No fee or compensation shall be charged or received directly or indirectly from persons applying for employment or help through said free employment offices, and any officer or employee of the Department of Employment Security who shall accept, directly or indirectly any fee or compensation from any applicant or from his or her representative shall be guilty of a Class C misdemeanor, except that this Section does not prohibit referral of an individual to an apprenticeship program that is approved by and registered with the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training and charges an application fee of $50 or less. This Section does not prohibit the Department from attending or promoting hiring events hosted by someone other than the Department, at which an admission fee is charged, if neither the Department nor employees of the Department receive any portion of the fee in connection with the event.