Ratio Relief

In 2025, the State of CT approved a law, effective October 1, 2025, allowing contractors in specific trades to apply for “ratio relief”. Under this program, the contractors can apply for approval to hire apprentices beyond the default hiring ratios, up to one properly registered apprentice per one properly credentialed licensee .

The law outlines the requirements for being approved, as well as identifies the Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) to review the applications for approval.

Questions: dcp.ratiorelief@ct.gov 

Requirements for Approval

Applicant must:

• have four* or more current licensees (combination of contractors and journeypersons) on the board for which the application is being sought. The boards (trades) covered are:
  • Electrical
  • Plumbing
  • Fire Protection
  • Heating, Piping, Cooling and Sheet Metal

* For up to 3 licensees, the default hiring ratio is already one-to-one;

• provide information on any disciplinary action/enforcement by DCP or Department of Labor (DOL) in the past 3 years;
• upload all notices of termination of an apprenticeship agreement that have been submitted to DOL during the past 3 years;
• attest to conditions of any previously approved ratio relief; and
• attest to following the hiring requirements:
  • will have a hiring ratio that will not exceed one apprentice to one journeyperson or contractor;
  • will hire at least one such apprentice who is enrolled in a qualified apprenticeship training program that is offered by a school in the Technical Education and Career System established under section 10-95, unless the APSP made a good faith effort to seek out an apprentice enrolled in such a program and such effort was unsuccessful; and
  • is suffering from an undue operational hardship due to the default allowable hiring ratio.

Board Policies for Approving more than 8 apprentices

The Electrical and Heating Examining Boards*, pursuant to provision PA Sec. 2 (a)(1), has established criteria for the purpose of determining whether good cause exists for the approval of ratio relief applications that meet any of the following:

1. The licensed contractor submitting the application employs a combination of more than eight (8) journeyperson and contractors;
2. The applicant has had enforcement action taken by the Labor Department pursuant to chapter 558 of the general statutes during the three-year period immediately preceding application; or
3. The applicant otherwise does not satisfy the criteria established in section 20-332b(b)(2).

In addition to the submission of a satisfactory application, good cause may be established through the following criteria, including, but not limited to:

1. Demonstration through sworn affidavit or evidence of an undue operational hardship caused by adherence to the applicable hiring ratio. Such undue operational hardship may include undue difficulty or expense, disruption to business operations, or other significant impact to business operations. Such sworn affidavit or evidence must provide justification for the number of requested apprentices.
2. For applicants with a history of enforcement action within the last three years by the Labor Department pursuant to Chapter 558 of the general statutes, the Board will review the following to establish whether good cause exists:
   1. The nature of the violation;
   2. The final determination by the Labor Department;
   3. The issuance of any discipline, fines, penalties, or restitution ordered;
   4. The status of the enforcement action.
3. For applicants with a history of enforcement action within the last three years by the Department of Consumer Protection, the Board will review the following to establish whether good cause exists:
   1. The nature of the violation;
   2. The final determination by the Department of Consumer Protection;
   3. The issuance of any discipline, fines, penalties, or restitution ordered;
   4. The status of the enforcement action.

* Plumbing and Fire Boards policies are pending.

Ratio Relief Application Process (beginning October 1, 2025)

1. If not already registered, the contractor registers with the DOL as an Apprenticeship Sponsor (APSP).
2. After logging into the eLicense system under their APSP credential, the APSP clicks on “License Maintenance”.
3. Click “Start” next to the listed APSP credential.
4. On the first screen, select “Ratio Relief”, and then proceed to answer the questions on the following pages.
5. After submitting the completed application, the APSP will receive a confirmation email.
6. Applications that request more than 8 total apprentices, or note disciplinary action, must be reviewed by the applicable board, and will be required to upload a completed list of current licensees and apprentices using this template. Otherwise, it will be reviewed by staff at DCP.
7. Once the application has been reviewed, the determination will be emailed to the APSP. NOTE: If the application will go before the board, the APSP will be notified so that they may attend the meeting to answer any questions.
8. If the application is approved, the APSP must enroll the additional apprentices with DOL.