(a) Participants in the Conservation Corps shall include the following:

1. (1) Enrollees shall be individuals who meet the minimum qualifications and are selected by a project sponsor to participate in a Conservation Corps project.
2. (2) Enrollee leaders shall be enrollees at least 18 years of age who serve in a leadership position.

3. (3) Crew supervisors shall generally be employees of the project sponsor who are the supervisors of crews of enrollees and are responsible for the daily worksite operations of Conservation Corps projects.

   (b) Eligibility requirements for enrollees.

   Enrollment in the program shall be limited to individuals who, at the time of enrollment, are:

4. (1) citizens or lawful permanent residents or legally admitted aliens; and
5. (2) unemployed; and
6. (3) for seasonal or year-round projects, not less than 16 nor more than 24 years of age; or
7. (4) for summer projects, not less than 14 nor more than 18 years of age; or

8. (5) for the residential program, not less than 18 nor more than 25 years of age.

   (c) Selection of enrollees.

   Recruitment and selection of the enrollees will be the responsibility of the project sponsors.

9. (1) Special efforts shall be made to recruit applicants who are economically, socially, physically or educationally disadvantaged as follows:

   1. (i) Economically disadvantaged are those individuals who meet the criteria for disadvantaged established by the Job Training Partnership Act or section 6451 of the Education Law, or those receiving services provided by the Department of Social Services such as cash welfare payments, food stamps and aid to families with dependent children.
   2. (ii) Socially disadvantaged are individuals including, but not limited to, those who have been classified as persons in need of supervision by the Family Court system, have been referred by the Juvenile or Criminal Court system or have been identified by local officers of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation as being socially disadvantaged.
   3. (iii) Physically disadvantaged are those individuals that have been identified as having special needs by local committees on the handicapped or public agencies that deal with employment advocacy for the disabled.
   4. (iv) Educationally disadvantaged are those individuals who have dropped out of school or are at risk of dropping out of school because of poor academic achievement or other factors and those with learning disabilities or in need of special education classes.

10. (2) For summer and seasonal projects, applicants for enrollee positions shall be chosen for interview as follows:

    1. (i) Every application shall be reviewed to determine whether the applicant meets the eligibility requirements provided in subdivision (b) of this section.
    2. (ii) The names of those applicants meeting the eligibility requirements will be listed in a random order based on selection by a computer or by hand-drawings.
    3. (iii) The project sponsor shall interview the candidates in the order they appear on the list until all enrollee positions are filled.

    4. (iv) Project sponsors may choose not to interview the candidates if there are more enrollee positions than candidates and all candidates are offered positions, or if the positions are offered to the candidates in the order their names appear on the random list.

       (d) Terms and conditions of enrollment.

11. (1) Enrollees will be paid at rates set by the office, but in no case at less than the minimum wage, except that incentive step increases up to twice the rate of the minimum wage may be paid for leadership and length of time in service.
12. (2) The length of an enrollee's employment shall be determined by the duration of the work project in which the enrollee is participating.
13. (3) The maximum accumulated length of service for which an enrollee may be enrolled, including the total duration of all projects in which the enrollee participates, shall not exceed 24 months.

14. (4) For year-round and residential projects, enrollees must serve in the corps for an initial probationary period of six weeks, but may continue upon the recommendation of the crew supervisor.

    (e) Use of volunteers.

15. (1) Project sponsors may use organized volunteer groups which have proper leadership and insurance in the conduct of Conservation Corps projects.
16. (2) Program funds may be expended to provided for services or costs incidental to the utilization of volunteers, including transportation, supplies, lodging, recruiting, training and supervision.
17. (3) Volunteers may not be used for hazardous duties or law enforcement work.