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 Wisconsin Statutes (Last Updated: January 10, 2017)
 Chapter 445. Funeral Directors

  Section 445.095. Apprenticeship, funeral directors.  

Latest version.
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    (1)  
    (a) A person desiring to become an apprentice as a funeral director shall apply on a form provided for the purpose and appear before the examining board, or any duly appointed representative of the examining board. The application shall state that the applicant is 18 years of age or older, holds a high school diploma or possesses equivalent education as defined by the examining board, does not have an arrest or conviction record, subject to ss. 111.321 , 111.322 and 111.335 , and has completed one academic year of instruction in a recognized college or university in a course of study approved by the examining board or has equivalent education. The application must be substantiated by the oath of the applicant and be accompanied by the fee specified in s. 440.05 (6) . When the examining board is satisfied as to the qualification of an applicant for apprenticeship, it shall issue a certificate of apprenticeship. When the apprentice enters the employment of a licensed funeral director, the apprentice shall immediately notify the examining board, giving the name and place of business of the funeral director whose service the apprentice has entered. If, at any time thereafter, the apprentice leaves the employ of the licensed funeral director whose service the apprentice has entered, the licensed funeral director shall give the apprentice an affidavit showing the length of time served as an apprentice with that employer, and the work done in detail, which affidavit shall be filed with the examining board and made a matter of record in that office. If the apprentice thereafter enters the employ of another licensed funeral director in this state, the applicant shall forthwith report such employment to the examining board.
    (b) All apprentices under this chapter shall be paid at least the minimum wage in effect in this state.
    (c) A certificate of apprenticeship issued under this section shall be renewable annually upon the payment on January 1 of each year of the renewal fee specified in s. 440.08 (2) (b) .
    (d) All apprentices registered under this section shall report at least semiannually to the examining board upon forms provided by the examining board. The reports shall contain the information required by the examining board. Failure to submit the required reports shall constitute justification for termination of the apprenticeship.
    (e) The semiannual report must show the number of hours served by the apprentice and the number of bodies the apprentice has assisted in embalming, or otherwise prepared for burial or disposition during such period, the number of funeral services at which the apprentice has assisted, and give such other information as may be required by the examining board. The data contained in the report shall be certified to as correct by the licensed funeral director under whom the apprentice has served during such period.
    (2)  
    (b) The term of a registered apprentice shall be recognized only when given employment in a funeral establishment under the personal supervision of a licensed funeral director.
    (c) Only one funeral director apprenticeship shall be recognized by the examining board at any one funeral establishment in a current year that has had less than 150 funeral services or prepared less than 150 bodies for burial or shipment during the preceding year.
    (d) The examining board may recognize a 2nd funeral director apprenticeship at a funeral establishment during the current year that has had 150 funerals or more and has prepared 150 bodies or more for burial or shipment during the preceding year, provided that full-time employment is given to at least 2 licensed funeral directors at such funeral establishment.
    (3)  All apprentices shall be governed by subch. I of ch. 106 and apprenticeship rules of the department of workforce development.
    (4)  Before such apprentice shall be eligible to receive a license to practice funeral directing, the apprentice shall present, in connection with the other evidence required by this chapter, affidavits from the several licensed funeral directors under whom the apprentice has worked, showing that the apprentice has assisted in embalming for burial or shipment at least 25 bodies, has assisted in preparing 25 dead human bodies for burial or transportation, other than by embalming, and has assisted in at least 25 funeral services during the apprenticeship. This work must all have been done within 4 years from the date of registering as an apprentice, but such time may be extended by the examining board for good cause shown, not to exceed one additional year. The provisions of this section shall be suspended for such period as a registered apprentice may be an active member of the military or naval forces of the United States.