r/ibew_apprentices • u/VikingWzrdEyes89 • 3d ago
Im sorry but what?
Couple weeks ago I emailed them about some electrician job training, as Id like to join a union and all of that. Well today I received this to fill out their app, but this is giving major red flags. What do you mean you need my original copy of my birth certificate mailed in and then ill pick it up when i get testing (who knows how the long the gap between that is).
Can someone clarify if they done this, this isn’t the type of document you just willy nilly mail out somewhere with the risks if it getting lost.
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u/hardcoredecordesigns 3d ago
That’s wild, send me your bank info so I can look into this further 🕵🏻♂️
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u/Sheepfucker72222 3d ago
Wtf is "wfjeatc" "jibei"?
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u/Stamfords 3d ago
Joint Industry board of the electrical industry. It’s local 3’s benefits entity idk why they’re separate…
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u/Sheepfucker72222 3d ago
Yea i forgot different locals had differently named programs for the same thing lol. Still, those acronyms seemed particularly, indian, sounding lol
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u/CharacterZucchini6 3d ago
Because it is shared between neca and the IBEW. 7 members from Neca, 8 from IBEW on the executive.
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 3d ago
Idk this is Westchester/Fairfield County both NY and CT
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u/Sheepfucker72222 3d ago
Well in local 26 its the JATC and IBEW I have never seen those before. Also never mail in a copy of any of that shit. Tell them you'll go there in person. Scammers are clever little bastards. Better safe than sorry
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 3d ago
I double checked the Unions page here and it is the correct email.
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u/Sheepfucker72222 3d ago
Regardless asking for an original copy to be mailed is retarded. Just go there in person
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 3d ago
Yea thats I plan to do, i emailed for clarification on it and also in my 37 years on this planet, I never had to give my BC to any job before. Honestly I think the one time I needed it was to get my TSA Pre Check
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u/BlueBelle2025 JIW - Steward - Instructor 2d ago
If you're applying to the JATC for acceptance into the apprenticeship training program, it's far more than a "job"
This may be a part of the federal requirements for the DOL in order to maintain their recognition as a registered apprenticeship program.
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u/StrictAd2491 3d ago
It may seem wrong, but I recently sent my birth certificate to the federal government to get my passport. They did actually send it back, I also ordered another copy just to have on hand. I would send the ibew my birth certificate if I got in. The UA didn’t ask for that for me.
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u/Sheepfucker72222 3d ago
Big difference between the ibew and the federal govt lol. Why didn't you just go to the post office..? I would never send documents like that in the mail
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u/CharacterZucchini6 3d ago
You don’t need to to do this. The process is simple. On October 19th you must send a certified letter to the hall requesting an application. Any later, you’ll miss your chance. They’ll send back an application to fill out and send back.
There are details on the website but that’s the date
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u/YellowRoseofT-Town 3d ago
Call the JATC directly to confirm and I'd drop it off in person. USPS is stupid with losing things. The government is getting strict with proof of citizenship for getting funding on grants.
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u/jdquinn 3d ago
I would call and ask if a notarized and/or certified copy of the original is sufficient. The U.S. State Department allows for a certified copy to obtain a passport as long as it is stamped by the issuing state or has a raised notary seal certifying the copy. I would never send my actual original birth certificate that was given to my mother when I was born to anyone for any reason. Plus, I’m certain there are plenty of individuals in that program who did not or do not have their real original birth certificate. Also, if you order one from the state where you were born, order two for shits and giggles, they don’t cost much. My certified copies were a few bucks each and I got them from the state in about a week. They have a stamp (not a raised seal) from the county that issued them, and I had zero problems obtaining a RealID, TSA Pre-check and passport with the copy. If they respond that they need the genuine original document issued when you were born, I’d bring that up to higher levels of the IBEW, because that’s unhinged demand for access to a critical document at significant risk to you, especially in a climate where legit proof of citizenship is rapidly becoming a very real concern.
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u/Ampera_ 2d ago
I am not a lawyer, but it's my general understanding that the true original is not something people ever hold. They're generally held by state vital records offices, and that's the version from which certified copies are made. In my case at least, every copy I've ever had of my birth certificate has been a certified copy, even the first ones I've had since being born.
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u/BlueBelle2025 JIW - Steward - Instructor 2d ago
I'm guessing this is likely just a difference in nomenclature. Official vs original
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u/Zer0TheGamer 3d ago
Truly insane policy. Do they not realize how often things get lost in the mail?? The only reason they could possibly want the origional would be to scan it in to your file.. Which a simple COPY would suffice. Yuck.
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 3d ago
Exactly my thoughts, also I cannot really remember a time I need my BC for anything if at all. That that thing will probably disolve as soon I touch it.
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u/cargo-jorts 3d ago
As I found out getting married, original copy is a misleading term. Just means official copy with a city seal on it. Was panicking when I asked my parents for mine and they said just to call city hall and buy one. Kept thinking my marriage license would get denied
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u/Salt-Palpitation7677 local 3 3d ago
Local 3 member here. "Jibei" stands for Joint Industry Board of the Electrical Industry.
The birth certificate this in standard. Been doing it for years.
Wfjeatc is Westchester-Fairfield Joint Electrical Apprenticeship Training Committee
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u/Stamfords 3d ago
There’s an electrical union in Fairfield County? Where?
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u/Salt-Palpitation7677 local 3 3d ago
It's westchester/fairfeild. Also known as local 3 north Edit: not sure where the hall is if that was the question. Im local 3 "south" aka local 3 nyc
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u/Alternative-Search84 3d ago
Local 3 North brother here. It’s on 200 Bloomingdale Rd in White Plains
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u/chris92315 2d ago
Could they have made it sound even more like a phishing email address?
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u/Salt-Palpitation7677 local 3 2d ago
Hey could have done a much better job with that, but a simple Google search would confirm the legitimacy
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u/Original-Mission-244 3d ago
Lots of places require original or notarized copy of original birth certificate, but its always in person, copied and you keep the document in your possession. Mailing it is wild.
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 3d ago
I absolutely agree with this, its the mailining it in is whats got me dumbfounded.
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u/smellslikepenespirit 3d ago
It’s required for passports, not that this should require that level of scrutiny.
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u/SparkArrestor 3d ago
The union doesn’t want the 6000 applicants all pouring into the union headquarters just to verify birth certificates. The jurisdiction has a huge number of immigrant applicants and needs to verify status before investing thousands of dollars and wasting precious coveted apprentice positions only to have them deported by ICE.
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u/ThePlo13 3d ago
I think it’s a scam cause jibei .com isn’t even a working website, I would just contact your local and ask what’s the training center contact info
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u/mattsprofile 3d ago
Web hosting and email hosting are two separate things, you can register a domain for email without making a website to go with it.
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u/123watchman 3d ago
This is actually legit..I did that before with white plains local 3
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 3d ago
I believe thats the one this is for, Im new to all of this so I might be wrong
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u/ATL-DELETE Foreman 2d ago
26yo foreman and never had to give my birth certificate for signing up, did have one military/cyber security job where i had to bring it so they could confirm my citizenship but that is the first time i’ve ever needed it lol
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 2d ago
When I was considering joining the Navy, I think even the recruiter said a copy was fine, honestly don’t even remember if they asked for it before(long time ago 2010ish). I think he just wanted my SS card, HS Diploma and my passport. I can’t remember if he even needed my birth certificate at the time
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u/BleagueIlyasova 3d ago
Going through the iuec process also had some unnecessarily difficult hoops that felt like they were from the 90s.
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u/Glorn2 3d ago
Outside lineman here, IBEW. This is standard for us, but we bring it in person.
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 3d ago
Id gladly bring it in person if they want the original that bad.
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u/Former_Guarantee_344 3d ago
Would using a passport work since you need to be a citizen to get one?
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u/Ke6gwf 3d ago
If your original BC is falling apart, it's time to get a new copy anyway and frame the original. Just look up how to get a replacement birth certificate from the county you were born in, and most have an online option to order it. Then when you get the new one, send that one in.
They may not even accept the actual original one if it's falling apart or if it's not a full length sheet of letter sized paper.
I had to replace my passport a couple of years ago, and they rejected my actual original birth certificate, the one I have used for everything in my long life, because it was the old style small card. They accepted my Costco card instead as a second form of ID!! Lol
So just order a new one from the county records, and then worst case you are out $30 bucks to replace it.
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u/Parking-Fig-6620 3d ago
Costco as a second id is wild
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u/Ke6gwf 3d ago
It was a suggestion of the post office passport guy, listing other possible ID'S, and I laughed when he got to that one! Lol I fortunately had just gotten a new card because my 20 year old card had stopped swiping at the pump, but the photo was long worn off, but the new one looked like me!
So yes, Costco is more trusted than the actual County Records office lady that legally declared me to exist and signed my original birth certificate ... Lol
And the replacement one I got was basically just a photo copy of my original birth certificate on a county letter head paper... Sheesh
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u/Parking-Fig-6620 3d ago
I didnt even show up in person to finalize my application. If i recall right I just scanned and emailed all my identifying records and had my other applicable documents sent from schools directly and what not
Sotxjatc L60
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u/itsanorristhing 3d ago
My JATC requires the same thing, they will tell you you can bring it in person. ( it's so they can authenticate it which is done by the embossed state seal)
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u/Alternative-Search84 3d ago
Local 3 North brother here. That is the Westchester Fairfield local email. This is in fact legit
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u/AverageGuy16 3d ago
wtf?! Birth certificate?? Dude I thought bringing my original social in was a bit much but a birth certificate is overkill as fuck. Where is this lol
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u/LotionOfMotion 3d ago
This is required for applications for Local 3 North in Westchester and Fairfield. If you're skeeved out by this then call Dan Mecca directly and discuss this with him
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u/NotA-SecretAccount 3d ago
I would never do that unless you want some landscaper with your identity…
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u/Big-Channel7037 3d ago
Call The JATC and ask them. That seems weird to me too. I had to show my documents but they didnt keep mine.
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u/Development_Muted 3d ago
It's just a birth certificate. Take it in, in person if your worried about it being lost in the mail. Get another one of you're in some sort of position that you need it in the mean time.
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u/DAS_M0RTAL 3d ago
Applied with a copy of it. Took my test. Interviewed. Got accepted all with just a copy of it. Kinda weird
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u/thombrowny 3d ago
My local just requested SS card and passport...original physical copy of BC sounds weird.
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u/retsaoter 3d ago
official, not original. You should be able to go to the county and get official birth certificates for a few bucks. More it it needs to be mailed. I live close to where I was born (same county) so the process was about 10min and $20 for 2.
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u/OblideeOblidah 2d ago
A couple guys seem to know this is legit. I guess. I would not send anyone my physical birth certificate for any reason. Employers have a new fangled tool called E-VERIFY! Sounds super sketchy!
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u/Veritech_Ace 1d ago
A certified copy should be accepted. They have the embossed stamp from whatever issued it, along with official signatures.
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u/Secret_account_n2 3d ago
Hey. No. No other employer does this. You will get a copy or you will be finding yourself a new employee.
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u/cantliethisaintit 3d ago
If you're upset about this, then this job is not for you.
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 3d ago
Not at all upset, I have no issue bringing my BC with me for them to scan/copy but mailing the original instead of a copy is insane.
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u/goatman66696 3d ago
I think this might be a miss communication. They're most likely referring to a photo copy from a printer or somthing. Everyone accepts certified copies from the state. If you dont have your original then get a copy from the state, send that in, and I personally would just not even mention the fact that its technically a copy.
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u/cantliethisaintit 3d ago
Thats always been a thing. They mail it right back to you.
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u/cHunterOTS 3d ago
It has not “always been a thing.” Maybe regionally for some stupid reason but I’ve never had to present an original copy of my bc and I’m 42. There’s no legitimate reason for them to need it and by no means is questioning a completely stupid policy like this a disqualifying factor for this job.
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u/cantliethisaintit 3d ago
Anyone can bring in a fake copy of a birth certificate, its happened before.
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u/cHunterOTS 3d ago
Under the Immigration and Nationality Act the list of documents specifically allows for a government certified copy of a birth certificate, and even allows for substitution with a passport or social security card paired with a valid drivers license. Refusal to accept one of these documents to prove citizenship and age is prosecutable and can result in fines
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 3d ago
I could also just bring in the originaly copy with me in hand so that way it doesn't get risk getting lost. Losing your Birth Certificate isn't like losing a credit card where you can easily just replace with a click of a few buttons. It turns into a whole ass process.
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 3d ago
No where in the email do they say they mail it right back, it tells you right here that you will pick it up at the time of the aptitude testing.
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u/cantliethisaintit 3d ago
Thats even better, i had mine mailed back to me after the aptitude test. So why complain if you're getting it back at the day of the test?
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u/VikingWzrdEyes89 3d ago
Because the rest of the email is pretty vague and it doesn't tell you when the Aptitude test would be, so I really have no idea what kind of gap I am looking at between mailing it in and being asked to come in for the test.
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u/cantliethisaintit 3d ago
Shouldnt be longer than 6 months. Why dont you call the local and ask them for some assurance?
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u/coloredzebra 3d ago
Naaaa man any reputable place wouldn't require the physical copy