General Provisions

34 C.F.R. Part ..., Subpart A
in effectEffective: 2024-07-01

34 C.F.R. § 397.1 Purpose.

(a) The purpose of this part is to set forth requirements the designated State units and State and local educational agencies must satisfy to ensure that individuals with disabilities, especially youth with disabilities, have a meaningful opportunity to prepare for, obtain, maintain, advance in, or regain competitive integrated employment, including supported or customized employment. (b) This part requires— (1) A designated State unit to provide youth with disabilities documentation demonstrating that they have completed certain requirements, as described in this part, prior to starting subminimum wage employment with entities (as defined in § 397.5(d)) holding special wage certificates under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 214(c)); (2) A designated State unit to provide, at certain prescribed intervals for the duration of such employment, career counseling and information and referral services, designed to promote opportunities for competitive integrated employment, to individuals with disabilities, regardless of age, who are known to be employed at subminimum wage; and (3) A designated State unit, in consultation with the State educational agency, to develop a process or utilize an existing process, to document completion of required activities under this part by a youth with a disability known to be seeking employment at subminimum wage. (c) This part authorizes a designated State unit, or a representative of a designated State unit, to review individual documentation required to be maintained by these entities under this part. (d) The provisions in this part work in concert with requirements in 34 CFR parts 300, 361, and 363, and do not alter any requirements under those parts.

34 C.F.R. § 397.2 What is the Department of Education's jurisdiction under this part?

(a) The Department of Education has jurisdiction under this part to implement guidelines for— (1) Documentation requirements imposed on designated State units and local educational agencies, including the documentation process that the designated State unit must develop in consultation with the State educational agency; (2) Requirements related to the services that designated State units must provide to individuals regardless of age who are employed at subminimum wage; and (3) Requirements under § 397.31. (b) Nothing in this part will be construed to grant to the Department of Education, or its grantees, jurisdiction over requirements set forth in the Fair Labor Standards Act, including those imposed on entities holding special wage certificates under section 14(c) of that Act, which is administered by the Department of Labor.

34 C.F.R. § 397.3 What rules of construction apply to this part?

Nothing in this part will be construed to— (a) Change the purpose of the Rehabilitation Act, which is to empower individuals with disabilities to maximize opportunities for achieving competitive integrated employment; (b) Promote subminimum wage employment as a vocational rehabilitation strategy or employment outcome, as defined in 34 CFR 361.5(c)(15); or (c) Be inconsistent with the provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act, as amended before or after July 22, 2014.

34 C.F.R. § 397.4 What regulations apply?

(a) The regulations in 34 CFR part 300 governing the definition of transition services, and the Individualized Education Program requirements related to the development of postsecondary goals and the transition services needed to assist the eligible child in reaching those goals (§§ 300.320(b), 300.321(b), 300.324(c), and 300.43). (b) The regulations in 34 CFR part 361 governing the vocational rehabilitation program, especially those regarding protection and use of personal information in 34 CFR 361.38; eligibility determinations in 34 CFR 361.42; individualized plans for employment in 34 CFR 361.45 and 34 CFR 361.46; provision of vocational rehabilitation services, including pre-employment transition services, transition services, and supported employment services in 34 CFR 361.48; ineligibility determinations in 34 CFR 361.43; informed choice in 34 CFR 361.52; and case closures in 34 CFR 361.56. (c) The regulations in 29 CFR part 525 governing the employment of individuals with disabilities at subminimum wage rates pursuant to a certificate issued by the Secretary of Labor. (d) The regulations in this part 397.

34 C.F.R. § 397.5 What definitions apply?

(a) The following terms have the meanings given to them in 34 CFR 361.5(c): (1) Act; (2) Competitive integrated employment; (3) Customized employment; (4) Designated State unit; (5) Extended services; (6) Individual with a disability; (7) Individual with a most significant disability; (8) Individual's representative; (9) Individualized plan for employment; (10) Pre-employment transition services; (11) Student with a disability; (12) Supported employment; (13) Vocational rehabilitation services; and (14) Youth with a disability. (b) The following terms have the meanings given to them in 34 CFR part 300: (1) Local educational agency (§ 300.28); (2) State educational agency (§ 300.41); and (3) Transition services (§ 300.43). (c) The following terms have the meanings given to them in 29 CFR 525.3 and section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)): (1) Federal minimum wage has the meaning given to that term in section 6(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 206(a)(1)); and (2) Special wage certificate means a certificate issued to an employer under section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 214(c)) and 29 CFR part 525 that authorizes payment of subminimum wages, wages less than the statutory minimum wage. (d) Entity means an employer, or a contractor or subcontractor of that employer, that holds a special wage certificate described in section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 U.S.C. 214(c)).

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