(1) The department may audit the employment records of the electrical contractor or employer to verify the employment status of trainees, assigned administrators, or assigned master electricians.

(2) Every employer or contractor must keep a record of trainee, assigned administrator/master electrician employment so the department may obtain the information it needs to verify electrical trainee, assigned administrator, or assigned master electrician status and trainee work experience. Upon the request of the department's auditors or agents, these records must be made available to the department for inspection within seven business days.

(3) Any information obtained from the contractor or employer during the audit is confidential and is not open to public inspection under chapter 42.17 RCW.

(4) The time period covered by a trainee audit will not exceed five years prior to the period included in the last affidavit verifying trainee hours is submitted.

(5) An employer or contractor must maintain payroll records, time cards, or similar records to verify:

(a) The number of hours the trainee worked as a supervised trainee;

(b) The type of electrical work the trainee performed; and

(c) Who provided the trainee's supervision.

(6) The department's audit may include, but will not be limited to, the following:

(a) An audit to determine whether the trainee was employed by the contractor or employer during the period for which the hours were submitted, the actual number of hours the trainee worked, the category of electrical work performed, and who provided the trainee's supervision; and

(b) An audit covering a specific time period and examining a contractor's or employer's books and records which may include their reporting of the trainee's payroll hours required for industrial insurance, employment security or prevailing wage purposes.

(7) The time period covered by an administrator/master electrician audit will not exceed five years prior to the beginning of the audit.

(8) Every employer or contractor must maintain pay records, time cards, or similar records to verify the work relationship and status of the assigned administrator or master electrician so the department may obtain the information it needs to verify the contractor-administrator/master electrician relationship. Upon the request of the department's auditors or agents, these records must be made available to the department for inspection within seven business days.

(9) The department's audit may include, but will not be limited to, the following:

(a) An audit to determine whether the assigned administrator or assigned master electrician was employed by the contractor or employer during the period assigned which may include their reporting of the assigned administrator's/master electrician's payroll hours required for employment security, prevailing wage, worker's compensation, etc.; and

(b) An audit to determine the full-time supervisory status of the assigned administrator/master electrician.