OK,
When I first topped out in Broward county (completed my apprenticeship)I had to go take the Broward county journeymans exam in order to be legally qualified to work without the direct supervision of a journeyman electrician on site.
It was a legal requirement in Broward county Fl.
I got the license at the age of 24 and was then considered a qualified electrician in Broward county.
I was legally allowed to work thoughout the state with that county issued license.
The Ft. Laud inspectors were sticklers for the card and I was required to have it on me at all times when working with the tools.
When I moved to Michigan in '97, the laws were pretty much the same but shortly thereafter, the State took over the exam and the licenseing.
I just looked the law up when I started this thread and in Michigan, an electrician must hold a journeymans card in order to be legally eligable to work in this state.
The fines are as follows...
Not less than $1000.00 per day for each day the violation occurs except that the fine shall not exceed $5000.00 in total per violation.
A second or subsequent violation is punishable by a fine of not less than $2000.00 per day for each day the violation occurs except that the fine shall not exceed $10,000.00 in total per violation.
This is part of the Michigan Electrical Administrative Act # 217 of 1956.
The licensing requirements under this act are section 338.888c paragraphs 3&4.
The law states that an id card not larger than 3 1/2 by 2 inches which shows the class and year of licensure be issued to anyone licensed under this act and that anyone working under the provisions of this act be able to show an inspector, upon demand, this card and a picture ID within 24 hours of being asked or the contractor shall be held reponsible for the above fines.
What pisses me off is that the legislation is already on the books and yet I have only been asked to show my card once in this state since I moved here.
No one here seems to be protecting the trade from the guys who don't have the expertise or the time in to pass the test.
The Union electricians here don't need to carry a J.L. since they apprenticeship is a good training program here and the locals have lobbied for the right in the past but, the non-union guys are supposed to have this card and no one seems to give a damn.
It's hard to compete by the book against other contarctors who might be hiring their guys out from behind the Burger King counter when the authorities having jurisdiction aren't enforcing this law.
Sorry, I'm starting to rant and rave a little.
Your thoughts?
