Lisa Golding
Bureau of Career and Technical Education
Division of Program Standards and Quality
Assurances
333 Market Street, 11th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333
(717) 772-4870
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and
Industry
Labor Law Compliance
L & I Building
7th and Forster Streets
Harrisburg, PA 17121
(717) 787-5279
(877) 803-8560
Team Pennsylvania CareerLink
Bureau of Employer and Career Services
7th and Forster Streets
Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 787-9874
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of Apprenticeship
Mr. James Foti
Regional Director
USDOL/ETA/OA
Suite 825-East
170 S. Independence Mall, West
Philadelphia, PA 19106-3315
(215) 861-4830
(215) 861-4833
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, Pennsylvania
Offices
1617 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Suite 1780
Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: (215) 597-4950
1000 Liberty Ave.
Suite 1416
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: (412) 395-4996
7 N. Wilkes-Barre Blvd.
Suite 373-M
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
Phone: (570) 826-6316
Revised December 2020 Appendix 61
Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Labor Law
Compliance District Offices
Contact:
Counties Served:
Bureau of Labor Law Compliance
Altoona District Office
1130 Twelfth Avenue
Suite 200
Altoona, PA 16601-3486
Phone: 814-940-6224
or 1-877-792-8198
Armstrong, Bedford, Blair, Cambria,
Cameron, Centre, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton,
Elk, Fayette, Forest, Fulton, Huntingdon,
Indiana, Jefferson, McKean, Mifflin, Potter,
Somerset, Warren, Westmoreland
Bureau of Labor Law Compliance
Harrisburg District Office Adams, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin,
651 Boas Street, Room 1305 Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon,
Harrisburg 17121-0750 Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Snyder,
Phone: 717-787-4671 Union, York
or 1-800-932-0665
Bureau of Labor Law Compliance
Philadelphia District Office
110 North 8th Street
Suite 203
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 215-560-1858
or 1-877-817-9497
Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery,
Philadelphia
Bureau of Labor Law Compliance
Pittsburgh District Office
301 5th Avenue
Suite 330
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Phone: 412-565-5300
or 1-877-504-8354
Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Erie,
Greene, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango,
Washington
Bureau of Labor Law Compliance
Scranton District Office
201-B State Office Bldg.
100 Lackawanna Avenue
Scranton, PA 18503
Phone: 570-963-4577
or 1-877-214-3962
Berks, Bradford, Carbon, Lackawanna,
Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Monroe,
Northampton, Pike, Schuylkill, Sullivan,
Susquehanna, Tioga, Wayne, Wyoming
Revised December 2020 Appendix 62
Critical Issues in Career and Technical Education Cooperative
Education
What programs require a certified program coordinator?
All Pennsylvania Department of Education approved career and technical education
programs, which include cooperative education as an integral part of the curriculum, require
cooperative education professional certification.
For further clarification of certification, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Education,
Bureau of Teacher Certification and Preparation at (717) 783-6730. See specifically,
Cooperative Education Certification and Assignment Scope: CSPG #37.
Do supervisors have to be certified?
Yes, if they are engaged in public school supervision. However, the term supervisor may be
misleading. If, in this case, the job description requires the instruction and on-the-job
supervision of cooperative education students, the required area of certification is that of
Cooperative Education Teacher-Coordinator and not Supervisor.
Is there a student and cooperative education teacher-coordinator ratio
regulated by the state? Is there a maximum number of students?
No. The state does not regulate a ratio. Rather, it assumes the local school district
administrators will use good judgment in the number of students assigned to a Cooperative
Education teacher-coordinator because of the amount of time required to instruct, place and
complete regular on-site follow-up visits to improve students’ performance on the job. Refer
to “Time Needed to Deliver a Cooperative Education Program” in section one of this
document.
What are the legal ramifications per the Pennsylvania Department of
Labor and Industry for putting students into unpaid worksite
experiences, such as job shadowing, internships, volunteering, etc.?
The legal ramifications for unpaid learning experiences per Labor and Industry regulations
fall under the Fair Labor Standards Act (Wages-Hour Law) and Child Labor Law. It is
imperative that you apply the six criteria for trainees or students who are not considered
employees. Refer to “Employment Relationships” found in Section Two of these guidelines.
It would be advisable to have the school solicitor assist in the preparation of a
comprehensive school policy regarding potential liability in case of an accident or injury to a
student
participating in an unpaid worksite experience.
Should there be minimal safety training before a placement?
Yes, proper student instruction in safety and accident prevention is a shared responsibility of
the cooperative education teacher-coordinator and career and technical education teacher
and must be provided prior to, as well as during, the student’s on-the-job experience.
Safety instruction should include the area(s) of the Pennsylvania Worker and Community
Right to Know Act, the Worker’s Compensation Act and any specific job-related safety
Revised December 2020 Appendix 63
practices, including “all aspects of the industry.”
Student learners should receive related classroom instruction in the Pennsylvania Worker
and Community Right to Know Act, the Workers’ Compensation Act, as well as specific job
safety to include all aspects of the industry. For more information, refer to section two of this
document.
Particular attention should be given to prohibited occupations for minors and the basis for
which exemptions are granted (see Section Two). The terms student learner, apprentice and
laboratory student aide are key to determining eligibility for an exemption. Note: Students
must be enrolled in, or have graduated from, an approved career and technical education
curriculum that prepares them for employment in the specific occupation.
Who is liable for job shadowing and internships?
The local school district/career and technical school, professionally involved school
personnel (such as teachers, counselors, administrators and the cooperative education
teacher-coordinator), parent/guardian, student and training site all share in this
responsibility. The primary area of concern usually arises from tort liability and negligence.
Thus, it is important to establish local school board policy for all concerned parties.
Additional information is found in section two of this document.
Although there are no state professional certification requirements for the category of job
shadowing or internships, it is highly recommended that persons working with students in
these areas be professionally prepared. Also, any form of student job shadowing or
internship should be addressed and adopted as part of the school/career and technical
center strategic plan.
Is liability insurance needed for field and clinical experiences (not job
shadowing or nonpaid). What are the hourly requirements for
internships?
It is strongly advisable that school/career and technical centers carry liability insurance
wherever students will be dealing with the consumer. In most health clinical areas,
institutions usually require proof of liability insurance as part of the contract to allow students
into the facility for a hands-on experience. Insurance should cover the teacher and the
student in the clinical area. Most liability insurance documents will be kept at the CTC
or LEA business office.
Hourly requirements should be built on predetermined exit outcomes and learning
objectives. In some instances, regulations stipulate student time in clinical or field
experience. For example, the Certified Nurse Aide program has a clinical minimum of 37.5
hours.
Must child labor laws be followed?
State and federal child labor laws were designed to protect the student learner and the
employer. The employer and cooperative education teacher-coordinator must adhere to the
laws. Precautions must be taken when placing students in hazardous occupations.
Exemptions only apply when all six student-learner criteria are in place. Refer to the
Fair
Labor Standards Act for clarification:
Revised December 2020 Appendix 64
Can students legally work without pay?
Yes, but under strict conditions and criteria regarding the training that will take place. In this
question, the term “work” is a misnomer. The Fair Labor Standards Act is very specific in
terms of whether trainees or students are considered employees. If the student is
considered an “employee,” then the employer is obligated to provide wages. Refer to
“Employment Relationships” in section two of this document. The Cooperative Education
teacher-coordinator should carefully review the six criteria listed.
How are the Child Labor Laws addressing job shadowing and nonpaid
experiences?
Job shadowing and nonpaid experiences are addressed in the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Additional information is provided in the “Employment Relationships” document. Student-
learners are usually considered “employees” and should be paid wages. The Cooperative
Education coordinator should carefully review each of the six criteria described above when
placing a student in a job shadowing or nonpaid experience.
Under Child Labor Laws, what employment certificates must students
apply for prior to employment?
All minors must secure a work permit, prior to employment.
Can a 16-17-year old student learner on cooperative education work an
eight-hour day?
As defined in the Pennsylvania Child Labor Act the hours of employment for minors who are
16 years of age or older are as follows:
1. When school is in session, an individual who is 16 years of age or older shall be
limited as follows:
a. The minor may not be employed for more than 28 hours per week during a
regular school week.
b. The minor may not be employed for more than eight hours in a single day.
c. The minor may not be employed before 6 a.m. or after 12 midnight, except that
during a school vacation period a minor shall be permitted to be employed until 1
a.m.
2. During a school vacation, an individual who is 16 years of age or older shall be
limited as follows:
a. The minor may not be employed for more than ten hours in a single day.
b. The minor may not be employed for more than 48 hours in a single week
provided that any hours worked more than 44 in a single week shall be
voluntarily agreed to by the minor and further provided that the minor may reject
any request for employment in excess of 44 hours in a single week without
retaliation.”
How can special populations' students be accommodated and placed on
cooperative education? Who is responsible for making
accommodations?
Revised December 2020 Appendix 65
Which
cooperative
education
programs
require
an
Occupational
Advisory
Committee
(OAC)?
If a school is offering a Pennsylvania Department of Education approved career and
technical education program of study in which cooperative education is an integral part,
instruction and placement of students are to be done by a certified cooperative education
teacher-coordinator who can be a Special Education instructor holding cooperative
education certification. Responsibility is shared by all concerned parties: the school
district/career and technical school, professionally involved personnel (counselors, teachers,
administrators, and the cooperative education teacher-coordinator), parent/guardian,
student and the employer, as it is for all regular cooperative education students. See CSPG
#37 and CSPG #61 Pennsylvania Department of Education, Bureau of Teacher Preparation
and Certification.
Can students work during the summer if the cooperative education
teacher- coordinator is not employed?
Depending on their age and working conditions, students might be able to work but not
under the guise of cooperative education. Cooperative education provides the legal
connecting link between the school and the employer. Students must be continually
instructed and monitored on the job by the cooperative education teacher-coordinator to be
considered exempt from a prohibited occupation and to receive school credit for this
planned, off-campus educational experience. Otherwise, the student is on his/her own for
summer employment and subject to a whole new set of employment rules, especially if
under age 18. For further clarification, contact the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and
Industry, Bureau of Labor Standards.
Which cooperative education programs require an Occupational
Advisory Committee (OAC)?
Diversified Occupations or CIP code 32.0105 Job Seeking/Changing Skills requires an
OAC. This program is approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) and is
a requirement of Chapter 339. Capstone cooperative education is already aligned to an
approved program that the student learner is enrolled in at the high school or CTC. The
program instructor(s) will have the required OAC that must meet twice per school year.
Revised December 2020 Appendix 66
