Amendment SSA1-AB68

AB68-SSA1,865,15 108.04 (8) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), if If an employee fails, without good cause, to accept suitable work when offered, the employee is ineligible to receive benefits until the employee earns wages after the week in which the failure occurs equal to at least 6 times the employee's weekly benefit rate under s. 108.05 (1) in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government. For purposes of requalification, the employee's weekly benefit rate shall be that rate which would have been paid had the failure not occurred. This paragraph does not preclude an employee from establishing a benefit year during a period in which the employee is ineligible to receive benefits under this paragraph if the employee qualifies to establish a benefit year under s. 108.06 (2) (a). Except as provided in par. (b), the The department shall charge to the fund's balancing account any benefits otherwise chargeable to the account of an employer that is subject to the contribution requirements under ss. 108.17 and 108.18 whenever an employee of that employer fails, without good cause, to accept suitable work offered by that employer.

AB68-SSA1,1793 Section 1793. 108.04 (8) (b) of the statutes is repealed.

AB68-SSA1,1794 Section 1794. 108.04 (8) (d) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,865,20 108.04 (8) (d) (intro.) With respect to the first 6 10 weeks after the employee became unemployed, “suitable work," for purposes of par. (a), means work to which all of the following apply:

AB68-SSA1,1795 Section 1795. 108.04 (8) (dm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,866,2 108.04 (8) (dm) With respect to the 7th 11th week after the employee became unemployed and any week thereafter, “suitable work," for purposes of par. (a), means any work that the employee is capable of performing, regardless of whether the employee has any relevant experience or training, that pays wages that are above the lowest quartile of wages for similar work in the labor market area in which the work is located, as determined by the department.

AB68-SSA1,1796 Section 1796 . 108.04 (11) (bm) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,866,12 108.04 (11) (bm) The department shall apply any ineligibility under par. (be) against benefits and weeks of eligibility for which the claimant would otherwise be eligible after the week of concealment and within 6 years after the date of an initial determination issued under s. 108.09 finding that a concealment occurred. The claimant shall not receive waiting period credit under s. 108.04 (3) for the period of ineligibility applied under par. (be). If no benefit rate applies to the week for which the claim is made, the department shall use the claimant's benefit rate for the claimant's next benefit year beginning after the week of concealment to determine the amount of the benefit reduction.

AB68-SSA1,1797 Section 1797. 108.04 (12) (f) 1m. and 2m. of the statutes are renumbered 108.05 (7m) (a) and (b) and amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,866,17 108.05 (7m) (a) The intent of the legislature in enacting this paragraph subsection is to prevent the payment of duplicative government benefits for the replacement of lost earnings or income, regardless of an individual's ability to work.

AB68-SSA1,866,20 (b) In this paragraph subsection, “ social security disability insurance payment" means a payment of social security disability insurance benefits under 42 USC ch. 7 subch. II.

AB68-SSA1,1798 Section 1798. 108.04 (12) (f) 3. of the statutes is repealed.

AB68-SSA1,1799 Section 1799. 108.04 (12) (f) 4. of the statutes is renumbered 108.05 (7m) (e).

AB68-SSA1,1800 Section 1800. 108.05 (1) (am) of the statutes is created to read:

AB68-SSA1,867,3 108.05 (1) (am) On or before June 30 of each year, the department shall calculate, from quarterly wage reports under s. 108.205 for the prior calendar year, the state's annual average weekly wage in employment covered under this chapter.

AB68-SSA1,1801 Section 1801. 108.05 (1) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB68-SSA1,867,6 108.05 (1) (cm) The department shall set the maximum weekly benefit amount as follows:

AB68-SSA1,867,8 1. For benefits paid for a week of total unemployment that commences on or after January 5, 2014, but before January 2, 2022, $370.

AB68-SSA1,867,10 2. For benefits paid for a week of total unemployment that commences on or after January 2, 2022, but before January 1, 2023, $409.

AB68-SSA1,867,13 3. For benefits paid for a week of total unemployment that commences on or after January 1, 2023, but before January 7, 2024, $409 or 50 percent of the state's annual average weekly wage, rounded up to the nearest dollar, whichever is greater.

AB68-SSA1,867,17 4. For benefits paid for a week of total unemployment that commences on or after January 7, 2024, the department shall set an annual maximum weekly benefit amount that takes effect on the 1st Sunday in January of each calendar year and that is equal to the greater of the following:

AB68-SSA1,867,19 a. Seventy-five percent of the state's annual average weekly wage, rounded up to the nearest dollar.

AB68-SSA1,867,20 b. The maximum benefit amount in effect in the previous calendar year.

AB68-SSA1,1802 Section 1802. 108.05 (1) (r) of the statutes is renumbered 108.05 (1) (r) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,868,5 108.05 (1) (r) (intro.) Except as provided in s. 108.062 (6) (a), each eligible employee shall be paid benefits for each week of total unemployment that commences on or after January 5, 2014, at the a weekly benefit rate specified in this paragraph. Unless sub. (1m) applies, the weekly benefit rate shall equal to 4 percent of the employee's base period wages that were paid during that quarter of the employee's base period in which the employee was paid the highest total wages, rounded down to the nearest whole dollar, except that, if that amount as provided under sub. (1m), and unless one of the following applies:

AB68-SSA1,868,7 1. If the employee's weekly benefit rate calculated under this paragraph is less than $54, no benefits are payable to the employee and, if that amount.

AB68-SSA1,868,10 2. If the employee's weekly benefit rate is more than $370 the maximum weekly benefit amount under par. (cm), the employee's weekly benefit rate shall be $370 and except that, if the maximum weekly benefit amount under par. (cm).

AB68-SSA1,868,13 3. If the employee's benefits are exhausted during any week under s. 108.06 (1), the employee shall be paid the remaining amount of benefits payable to the employee under s. 108.06 (1).

AB68-SSA1,868,16 (s) The department shall publish on its Internet site a weekly benefit rate schedule of quarterly wages and the corresponding weekly benefit rates as calculated in accordance with this paragraph subsection.

AB68-SSA1,1803 Section 1803. 108.05 (3) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,869,7 108.05 (3) (a) Except as provided in pars. (c) , and (d) and (dm) and s. 108.062, if an eligible employee earns wages in a given week, the first $30 of the wages shall be disregarded and the employee's applicable weekly benefit payment shall be reduced by 67 percent of the remaining amount, except that no such employee is eligible for benefits if the employee's benefit payment would be less than $5 for any week. For purposes of this paragraph, “wages" includes any salary reduction amounts earned that are not wages and that are deducted from the salary of a claimant by an employer pursuant to a salary reduction agreement under a cafeteria plan, within the meaning of 26 USC 125, and any amount that a claimant would have earned in available work under s. 108.04 (1) (a) which is treated as wages under s. 108.04 (1) (bm), but excludes any amount that a claimant earns for services performed as a volunteer fire fighter, volunteer emergency medical services practitioner, or volunteer emergency medical responder. In applying this paragraph, the department shall disregard discrepancies of less than $2 between wages reported by employees and employers.

AB68-SSA1,1804 Section 1804. 108.05 (3) (dm) of the statutes is repealed.

AB68-SSA1,1805 Section 1805. 108.05 (7m) (title), (c) and (d) of the statutes are created to read:

AB68-SSA1,869,10 108.05 (7m) (title) Social security disability insurance payments.

AB68-SSA1,869,15 (c) If a monthly social security disability insurance payment is issued to a claimant, the department shall reduce benefits otherwise payable to the claimant for a given week in accordance with par. (d). This subsection does not apply to a lump sum social security disability insurance payment in the nature of a retroactive payment or back pay.

AB68-SSA1,869,18 (d) The department shall allocate a monthly social security disability insurance payment by allocating to each week the fraction of the payment attributable to that week.

AB68-SSA1,1806 Section 1806. 108.05 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,869,23 108.05 (9) Rounding of benefit amounts. Notwithstanding sub. (1), benefits payable for a week of unemployment as a result of applying sub. (1m), (3) or, (7), or (7m) or s. 108.04 (11) or (12), 108.06 (1), 108.13 (4) or (5) or 108.135 shall be rounded down to the next lowest dollar.

AB68-SSA1,1807 Section 1807. 108.05 (10) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,870,4 108.05 (10) Deductions from benefit payments. (intro.) After calculating the benefit payment due to be paid for a week under subs. (1) to (7) (7m), the department shall make deductions from that payment to the extent that the payment is sufficient to make the following payments in the following order:

AB68-SSA1,1808 Section 1808. 108.133 of the statutes is repealed.

AB68-SSA1,1809 Section 1809. 108.14 (2e) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,870,22 108.14 (2e) The department may shall provide a secure means of electronic interchange between itself and employing units, claimants, and other persons that, upon request to and with prior approval by the department, may shall be used for departmental transmission or receipt of any document specified by the department that is related to the administration of this chapter in lieu of any other means of submission or receipt specified in this chapter. The secure means of electronic interchange shall be used by employing units, claimants, and other persons unless a person demonstrates good cause for not being able to use the secure means of electronic interchange. The department shall determine by rule what constitutes good cause, for purposes of this subsection. Subject to s. 137.25 (2) and any rules promulgated thereunder, the department may permit the use of the use of electronic records and electronic signatures for any document specified by the department that is related to the administration of this chapter. If a due date is established by statute for the receipt of any document that is submitted electronically to the department under this subsection, then that submission is timely only if the document is submitted by midnight of the statutory due date.

AB68-SSA1,1810 Section 1810. 108.14 (8n) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,871,12 108.14 (8n) (e) The department shall charge this state's share of any benefits paid under this subsection to the account of each employer by which the employee claiming benefits was employed in the applicable base period, in proportion to the total amount of wages he or she earned from each employer in the base period, except that if s. 108.04 (1) (f), (5), (7) (a), (c), (cg), (e), (L), (q), (s), or (t), (7m), or (8) (a) or (b), or 108.07 (3), (3r), or (5) (am) 2., or 108.133 (3) (f) would have applied to employment by such an employer who is subject to the contribution requirements of ss. 108.17 and 108.18, the department shall charge the share of benefits based on employment with that employer to the fund's balancing account, or, if s. 108.04 (1) (f) or (5) or 108.07 (3) would have applied to an employer that is not subject to the contribution requirements of ss. 108.17 and 108.18, the department shall charge the share of benefits based on that employment in accordance with s. 108.07 (5) (am) 1. and 2. The department shall also charge the fund's balancing account with any other state's share of such benefits pending reimbursement by that state.

AB68-SSA1,1811 Section 1811 . 108.14 (26m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB68-SSA1,871,16 108.14 (26m) (a) The department shall allocate all available federal funding for the purpose specified in s. 108.19 (1e) (d) before allocating any general purpose revenue for that purpose.

AB68-SSA1,871,24 (b) If federal funding is received for the purpose specified in s. 108.19 (1e) (d) prior to July 1, 2023, the secretary of administration may, to the extent permitted under federal law, lapse from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (nc) to the general fund an amount not to exceed the amounts in the schedule under s. 20.445 (1) (ar) or the amount of federal funding received, whichever is less. This paragraph does not apply with respect to amounts received as administrative grants by the state under 42 USC 502 or to amounts received by this state under section 903 (d) of the federal Social Security Act, as amended, 42 USC 1103.

AB68-SSA1,1812 Section 1812. 108.141 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,872,8 108.141 (7) (a) The department shall charge the state's share of each week of extended benefits to each employer's account in proportion to the employer's share of the total wages of the employee receiving the benefits in the employee's base period, except that if the employer is subject to the contribution requirements of ss. 108.17 and 108.18 the department shall charge the share of extended benefits to which s. 108.04 (1) (f), (5), (7) (a), (c), (cg), (e), (L), (q), (s), or (t), (7m), or (8) (a) or (b), or 108.07 (3), (3r), or (5) (am) 2., or 108.133 (3) (f) applies to the fund's balancing account.

AB68-SSA1,1813 Section 1813 . 108.16 (6m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,872,13 108.16 (6m) (a) The benefits thus chargeable under s. 108.04 (1) (f), (5), (5g), (7) (h), (8) (a) or (b), (13) (c) or (d) or (16) (e), 108.07 (3), (3r), (5) (am) 2. and (bm) 3. a., (5m), and (6), 108.133 (3) (f), 108.14 (8n) (e), 108.141, 108.151, or 108.152 or sub. (6) (e) or (7) (a) and (b).

AB68-SSA1,1814 Section 1814 . 108.16 (6m) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 2021 Wisconsin Act .... (this act), is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,872,18 108.16 (6m) (a) The benefits thus chargeable under s. 108.04 (1) (f), (5), (5g), (7) (h), (8) (a), (13) (c) or (d) or (16) (e), 108.07 (3), (3r), (5) (am) 2. and (bm) 3. a., (5m), and (6), 108.14 (8n) (e), 108.141, 108.151, or 108.152 or sub. (6) (e) or (7) (a) and (b).

AB68-SSA1,1815 Section 1815. 108.17 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,873,5 108.17 (2) (b) The department may shall electronically provide a means whereby an employer that files its employment and wage reports electronically may determine the amount of contributions due for payment by the employer under s. 108.18 for each quarter. If an employer that is subject to a contribution requirement files its employment and wage reports under s. 108.205 (1) electronically, in the manner prescribed by the department for purposes of this paragraph, the department may require the employer to determine electronically the amount of contributions due for payment by the employer under s. 108.18 for each quarter. In such case, the employer is excused from filing contribution reports under par. (a). The employer shall pay the amount due for each quarter by the due date specified in par. (a).

AB68-SSA1,1816 Section 1816. 108.17 (2b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,873,19 108.17 (2b) The department shall prescribe a form and methodology for filing contribution reports under sub. (2) electronically. Each employer of 25 or more employees, as determined under s. 108.22 (1) (ae), that does not use an employer agent to file its contribution reports under this section shall file its contribution reports electronically in the manner and form prescribed by the department, unless the employer demonstrates good cause for not being able to file contribution reports electronically. The department shall determine by rule what constitutes good cause, for purposes of this subsection. Each employer that becomes subject to an electronic reporting requirement under this subsection shall file its initial report under this subsection for the quarter during which the employer becomes subject to the reporting requirement. Once an employer becomes subject to a reporting requirement under this subsection, it shall continue to file its reports under this subsection unless that requirement is waived by the department.

AB68-SSA1,1817 Section 1817. 108.17 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,874,5 108.17 (7) (a) Each employer whose net total contributions paid or payable under this section for any 12-month period ending on June 30 are at least $10,000 shall pay all contributions under this section by means of electronic funds transfer beginning with the next calendar year, unless the employer demonstrates good cause for not being able to pay contributions by electronic funds transfer. The department shall determine by rule what constitutes good cause, for purposes of this subsection. Once an employer becomes subject to an electronic payment requirement under this paragraph, the employer shall continue to make payment of all contributions by means of electronic funds transfer unless that requirement is waived by the department.

AB68-SSA1,1818 Section 1818. 108.19 (1s) (a) 5. of the statutes is repealed.

AB68-SSA1,1819 Section 1819. 108.205 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,874,19 108.205 (2) Each employer of 25 or more employees, as determined under s. 108.22 (1) (ae), that does not use an employer agent to file its reports under this section shall file the quarterly report under sub. (1) electronically in the manner and form prescribed by the department, unless the employer demonstrates good cause for not being able to file reports electronically. The department shall determine by rule what constitutes good cause, for purposes of this subsection. An employer that becomes subject to an electronic reporting requirement under this subsection shall file its initial report under this subsection for the quarter during which the employer becomes subject to the reporting requirement. Once an employer becomes subject to the reporting requirement under this subsection, the employer shall continue to file its quarterly reports under this subsection unless that requirement is waived by the department.

AB68-SSA1,1820 Section 1820 . 108.221 (1) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 108.221 (1) (a) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,875,2 108.221 (1) (a) (intro.) Any employer described in s. 108.18 (2) (c) or engaged in the painting or drywall finishing of buildings or other structures who knowingly and intentionally provides false information to the department for the purpose of misclassifying or attempting to misclassify an individual who is an employee of the employer as a nonemployee shall, for each incident, be assessed a penalty by the department as follows:

AB68-SSA1,875,5 1. For each act occurring before the date of the first determination of a violation of this subsection, the employer shall be assessed a penalty in the amount of $500 for each employee who is misclassified, but not to exceed $7,500 per incident.

AB68-SSA1,1821 Section 1821 . 108.221 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

AB68-SSA1,875,9 108.221 (1) (a) 2. For each act occurring after the date of the first determination of a violation of this subsection, the employer shall be assessed a penalty in the amount of $1,000 for each employee who is misclassified.

AB68-SSA1,1822 Section 1822 . 108.221 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 108.221 (2) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,875,15 108.221 (2) (intro.) Any employer described in s. 108.18 (2) (c) or engaged in the painting or drywall finishing of buildings or other structures who, through coercion, requires an individual to adopt the status of a nonemployee shall be assessed a penalty by the department as follows:

AB68-SSA1,875,18 (a) For each act occurring before the date of the first determination of a violation of this subsection, the employer shall be assessed a penalty in the amount of $1,000 for each individual so coerced, but not to exceed $10,000 per calendar year.

AB68-SSA1,1823 Section 1823 . 108.221 (2) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

AB68-SSA1,875,22 108.221 (2) (b) For each act occurring after the date of the first determination of a violation of this subsection, the employer shall be assessed a penalty in the amount of $2,000 for each individual so coerced.

AB68-SSA1,1824 Section 1824. 109.03 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,876,5 109.03 (1) (b) School district and private school employees who voluntarily request payment over a 12-month period for personal services performed during the school year, unless, with respect to private school employees, the employees are covered under a valid collective bargaining agreement which precludes this method of payment.

AB68-SSA1,1825 Section 1825 . 109.09 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,877,3 109.09 (1) The department shall investigate and attempt equitably to adjust controversies between employers and employees as to regarding alleged wage claims. The department may receive and investigate any wage claim that is filed with the department, or received by the department under s. 109.10 (4), no later than 2 years after the date the wages are due. The department may, after receiving a wage claim, investigate any wages due from the employer against whom the claim is filed to any employee during the period commencing 2 years before the date the claim is filed. The department shall enforce this chapter and s. ss. 66.0903, 2013 stats., s. 103.49, 2013 stats., s. 229.8275, 2013 stats., and s. 16.856, 2015 stats., and ss. 103.02, 103.49, 103.82, and 104.12 , and 229.8275. In pursuance of this duty, the department may sue the employer on behalf of the employee to collect any wage claim or wage deficiency and ss. 109.03 (6) and 109.11 (2) and (3) shall apply to such actions. Except for actions under s. 109.10, the department may refer such an action to the district attorney of the county in which the violation occurs for prosecution and collection and the district attorney shall commence an action in the circuit court having appropriate jurisdiction. Any number of wage claims or wage deficiencies against the same employer may be joined in a single proceeding, but the court may order separate trials or hearings. In actions that are referred to a district attorney under this subsection, any taxable costs recovered by the district attorney shall be paid into the general fund of the county in which the violation occurs and used by that county to meet its financial responsibility under s. 978.13 (2) (b) for the operation of the office of the district attorney who prosecuted the action.

AB68-SSA1,1826 Section 1826. 109.09 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

AB68-SSA1,1827 Section 1827 . 111.01 of the statutes is created to read:

AB68-SSA1,877,8 111.01 Declaration of policy. The public policy of the state as to employment relations and collective bargaining, in the furtherance of which this subchapter is enacted, is declared to be as follows:

AB68-SSA1,877,12 (1) It recognizes that there are 3 major interests involved, namely: the public, the employee, and the employer. These 3 interests are to a considerable extent interrelated. It is the policy of the state to protect and promote each of these interests with due regard to the situation and to the rights of the others.

AB68-SSA1,878,2 (2) Industrial peace, regular and adequate income for the employee, and uninterrupted production of goods and services are promotive of all of these interests. They are largely dependent upon the maintenance of fair, friendly, and mutually satisfactory employment relations and the availability of suitable machinery for the peaceful adjustment of whatever controversies may arise. It is recognized that certain employers, including farmers, farmer cooperatives, and unincorporated farmer cooperative associations, in addition to their general employer problems, face special problems arising from perishable commodities and seasonal production that require adequate consideration. It is also recognized that whatever may be the rights of disputants with respect to each other in any controversy regarding employment relations, they should not be permitted, in the conduct of their controversy, to intrude directly into the primary rights of 3rd parties to earn a livelihood, transact business, and engage in the ordinary affairs of life by any lawful means and free from molestation, interference, restraint, or coercion.

AB68-SSA1,878,7 (3) Negotiations of terms and conditions of work should result from voluntary agreement between employer and employee. For the purpose of such negotiation an employee has the right, if the employee desires, to associate with others in organizing and bargaining collectively through representatives of the employee's own choosing, without intimidation or coercion from any source.

AB68-SSA1,878,14 (4) It is the policy of the state, in order to preserve and promote the interests of the public, the employee, and the employer alike, to establish standards of fair conduct in employment relations and to provide a convenient, expeditious, and impartial tribunal by which these interests may have their respective rights and obligations adjudicated. While limiting individual and group rights of aggression and defense, the state substitutes processes of justice for the more primitive methods of trial by combat.

AB68-SSA1,1828 Section 1828 . 111.04 (1) and (2) of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 111.04 and amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,878,24 111.04 Rights of employees. Employees shall have the right of self-organization and the right to form, join or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in lawful, concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection. (2) Employees shall also have the right to refrain from self-organization; forming, joining, or assisting labor organizations; bargaining collectively through representatives; or engaging in activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection such activities.

AB68-SSA1,1829 Section 1829 . 111.04 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

AB68-SSA1,1830 Section 1830. 111.06 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB68-SSA1,880,3 111.06 (1) (c) To encourage or discourage membership in any labor organization, employee agency, committee, association, or representation plan by discrimination in regard to hiring, tenure, or other terms or conditions of employment except in a collective bargaining unit where an all-union agreement is in effect. An employer may enter into an all-union agreement with the voluntarily recognized representative of the employees in a collective bargaining unit, where at least a majority of such employees voting have voted affirmatively, by secret ballot, in favor of the all-union agreement in a referendum conducted by the commission, except that where the bargaining representative has been certified by either the commission or the national labor relations board as the result of a representation election, no referendum is required to authorize the entry into an all-union agreement. An authorization of an all-union agreement continues, subject to the right of either party to the all-union agreement to petition the commission to conduct a new referendum on the subject. Upon receipt of the petition, if the commission determines there is reasonable ground to believe that the employees concerned have changed their attitude toward the all-union agreement, the commission shall conduct a referendum. If the continuance of the all-union agreement is supported on a referendum by a vote at least equal to that provided in this paragraph for its initial authorization, it may continue, subject to the right to petition for a further vote by the procedure under this paragraph. If the continuance of the all-union agreement is not supported on a referendum, it terminates at the expiration of the contract of which it is then a part or at the end of one year from the date of the announcement by the commission of the result of the referendum, whichever is earlier. The commission shall declare any all-union agreement terminated whenever it finds that the labor organization involved has unreasonably refused to receive as a member any employee of such employer. An interested person may, as provided in s. 111.07, request the commission to perform this duty.