2020 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 445. Funeral directors.
445.095 Apprenticeship, funeral directors.

445.095 Apprenticeship, funeral directors.

(1)

(a)

1. A person desiring to become an apprentice as a funeral director and who satisfies all of the following shall apply on a form provided for the purpose and appear before the examining board or any duly appointed representative of the examining board:

a. The applicant is 18 years of age or older.

b. The applicant holds a high school diploma or possesses equivalent education as defined by the examining board.

c. The applicant does not have an arrest or conviction record, subject to ss. 111.321, 111.322, and 111.335.

d. The applicant has completed a 16-hour certification class approved by the examining board or has satisfied the requirement under s. 445.045 (1) (e).

e. The applicant pays the fee specified in s. 440.05 (6).

2. The application under subd. 1. must be substantiated by the oath of the applicant.

3. When the examining board is satisfied that an applicant for apprenticeship satisfies the requirements for granting a certificate of apprenticeship, it shall grant the applicant a certificate of apprenticeship.

(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).

(2)

(a)

1. Except as provided in subd. 2., the examining board may recognize only one funeral director apprenticeship at a funeral establishment in a given year for each funeral director that is employed full time at the funeral establishment.

2. The examining board may recognize up to 2 funeral director apprenticeships at any funeral establishment at which less than 3 funeral directors are employed full time in a given year.

(b) The term of a registered apprentice shall be recognized only when the apprentice is employed in a funeral establishment under the personal supervision of a licensed funeral director. For purposes of this paragraph, supervision, when the apprentice is in the preparation room, requires that the apprentice is within the funeral director's line of sight.

(2m) All apprentices under this chapter shall be paid at least the minimum wage in effect in this state.

(3) All apprentices shall be governed by subch. I of ch. 106 and apprenticeship rules of the department of workforce development.

(3g) All apprentices registered under this section shall report at least semiannually to the examining board upon forms provided by the department. Failure to submit the required reports shall constitute grounds for termination of the apprenticeship. The semiannual report shall show the number of hours served by the apprentice, the number of bodies the apprentice has assisted in embalming or otherwise prepared for burial or disposition during such period, and the number of funeral services at which the apprentice has assisted, and give any other information 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 that period.

(3r) When an 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 employment 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 employment of another licensed funeral director in this state, the applicant shall forthwith report such employment to the examining board. No person may serve or attempt to serve as an apprentice under a funeral director until the person has notified the examining board as required under this subsection.

(4) Before an apprentice is eligible to receive a funeral director's license, 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, during the term of his or her apprenticeship, 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.

History: 1971 c. 164, 228; 1975 c. 39 s. 732 (2); 1975 c. 199; 1977 c. 29; 1979 c. 175 ss. 29, 53; 1979 c. 221 ss. 662, 2202 (45); Stats. 1979 s. 445.095; 1981 c. 20, 162, 380; 1981 c. 391 s. 211; 1983 a. 485; 1991 a. 39; 1995 a. 27 s. 9130 (4); 1997 a. 3; 2005 a. 266; 2009 a. 291; 2017 a. 304; 2019 a. 137.