The employment certificate required to be issued shall state the name, sex, date of birth, and place of residence of the child. It shall certify that all the conditions and requirements for issuing an employment certificate under the provisions of this chapter have been fulfilled and shall be signed by the Commissioner. It shall state the kind of evidence of age accepted for the employment certificate. Except for work coming within one of the exceptions in § 40.1-79.01, the certificate shall show the name and address of the employer for whom and the nature of the specific occupation in which the employment certificate authorizes the child to be employed and shall be valid only for the occupation so designated. It shall bear a number, shall show the date of its issue, and shall be signed by the child for whom it is issued by means specified by the Commissioner. The employment certificate shall be issued to the employer, by means specified by the Commissioner, on or prior to the first day of employment. The employer and Commissioner shall retain a manual or electronic copy of the certificate, so long as the youth is employed or for a period of 36 months, whichever is longer.