Amendment AA1-SB70

SB70-AA1,144,10 104.035 (8m) Minimum wage adjustments. Effective on January 1, 2027, and effective on each January 1 thereafter, the department shall revise the minimum wages established under subs. (1) to (6). The department shall determine the revised minimum wage by calculating the percentage difference between the consumer price index for the 12-month period ending on the last day of the last month for which that information is available and the consumer price index for the 12-month period ending on the last day of the month 12 months prior to that month, adjusting the minimum wages then in effect by that percentage difference. The department shall annually have the revised amount published in the Wisconsin Administrative Register and on the department's website.

SB70-AA1,263 Section 263. 106.04 of the statutes is created to read:

SB70-AA1,144,15 106.04 Employment of apprentices on state public works projects. (1) Definition. In this section, “project" means a project of public works that is subject to s. 103.49 or 103.50 in which work is performed by employees employed in trades that are apprenticeable under this subchapter.

SB70-AA1,144,20 (2) Waiver. If the department grants an exception or modification to any requirement in any contract for the performance of work on a project relating to the employment and training of apprentices, the department shall post that information on its Internet site, together with a detailed explanation for granting the exception or modification.

SB70-AA1,264 Section 264. 106.112 of the statutes is created to read:

SB70-AA1,145,2 106.112 Local workforce development boards youth service and training grants. (1) Youth service grants. From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (bj), the department shall award grants to local workforce development boards established under 29 USC 3122 for youth services and training in school and outside school settings. Grants awarded under this section may be used for any of the following purposes:

SB70-AA1,145,4 (a) Tutoring, paid and unpaid work experiences, preapprenticeship programs, and internships.

SB70-AA1,145,6 (b) On-the-job training, occupational skills training, and education offered concurrently with workforce preparation and training.

SB70-AA1,145,8 (c) Leadership development opportunities, supportive services, mentoring, follow-up services, and counseling.

SB70-AA1,145,9 (d) Financial literacy education and entrepreneurial skills training.

SB70-AA1,145,11 (e) Education related to labor market information and employment information, and postsecondary education and training preparation.

SB70-AA1,145,13 (2) Implementation. To implement this section, the department shall do all of the following:

SB70-AA1,145,16 (a) Promulgate rules prescribing procedures and criteria for awarding grants under sub. (1) and the information with respect to those grants that must be contained in the reports required under sub. (3).

SB70-AA1,145,19 (b) Receive and review applications for grants under sub. (1) (a) to (e) and prescribe the form, nature, and extent of the information that must be contained in an application for such a grant.

SB70-AA1,145,23 (c) Require annual reports from local workforce development boards that receive grants that describe how the board expended the grant moneys and the outcomes the board achieved, including the number of youth who participated in the programs and services funded in part or wholly by the grant moneys.

SB70-AA1,146,3 (3) Annual report. Annually, by December 31, the department shall submit a report to the governor and the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance providing an account of the department's activities and expenditures under this section during the preceding fiscal year and detailing the amounts expended for each of the grants provided under sub. (2) during that fiscal year.

SB70-AA1,265 Section 265. 106.145 of the statutes is created to read:

SB70-AA1,146,11 106.145 Worker advancement initiative. (1) Worker advancement initiative. The department shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (cm), establish and administer a worker advancement initiative to offer participants subsidized employment and skills training opportunities with local employers. The department shall target the subsidized employment and skills training opportunities to individuals in sectors of the workforce that have not recovered from the loss of employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

SB70-AA1,146,14 (2) Worker advancement initiative; health-care workforce opportunity grants. (a) The department shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (cm), establish and administer a program to do all of the following:

SB70-AA1,146,19 1. Make grants to local workforce development boards established under 29 USC 3122 to assist individuals whose employment status was negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and whose employment status has not improved. The department shall prioritize connecting individuals to health-care-related employment opportunities.

SB70-AA1,146,22 2. Make grants to technical colleges and nursing schools to implement strategies to increase the number of graduates who go on to work in health-care-related fields.

SB70-AA1,147,2 3. Provide solutions to reduce barriers to employment in health-care-related fields and create ways to attract individuals to employment in health-care-related fields. Solutions to reduce barriers to employment may include services to fulfill clinical requirements, career navigation services, transportation services, and the provision of supplies.

SB70-AA1,147,6 (b) During the 2023-25 fiscal biennium, of the moneys in the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (cm), the department shall allocate $2,500,000 in each fiscal year of the 2023-25 fiscal biennium for establishing and administering the program under par. (a).

SB70-AA1,147,11 (3) Worker advancement initiative; local CDL training grants. The department shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (cm), make grants to local workforce development boards established under 29 USC 3122 to provide sector-based training programs related to increasing the number of individuals obtaining commercial driver licenses, as defined in s. 340.01 (7m).

SB70-AA1,147,17 (4) Worker advancement initiative; ROBUST program. (a) The department shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (cm), establish and administer a program for reengaging out-of-work, barriered, and underserved individuals through system transformation. Through the program, the department shall find methods to more effectively reach and serve population groups that are underserved and disconnected from the labor force.

SB70-AA1,147,20 (b) During the 2023-25 fiscal biennium, of the moneys in the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (cm), the department shall allocate $4,500,000 in fiscal year 2023-24 for establishing and administering the program under par. (a).

SB70-AA1,147,24 (5) Implementation. (a) Duties. To implement this section, the department shall receive and review applications for grants under subs. (2) and (3) and prescribe the form, nature, and extent of the information that must be contained in an application for a grant under sub. (2) or (3).

SB70-AA1,148,3 (b) Powers. In addition to the duties described in par. (a), the department shall have all other powers necessary and convenient to implement this section, including the power to audit and inspect the records of grant recipients.

SB70-AA1,266 Section 266. 106.27 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA1,148,5 106.27 (title) Workforce training program programs.

SB70-AA1,267 Section 267. 106.27 (1p) of the statutes is created to read:

SB70-AA1,148,9 106.27 (1p) Wisconsin green jobs training program. (a) In this subsection, “green jobs” means jobs that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources.

SB70-AA1,148,14 (b) From the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (bp), the department shall award grants to public or private organizations for the development and implementation of green jobs training programs in this state. As a condition of receiving a grant under this subsection, the department may require a public or private organization to provide matching funds at a percentage to be determined by the department.

SB70-AA1,268 Section 268. 106.27 (2g) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA1,148,18 106.27 (2g) (a) 1. Promulgate rules prescribing procedures and criteria for awarding grants under sub subs. (1) and (1p) and the information with respect to those grants that must be contained in the reports required under subd. 3.

SB70-AA1,269 Section 269. 106.27 (2g) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA1,148,23 106.27 (2g) (a) 2. Receive and review applications for grants under subs. (1), (1g), and (1j) (am), and (1p) and prescribe the form, nature, and extent of the information that must be contained in an application for a grant under sub. subs. (1), (1g), or (1j) (am), and (1p).

SB70-AA1,270 Section 270. 106.28 of the statutes is created to read:

SB70-AA1,149,5 106.28 Clean energy training and reemployment program. The department shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (bq), establish and administer a clean energy training and reemployment program to connect workers with employers and use other apprenticeship and technical college programs to deliver training for clean energy jobs.

SB70-AA1,271 Section 271. 106.29 of the statutes is created to read:

SB70-AA1,149,11 106.29 Workforce innovation grant program. (1) Workforce innovation grants. The department shall, from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (bw), establish and operate a program to provide grants to regional organizations to design and implement plans to address their region's workforce challenges that arose during or were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

SB70-AA1,149,15 (2) Implementation. (a) Duties. To implement this section, the department shall receive and review applications for grants under sub. (1) and prescribe the form, nature, and extent of the information that must be contained in an application for a grant under sub. (1).

SB70-AA1,149,18 (b) Powers. In addition to the duties described in par. (a), the department shall have all other powers necessary and convenient to implement this section, including the power to audit and inspect the records of grant recipients.

SB70-AA1,272 Section 272. 106.54 (11) of the statutes is created to read:

SB70-AA1,149,22 106.54 (11) The division shall receive complaints under s. 103.135 (1) (a) and (2) (a) to (c) and shall process the complaints in the same manner that employment discrimination complaints are processed under s. 111.39.

SB70-AA1,273 Section 273. 108.04 (2) (h) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA1,150,5 108.04 (2) (h) A claimant shall, when the claimant first files a claim for benefits under this chapter and during each subsequent week the claimant files for benefits under this chapter, inform the department whether he or she is receiving social security disability insurance payments, as defined in sub. (12) (f) 2m s. 108.05 (7m) (b). If the claimant is receiving social security disability insurance payments, the claimant shall, in the manner prescribed by the department, report to the department the amount of the social security disability insurance payments.

SB70-AA1,274 Section 274. 108.04 (12) (f) 1m. and 2m. of the statutes are renumbered 108.05 (7m) (a) and (b) and amended to read:

SB70-AA1,150,10 108.05 (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.

SB70-AA1,150,13 (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.

SB70-AA1,275 Section 275. 108.04 (12) (f) 3. of the statutes is repealed.

SB70-AA1,276 Section 276. 108.04 (12) (f) 4. of the statutes is renumbered 108.05 (7m) (e).

SB70-AA1,277 Section 277. 108.05 (7m) (title), (c) and (d) of the statutes are created to read:

SB70-AA1,150,17 108.05 (7m) (title) Social security disability insurance payments.

SB70-AA1,150,22 (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.

SB70-AA1,150,25 (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.

SB70-AA1,278 Section 278. 108.05 (9) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA1,151,5 108.05 (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.

SB70-AA1,279 Section 279. 108.05 (10) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA1,151,10 108.05 (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:

SB70-AA1,280 Section 280. 108.221 (1) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 108.221 (1) (a) (intro.) and amended to read:

SB70-AA1,151,18 108.221 (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:

SB70-AA1,151,21 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.

SB70-AA1,281 Section 281. 108.221 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is created to read:

SB70-AA1,152,3 108.221 (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.

SB70-AA1,282 Section 282. 108.221 (2) of the statutes is renumbered 108.221 (2) (intro.) and amended to read:

SB70-AA1,152,9 108.221 (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:

SB70-AA1,152,12 (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.

SB70-AA1,283 Section 283. 108.221 (2) (b) of the statutes is created to read:

SB70-AA1,152,16 108.221 (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.

SB70-AA1,284 Section 284. 108.24 (2m) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA1,153,5 108.24 (2m) Any employer described in s. 108.18 (2) (c) or engaged in the painting or drywall finishing of buildings or other structures who, after having previously been assessed an administrative penalty by the department under s. 108.221 (1), 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 be fined $1,000 for each employee who is misclassified, subject to a maximum fine of $25,000 for each violation. The department may, regardless of whether an employer has been subject to any administrative assessment under s. 108.221 or any other penalty or assessment under this chapter, refer violations of this subsection for prosecution by the department of justice or the district attorney for the county in which the violation occurred.

SB70-AA1,285 Section 285. 109.09 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA1,154,3 109.09 (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.

SB70-AA1,286 Section 286. 109.09 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

SB70-AA1,287 Section 287. 111.01 of the statutes is created to read:

SB70-AA1,154,8 111.01 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:

SB70-AA1,154,12 (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.

SB70-AA1,155,2 (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.

SB70-AA1,155,7 (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.

SB70-AA1,155,14 (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.

SB70-AA1,288 Section 288. 111.04 (1) and (2) of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 111.04 and amended to read:

SB70-AA1,155,24 111.04 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.

SB70-AA1,289 Section 289. 111.04 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

SB70-AA1,290 Section 290. 111.06 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA1,157,3 111.06 (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.

SB70-AA1,291 Section 291. 111.06 (1) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB70-AA1,157,7 111.06 (1) (e) To bargain collectively with the representatives of less than a majority of the employer's employees in a collective bargaining unit, or to enter into an all-union agreement except in the manner provided in par. (c).

SB70-AA1,292 Section 292. 111.06 (1) (i) of the statutes is amended to read: