This is the preview version of the Wisconsin State Legislature site.
Please see http://docs.legis.wisconsin.gov for the production version.
If a service employee is entitled to more than one type of compensation related
to employer scheduling practices with respect to a particular work shift, the
employer must pay only one type of compensation, whichever is greatest.
The bill provides that, during any period in which the employer's regular
operations are suspended due to an event outside of the employer's control, the

employer is not required to comply with the service employee work scheduling
requirements created in the bill.
The bill authorizes DWD to promulgate rules to apply the protections afforded
under the bill to additional occupations if DWD determines that at least 10 percent
of the individuals employed in an occupation either typically receive notice of
changes to their work schedules less than 14 days before the changes take effect or
regularly experience fluctuations in the number of hours the individuals are
scheduled to work on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Enforcement
The bill provides that an employer may not interfere with, restrain, or deny the
exercise of the right of an employee created in the bill and may not discharge or
discriminate against an employee for enforcing the employee's rights under the bill.
An employee whose rights are violated may file a complaint with DWD, and DWD
must process the complaint in the same manner that employment discrimination
complaints are processed under current law. That processing may include the
ordering of back pay, reinstatement, compensation in lieu of reinstatement, and costs
and attorney fees.
The bill also provides that DWD or an employee whose rights are violated may
bring an action in circuit court against the employer without regard to exhaustion
of any administrative remedy. If the circuit court finds that a violation has occurred,
the employer is liable to the employee for compensatory damages, reasonable
attorney fees and costs, and, under certain circumstances, liquidated damages equal
to 100 percent of the amount of compensatory damages awarded to the employee.
In addition to any damages imposed on an employer in an administrative proceeding
or circuit court action, an employer that willfully violates the protections created in
the bill may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000 for each violation.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB265,1 1Section 1. 103.035 of the statutes is created to read:
AB265,3,3 2103.035 Work schedule flexibility and predictability. (1) Definitions.
3In this section:
AB265,3,64 (a) “Bona fide business reason” means a reason that justifies an employer's
5action and that is based on the employer's determination that taking a different
6action would have any of the following results:
AB265,4,3
11. Additional costs to the employer, including costs of lost employee
2productivity, retaining or hiring employees, or transferring employees between work
3locations.
AB265,4,54 2. A significant detrimental effect on the employer's ability to meet
5organizational needs or customer demand.
AB265,4,76 3. A significant inability of the employer, despite the employer's best efforts,
7to reorganize work among other employees.
AB265,4,88 4. A significant detrimental effect on the employer's business performance.
AB265,4,99 5. Insufficient work during the period an employee proposes to work.
AB265,4,1210 6. Unfairness to other employees who request changes to work schedules if
11granting all requests would have a significant detrimental effect on the employer's
12ability to meet organizational needs.
AB265,4,1313 (b) “Child” means an individual who is all of the following:
AB265,4,1514 1. A biological, adopted, or foster child; a stepchild; a legal ward; or a child of
15a person standing in the place of a parent with respect to that child.
AB265,4,1616 2. An individual to whom any of the following applies:
AB265,4,1717 a. The individual is less than 18 years of age.
AB265,4,1918 b. The individual is 18 years of age or older and is incapable of self-care because
19of a mental or physical disability.
AB265,4,2020 (c) “Domestic partner” has the meaning given in s. 40.02 (21c) or 770.01 (1).
AB265,4,2121 (d) “Employee” means an employee who is employed by an employer.
AB265,5,222 (e) “Employer” means an employer that employs at least 15 employees.
23“Employer” includes the state, its political subdivisions, and any office, department,
24independent agency, authority, institution, association, society, or other body in state

1or local government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any
2law, including the legislature and the courts.
AB265,5,33 (f) “Family member” means any of the following:
AB265,5,44 1. A spouse or domestic partner of an employee.
AB265,5,65 2. A parent, child, sibling, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, grandparent, or
6grandchild of an employee or of an employee's spouse or domestic partner.
AB265,5,107 3. Any other individual who is related by blood, marriage, or adoption to an
8employee or to an employee's spouse or domestic partner and whose close association
9with the employee, spouse, or domestic partner makes the individual the equivalent
10of a family member of the employee, spouse, or domestic partner.
AB265,5,1111 (g) “Grandchild” means the child of a child.
AB265,5,1212 (h) “Grandparent” means the parent of a parent.
AB265,5,1513 (i) “Nonexempt employee” means an employee who is not employed in a bona
14fide executive, administrative, or professional capacity, as described in 29 USC 213
15(a) (1).
AB265,5,1816 (j) “Parent” means a biological parent, foster parent, adoptive parent,
17stepparent, or legal guardian of an employee or of an employee's spouse or domestic
18partner.
AB265,5,2019 (k) “Part-time employee” means an employee who works on average fewer than
2030 hours per week for a particular employer.
AB265,5,2521 (L) “Service employee” means a nonexempt employee who is employed in an
22occupation designated by the department under sub. (3) (g) or in any of the
23occupations classified under the following codes set forth in the Standard
24Occupational Classification system, 2010 edition, published by the bureau of labor
25statistics of the U.S. department of labor:
AB265,6,2
11. Major group code 35-0000 — Food preparation and serving related
2occupations.
AB265,6,33 2. Broad occupation code 37-2010 — Building cleaning workers.
AB265,6,54 3. Detailed occupation code 41-1011 — First-line supervisors of retail sales
5workers.
AB265,6,66 4. Minor group code 41-2000 — Retail sales workers.
AB265,6,87 (m) “Sibling” means a brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother,
8stepsister, foster brother, or foster sister, whether by blood, marriage, or adoption.
AB265,6,119 (n) “Split shift” means a work shift that consists of work time that is not
10continuous. For purposes of determining whether a work shift is continuous, any of
11the following breaks in work time are not considered:
AB265,6,1212 1. One or more breaks for meals that total one hour or less.
AB265,6,1313 2. A break that is requested by the employee.
AB265,6,1614 (o) “Work schedule” means the days and times during each successive work
15period when an employee is required by an employer to perform duties of
16employment.
AB265,6,1817 (p) “Work shift” means the specific times during a day that an employer
18requires an employee to work.
AB265,6,2019 (q) “Written” does not include a communication that is transmitted or received
20by electronic means.
AB265,6,24 21(2) Employee right to request and receive work schedule changes. (a)
22Employee right to request work schedule changes. 1. An employee may request a
23change in the terms and conditions of employment related to any of the following
24work schedule issues:
AB265,6,2525 a. The number of hours the employee is required to work or be on call for work.
AB265,7,2
1b. The days or times when the employee is required to work or be on call for
2work.
AB265,7,33 c. The location where the employee is required to work.
AB265,7,54 d. The amount of notification the employee receives regarding changes to the
5employee's work schedule.
AB265,7,76 e. Minimizing fluctuations in the number of hours the employee is scheduled
7to work on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
AB265,7,98 2. An employee who makes a request under subd. 1. shall specify in the request
9whether it is related to any of the following:
AB265,7,1010 a. A serious health condition, as defined under s. 103.10 (1) (g), of the employee.
AB265,7,1411 b. The employee's responsibilities as a significant provider of ongoing care,
12including responsibility for securing ongoing care, of the employee's child, family
13member with a serious health condition, as defined under s. 103.10 (1) (g), or parent
14who is 65 years of age or older.
AB265,7,1615 c. The employee's responsibilities as a significant provider of education,
16including responsibility for securing education, of the employee's child.
AB265,7,1817 d. The employee's enrollment in an educational or training program or program
18of study that leads to a recognized postsecondary credential.
AB265,7,2019 e. If the employee is a part-time employee, conflicts with the employee's other
20employment.
AB265,8,321 (b) Evaluating requests for work schedule changes. If an employer receives a
22request from an employee under par. (a), the employer shall either grant the request
23without modification or negotiate in good faith with the employee to find a
24compromise that meets the employee's and the employer's work scheduling needs,
25including by considering any alternative proposals offered by the employee. If the

1employer denies the request and any alternative proposals offered, the employer
2shall inform the employee of the reasons for denial, including whether any of the
3reasons is a bona fide business reason.
AB265,8,84 (c) Requests related to serious health conditions, caregiving, education, or other
5part-time employment.
Notwithstanding par. (b), if an employer receives a request
6from an employee under par. (a) that is directly related to any of the issues described
7under par. (a) 2., the employer shall grant the request unless the employer has a bona
8fide business reason for denying the request.
AB265,8,139 (d) Verification of reasons for requested changes. If an employer receives a
10request from an employee under par. (a), the employer may require the employee to
11provide additional information to clarify or explain the reasons for the employee's
12requested work schedule change if the employer needs that information to properly
13evaluate the request under par. (b) or (c).
AB265,8,17 14(3) Predictable work schedules for retail, food service, and cleaning
15employees.
(a) Advance notice of work schedules required. 1. On or before the first
16day of work of a new service employee, an employer shall provide the service
17employee with a written copy of the service employee's work schedule.
AB265,8,2118 2. Except as provided in pars. (b) and (c), if an employer changes a work
19schedule provided to a service employee under subd. 1. or this subdivision, the
20employer shall provide the service employee with a written copy of the new work
21schedule no later than 14 days before the new work schedule begins.
AB265,8,2322 3. An employer shall post a copy of a work schedule provided under this
23paragraph in any of the following ways:
AB265,8,2524 a. In one or more conspicuous places where notices to employees are
25customarily posted.
AB265,9,1
1b. On an Internet site accessible by all of the employer's employees.
AB265,9,32 4. If an employer changes a work schedule after it is posted under subd. 3., the
3employer shall revise the posted work schedule to reflect those changes.
AB265,9,124 (b) Employer-initiated changes to work schedules without advance notice. 1.
5An employer may change, without the advance notice required under par. (a) 2., a
6work schedule provided to a service employee under par. (a) 1. or 2. as provided in
7this paragraph. Except as provided under subd. 2., if the employer changes a work
8schedule provided to a service employee under par. (a) 1. or 2. less than 14 days before
9the new work schedule begins, the employer shall provide the service employee
10compensation for the change in an amount equal to the service employee's regular
11rate of pay for one hour of work in addition to any other compensation earned by the
12service employee.
AB265,9,1513 2. An employer is not required to pay compensation to a service employee under
14subd. 1. for a change to the service employee's work schedule if any of the following
15applies to the change:
AB265,9,1616 a. The service employee consents to the change.
AB265,9,1917 b. The employer requires the service employee to work additional time or an
18additional work shift because another service employee was scheduled to work that
19time or work shift and is unexpectedly unavailable to do so.
AB265,9,2420 (c) Employee-initiated changes to work schedules. An employer may allow a
21service employee to agree to work in place of another service employee if the service
22employees mutually agree to the change. The employer is not required to provide
23compensation under par. (b) 1. to a service employee with respect to a work shift trade
24under this paragraph.
AB265,10,5
1(d) Compensation for reporting time, on-call time, and split shifts. 1. Except
2as provided in subd. 4., if a service employee reports to work and the service
3employee's employer does not allow the service employee to work all time that the
4service employee is scheduled to work, the employer shall provide the service
5employee with the following compensation:
AB265,10,96 a. If the service employee is scheduled to work 4 hours or less, an amount equal
7to the service employee's regular rate of pay for all time the service employee is
8scheduled to work but does not work in addition to any other compensation earned
9by the service employee for time the service employee actually works.
AB265,10,1410 b. If the service employee is scheduled to work more than 4 hours and works
11less than 4 hours, an amount equal to the service employee's regular rate of pay for
12the difference between 4 hours and the amount of time the service employee actually
13works in addition to any other compensation earned by the service employee for time
14the service employee actually works.
AB265,10,2115 2. Except as provided in subd. 4., if an employer requires a service employee
16to contact the employer, or wait to be contacted by the employer, less than 24 hours
17before a work shift to determine whether the employer will require the service
18employee to report to work for that work shift, the employer shall provide the service
19employee compensation in an amount equal to the service employee's regular rate of
20pay for one hour of work in addition to any other compensation earned by the service
21employee for time the service employee actually works.
AB265,11,222 3. Except as provided in subd. 4, if an employer requires a service employee to
23work a split shift, the employer shall provide the service employee compensation in
24an amount equal to the service employee's regular rate of pay for one hour of work

1in addition to any other compensation earned by the service employee for time the
2service employee actually works.
AB265,11,63 4. If a service employee is entitled to more than one type of compensation under
4subds. 1. to 3. with respect to a particular work shift, the employer shall pay the
5service employee the compensation required under subd. 1., 2., or 3., whichever is
6greatest.
AB265,11,127 (e) Manner of payment of additional compensation. An employer that is
8required to provide compensation to a service employee under par. (b) 1. or (d) shall
9pay that compensation on the service employee's regular paycheck or other wage
10payment. The employer shall identify on the paycheck, pay envelope, or paper
11accompanying the wage payment the amount of and reason for all additional
12compensation paid.
AB265,11,1513 (f) Exception. An employer is not required to comply with this subsection
14during a period in which the employer's regular operations are suspended due to an
15event outside of the employer's control.
AB265,11,2316 (g) Designating additional covered occupations. The department may
17promulgate rules to apply the protections afforded under pars. (a) to (f) to additional
18occupations. The department may designate an occupation under this paragraph if
19the department determines that at least 10 percent of the individuals employed in
20the occupation either typically receive notice of changes to their work schedules less
21than 14 days before the changes take effect or regularly experience fluctuations in
22the number of hours the individuals are scheduled to work on a daily, weekly, or
23monthly basis.
AB265,12,5 24(4) Prohibited acts. (a) No employer may interfere with, restrain, or deny the
25exercise of the right of an employee to request and receive a change in the terms and

1conditions of employment as provided under sub. (2). No employer may interfere
2with, restrain, or deny the exercise of the right of a service employee to receive
3advance notice of work schedules as provided under sub. (3) (a), receive
4compensation as provided under sub. (3) (b) 1. and (d), or request approval to trade
5work shifts as provided under sub. (3) (c).
AB265,12,126 (b) No employer may discharge or discriminate against an employee in
7promotion, in compensation, or in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment
8for exercising a right of an employee described under par. (a), opposing a practice
9prohibited under this section, filing or indicating an intent to file a complaint or
10otherwise attempting to enforce a right under this section, or testifying, assisting,
11or participating in any manner in any investigation, action, or proceeding to enforce
12a right under this section.
AB265,12,20 13(5) Enforcement. (a) Administrative proceeding. An employee whose rights
14are interfered with, restrained, or denied in violation of sub. (4) (a) or who is
15discharged or discriminated against in violation of sub. (4) (b) may file a complaint
16with the department, and the department shall process the complaint in the same
17manner that employment discrimination complaints are processed under s. 111.39.
18If the department finds that a violation has occurred, the department may order the
19employer to take action to remedy the violation, including any action authorized
20under s. 111.39.
AB265,12,2521 (b) Civil action. 1. The department or an employee whose rights are interfered
22with, restrained, or denied in violation of sub. (4) (a) or who is discharged or
23discriminated against in violation of sub. (4) (b) may bring an action in circuit court
24against an employer on the basis of the violation without regard to exhaustion of any
25administrative remedy.
AB265,13,3
12. In an action under subd. 1., if the circuit court finds that a violation of sub.
2(4) (a) or (b) has occurred with respect to an employee, the circuit court shall order
3the defendant to pay to the employee all of the following:
AB265,13,54 a. Compensatory damages in an amount that the circuit court or jury finds
5appropriate.
Loading...
Loading...