Chapter 103

103.88(2) (2) Absence from work permitted. An employer shall permit an employee who is a volunteer fire fighter, emergency medical services practitioner, emergency medical responder, or ambulance driver for a volunteer fire department or fire company, a public agency, or a nonprofit corporation to be late for or absent from work if the lateness or absence is due to the employee responding to an emergency that begins before the employee is required to report to work and if the employee complies with sub. (3) (a). This subsection does not entitle an employee to receive wages or salary for the time the employee is absent from work due to responding to an emergency as provided in this subsection.

103.88(3) (3) Responsibilities of employee.

103.88(3)(a) (a) An employee may be late for or absent from work under sub. (2) if the employee does all of the following:

103.88(3)(a)1. 1. By no later than 30 days after becoming a member of a volunteer fire department or fire company or becoming affiliated with an ambulance service provider, submits to the employee’s employer a written statement signed by the chief of the volunteer fire department or fire company or by the person in charge of the ambulance service provider notifying the employer that the employee is a volunteer fire fighter, emergency medical services practitioner, emergency medical responder, or ambulance driver for a volunteer fire department or fire company, a public agency, or a nonprofit corporation.

103.88(3)(a)2. 2. When dispatched to an emergency, makes every effort to notify the employee’s employer that the employee may be late for or absent from work due to the employee’s responding to the emergency or, if prior notification cannot be made due to the extreme circumstances of the emergency or the inability of the employee to contact the employer, submits to the employer a written statement from the chief of the volunteer fire department or fire company or from the person in charge of the ambulance service provider explaining why prior notification could not be made.

103.88(3)(a)3. 3. When late for or absent from work due to responding to an emergency, provides, on the request of the employee’s employer, a written statement from the chief of the volunteer fire department or fire company or from the person in charge of the ambulance service provider certifying that the employee was responding to an emergency at the time of the lateness or absence and indicating the date and time of the response to the emergency.

103.88(3)(b) (b) When the status of an employee under sub. (2) as a member of a volunteer fire department or fire company or as an affiliate of an ambulance service provider changes, including termination of that status, the employee shall notify the employee’s employer of that change in status.

103.88(4) (4) Prohibited acts.

103.88(4)(a) (a) No person may interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of the right of an employee to respond to an emergency as provided in sub. (2).

103.88(4)(b) (b) No person may discharge or discriminate against an employee in promotion, in compensation, or in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment for responding to an emergency as provided in sub. (2), opposing a practice prohibited under this section, filing a complaint or attempting to enforce any right under this section, or testifying or assisting in any action or proceeding to enforce any right under this section.

103.88(5) (5) Enforcement. An employee whose right to respond to an emergency under sub. (2) is interfered with, restrained, or denied in violation of sub. (4) (a) or who is discharged or discriminated against in violation of sub. (4) (b) may file a complaint with the department, and the department shall process the complaint in the same manner that employment discrimination complaints are processed under s. 111.39. If the department finds that an employer has violated sub. (4) (a) or (b), it may order the employer to take action to remedy the violation, including reinstating the employee, providing compensation in lieu of reinstatement, providing back pay accrued not more than 2 years before the complaint was filed, and paying reasonable actual costs and attorney fees to the complainant.

103.88 History History: 2009 a. 140; 2017 a. 12; 2021 a. 209.

103.90 103.90 Definitions. In ss. 103.90 to 103.97:

103.90(1) (1) “Emergency” means:

103.90(1)(a) (a) A temporary condition created by an act of nature, demanding immediate action, which could not reasonably have been anticipated or prevented, and which is caused entirely by the forces of nature such as rain, lightning, hail, windstorm, tornado, sleet, frost or other similar natural phenomena.

103.90(1)(b) (b) A sudden and temporary condition not covered under par. (a) which reasonably could not have been anticipated or prevented and which requires immediate action to prevent serious damage to person or property.

103.90(2) (2) “Employer” means a person engaged in planting, cultivating, raising, harvesting, handling, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading or storing any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state who employs a migrant worker.

103.90(3) (3) 

103.90(3)(a) (a) “Migrant labor camp” means the site and all structures maintained as living quarters by, for or under the control and supervision of any person for:

103.90(3)(a)1. 1. Any migrant worker; or

103.90(3)(a)2. 2. Any other person who is not related by blood, marriage or adoption to his or her employer and who occasionally or habitually leaves an established place of residence to travel to another locality to accept seasonal employment in the planting, cultivating, raising, harvesting, handling, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading or storing of any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state.

103.90(3)(b) (b) “Migrant labor camp” does not include:

103.90(3)(b)1. 1. Premises occupied by the employer as a personal residence and by no more than 2 migrant workers.

103.90(3)(b)2. 2. Any accommodation subject to ch. 50.

103.90(4) (4) “Migrant labor contractor” means any person, who, for a fee or other consideration, on behalf of another person, recruits, solicits, hires, or furnishes migrant workers, excluding members of the contractor’s immediate family, for employment in this state. “Migrant labor contractor” shall not include an employer or any full-time regular employees of an employer who engages in any such activity for the purpose of supplying workers solely for the employer’s own operation.

103.90(5) (5) 

103.90(5)(a) (a) “Migrant worker” or “worker” means any person who temporarily leaves a principal place of residence outside of this state and comes to this state for not more than 10 months in a year to accept seasonal employment in the planting, cultivating, raising, harvesting, handling, drying, packing, packaging, processing, freezing, grading or storing of any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state.

103.90(5)(b) (b) “Migrant worker” or “worker” does not include the following:

103.90(5)(b)1. 1. Any person who is employed only by a state resident if such resident or the resident’s spouse is related to the worker as one of the following: child, parent, grandchild, grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, or the spouse of any such relative.

103.90(5)(b)2. 2. A student who is enrolled or, during the past 6 months has been enrolled, in any school, college or university unless the student is a member of a family or household which contains a migrant worker.

103.90(5)(c) (c) No more than 3 persons otherwise included in the definition under par. (a) may be excluded under par. (b) 1.

103.90 History History: 1977 c. 17; 1983 a. 189 ss. 156, 329 (4); 1989 a. 236; 1995 a. 27, 225; 1999 a. 162.

103.90 Annotation “Sharecropping” or other agreements attempting to establish a migrant worker as an independent contractor violate migrant law. 71 Atty. Gen. 92.

103.905 103.905 Department’s duties. The department shall:

103.905(1) (1) Promulgate rules for the enforcement and implementation of ss. 103.90 to 103.97.

103.905(2) (2) Cooperate and enter into agreements with departments or agencies of this state or of the United States to coordinate, administer or enforce all other laws and programs designed to assist, serve or protect migrant workers.

103.905(3) (3) Gather, compile and submit to the council on migrant labor data and information relative to ss. 103.90 to 103.97.

103.905(4) (4) Investigate, or cause to be investigated, any complaint filed with the department concerning any violation of ss. 103.90 to 103.97, and during reasonable daylight hours, and upon notice to the employer or person in charge, enter and inspect any premises, inspect such records and make transcriptions thereof, question such persons, and investigate such facts, conditions, practices or matters as may be necessary or appropriate to determine whether a violation of such sections has been committed.

103.905(5) (5) Enforce, or cause to be enforced, ss. 103.90 to 103.97 and any rules promulgated under ss. 103.90 to 103.97, and cooperate with other officers, departments, boards, agencies or commissions of this state, or of the United States, or of any other state, or of any local government in the enforcement of such sections.

103.905 History History: 1977 c. 17.

103.905 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DWD 301, Wis. adm. code.

103.91 103.91 Migrant labor contractors.

103.91(1) (1) Registration required. No person may engage in activities as a migrant labor contractor without first obtaining a certificate of registration from the department. The certificate shall constitute a permit from this state to operate as a migrant labor contractor, and shall not be transferable to any person.

103.91(2) (2) Application.

103.91(2)(a) (a) A migrant labor contractor shall apply to the department for a certificate in such manner and on such forms as the department prescribes. The migrant labor contractor may submit a copy of a federal application filed under 7 USC 2045 in lieu of the forms prescribed by the department under this paragraph.

103.91(2)(b) (b)

103.91(2)(b)1. 1. Except as provided in subd. 2m., the department shall require each applicant for a certificate under par. (a) who is an individual to provide the department with the applicant’s social security number, and shall require each applicant for a certificate under par. (a) who is not an individual to provide the department with the applicant’s federal employer identification number, when initially applying for or applying to renew the certificate.

103.91(2)(b)2. 2. If an applicant who is an individual fails to provide the applicant’s social security number to the department or if an applicant who is not an individual fails to provide the applicant’s federal employer identification number to the department, the department may not issue or renew a certificate under par. (a) to or for the applicant unless the applicant is an individual who does not have a social security number and the applicant submits a statement made or subscribed under oath or affirmation as required under subd. 2m.

103.91(2)(b)2m. 2m. If an applicant who is an individual does not have a social security number, the applicant shall submit a statement made or subscribed under oath or affirmation to the department that the applicant does not have a social security number. The form of the statement shall be prescribed by the department. A certificate issued under par. (a) in reliance upon a false statement submitted under this subdivision is invalid.

103.91(2)(b)3. 3. The department of workforce development may not disclose any information received under subd. 1. to any person except to the department of revenue for the sole purpose of requesting certifications under s. 73.0301 or the department of children and families for purposes of administering s. 49.22.

103.91(3) (3) Annual fees. Each certificate shall be renewed annually. The fee for the certificate or renewal shall be in an amount determined by the department. The department may not require an individual who is eligible for a fee waiver under the veterans fee waiver program under s. 45.44 to pay a fee for a certificate.

103.91(4) (4) Qualifications.

103.91(4)(a) (a) The department may refuse to issue a certificate and may suspend or revoke any certificate previously issued whenever it finds that the applicant or registrant has:

103.91(4)(a)1. 1. Made a material misrepresentation or false statement in his or her application for a certificate.

103.91(4)(a)2. 2. Violated ss. 103.90 to 103.97, or any rules promulgated under such sections.

103.91(4)(b) (b) The department of workforce development shall deny, suspend, restrict, refuse to renew, or otherwise withhold a certificate of registration under sub. (1) for failure of the applicant or registrant to pay court-ordered payments of child or family support, maintenance, birth expenses, medical expenses, or other expenses related to the support of a child or former spouse or for failure of the applicant or registrant to comply, after appropriate notice, with a subpoena or warrant issued by the department of children and families or a county child support agency under s. 59.53 (5) and related to paternity or child support proceedings, as provided in a memorandum of understanding entered into under s. 49.857. Notwithstanding s. 103.005 (10), an action taken under this paragraph is subject to review only as provided in the memorandum of understanding entered into under s. 49.857 and not as provided in ch. 227.

103.91(4)(c) (c) The department shall deny an application for the issuance or renewal of a certificate under sub. (1), or revoke such a certificate already issued, if the department of revenue certifies under. s. 73.0301 that the applicant or registrant is liable for delinquent taxes. Notwithstanding s. 103.005 (10), an action taken under this paragraph is subject to review only as provided under s. 73.0301 (5) and not as provided in ch. 227.

103.91(4)(d) (d)

103.91(4)(d)1. 1. The department may deny an application for the issuance or renewal of a certificate of registration under sub. (1), or revoke such a certificate already issued, if the department determines that the applicant or registrant is liable for delinquent contributions, as defined in s. 108.227 (1) (d). Notwithstanding s. 103.005 (10), an action taken under this subdivision is subject to review only as provided under s. 108.227 (5) and not as provided in ch. 227.

103.91(4)(d)2. 2. If the department denies an application or revokes a certificate of registration under subd. 1., the department shall mail a notice of denial or revocation to the applicant or registrant. The notice shall include a statement of the facts that warrant the denial or revocation and a statement that the applicant or registrant may, within 30 days after the date on which the notice of denial or revocation is mailed, file a written request with the department to have the determination that the applicant or registrant is liable for delinquent contributions reviewed at a hearing under s. 108.227 (5) (a).

103.91(4)(d)3. 3. If, after a hearing under s. 108.227 (5) (a), the department affirms a determination under subd. 1. that an applicant or registrant is liable for delinquent contributions, the department shall affirm its denial or revocation. An applicant or registrant may seek judicial review under s. 108.227 (6) of an affirmation by the department of a denial or revocation under this subdivision.

103.91(4)(d)4. 4. If, after a hearing under s. 108.227 (5) (a), the department determines that a person whose certificate is revoked or whose application is denied under subd. 1. is not liable for delinquent contributions, as defined in s. 108.227 (1) (d), the department shall reinstate the certificate or approve the application, unless there are other grounds for revocation or denial. The department may not charge a fee for reinstatement of a certificate under this subdivision.

103.91(5) (5) Real party in interest. The department may refuse to issue a certificate, and may suspend or revoke any certificate previously issued, whenever it determines that the real party in interest in any such application or certificate is a person who previously has applied for and has been denied a certificate, or is a person who previously had been issued a certificate which subsequently was revoked or suspended by the department.

103.91(6) (6) Penalties. Refusal to issue or to renew a certificate or the suspension or revocation of a certificate or renewal shall be in addition to any other penalties imposed.

103.91(7) (7) Agents exempt from registration. A full-time employee of any person holding a valid certificate under ss. 103.90 to 103.97 who has been designated as agent of the registrant and who is employed partly or solely for the purpose of engaging in activities as a migrant labor contractor on behalf of the registrant, shall not be required to obtain a certificate in his or her own name under this section. Every such agent shall have in his or her immediate possession, when engaging in activities as a migrant labor contractor, such identification as the department may require, showing such employee to be an agent of a registrant. Every agent shall be subject to ss. 103.90 to 103.97 and any rules promulgated under such sections to the same extent as if the agent were required to obtain a certificate in his or her own name. The department shall require that every registrant identify to the department all persons who have been, or who subsequently become, agents of the registrant, and may disallow, suspend or revoke the designation as agent of any person pursuant to the qualifications of registrants required by this section. For the purposes of ss. 103.90 to 103.97, every registrant shall be responsible for the activities of every agent designated by him or her, and shall be subject to any penalties, including the refusal, suspension or revocation of a certificate, proceeding from any act of any agent so designated, while the agent is engaged in activities as a migrant labor contractor. No agent shall be permitted separately to engage in activities as a migrant labor contractor.

103.91(8) (8) Duties. Every person engaged in activities as a migrant labor contractor and every agent of a migrant labor contractor shall:

103.91(8)(a) (a) Carry at all times the certificate or other identification of such certification as the department may prescribe, and exhibit the same to all persons with whom he or she intends to deal as a migrant labor contractor prior to so dealing.

103.91(8)(b) (b) File at the U.S. post office serving the address of such migrant labor contractor, a correct address within 10 days after a change of address.

103.91(8)(c) (c) Promptly pay or deliver when due to the individuals entitled thereto, all moneys or other things of value entrusted to the contractor by any person.

103.91(8)(d) (d) Comply with the terms and provisions of all legal agreements and contracts entered into between himself or herself as a migrant labor contractor and any person.

103.91(8)(e) (e) Keep such records as the department prescribes and preserve such records for inspection by the department for such periods of time as the department shall prescribe.

103.91(8)(f) (f) Obtain a policy of insurance from any insurance carrier authorized to do business in this state in an amount as prescribed by the department, which policy insures the migrant labor contractor against liability for damages to persons or property arising out of the operation or ownership by the migrant labor contractor or by his or her agent of any vehicle for the transportation of individuals or property in connection with activities as a migrant labor contractor. This paragraph shall not apply if the contractor furnishes transportation only as the agent of an employer who has obtained a policy of insurance against liability for damages arising out of the operation of motor vehicles.

103.91(9) (9) Prohibited activities. No person engaged in activities as a migrant labor contractor, and no person acting as an agent for any such person, may:

103.91(9)(a) (a) Knowingly give to any migrant worker or a prospective migrant worker any false or misleading information, or fail to disclose fully to any such worker information concerning terms, conditions or existence of employment.

103.91(9)(b) (b) Receive, disburse or withhold the wages of any worker except to immediately distribute a check payable to a worker.

103.91(9)(c) (c) Charge or collect interest from any worker on account of any loan or extension of credit.

103.91(9)(d) (d) Charge or collect from any worker for the provision of goods or services an amount in excess of the costs to him or her of providing such goods and services.

103.91(9)(e) (e) Recruit any migrant worker except as provided in s. 103.915.

103.91 History History: 1977 c. 17; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 191, 237; 1999 a. 9; 2009 a. 180; 2011 a. 209; 2013 a. 36.

103.91 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also s. DWD 301.05, Wis. adm. code.

103.915 103.915 Migrant work agreements.

103.915(1) (1) No person may bring or arrange for another to bring a migrant worker into this state for employment, by means of an express or implied job offer induce a migrant worker to come into this state for employment, otherwise recruit a migrant worker to come into this state for employment, or hire a migrant worker for employment in this state unless that person does all of the following:

103.915(1)(a) (a) At the time of the worker’s recruitment, provides the migrant worker a written recruiting disclosure statement containing the information required in a work agreement under this section.

103.915(1)(b) (b) At the time of hiring, provides the migrant worker a written work agreement as specified in this section, which shall be signed by the employer and by each migrant worker or head of a family if a family is employed.

103.915(2) (2) The department shall issue a standard form for written work agreements required under this section. An employer may elect not to use such form. If an employer does not use the standard form, the employer shall use a form approved by the department.

103.915(3) (3) In fulfilling its duties under s. 103.905, the department may inspect any work agreement signed under this section.

103.915(4) (4) The work agreement shall include the following:

103.915(4)(a) (a) A statement of the place of employment, kind of work available, applicable wage rates, pay period, approximate hours of employment including overtime applicable, term of employment including approximate beginning and ending dates, kind of housing and any charges in connection therewith, cost of meals if provided by the employer, transportation arrangements, the names of all persons in the family employed if a family is employed and any other charges or deductions from wages beyond those required by law.

103.915(4)(b) (b) A guarantee of a minimum of 20 hours of work in a one-week period or a minimum of 64 hours of work in a 2-week period, the work to be the same as or similar to the kind of work specified in the work agreement. The work agreement shall clearly state whether the guarantee is on the basis of a one-week or 2-week period. In the case of a migrant worker employed exclusively in agricultural labor as defined in s. 108.02 (2), the guarantee shall be a minimum of 45 hours in each 2-week period, the work to be the same as or similar to the kind of work specified in the work agreement. The minimum guarantee shall be satisfied if the worker’s earnings equal the number of hours guaranteed under this paragraph multiplied by the wage rate specified in the work agreement. The guarantee shall cover the period from the date the worker is notified by the employer to report for work, which date shall be reasonably related to the approximate beginning date specified in the work agreement, or the date the worker reports for work, whichever is later, and continuing until the final termination of employment, as specified in the work agreement, or earlier if the worker is terminated for cause or due to seriously adverse circumstances beyond the employer’s control. If the beginning or ending period of employment does not coincide with the employer’s pay period, the employer may reduce the guarantee for such beginning or ending period to an amount which is equal to the number of days in the beginning or ending period of employment multiplied by one-sixth of the guarantee if the employer’s guarantee is on a weekly basis or multiplied by one-twelfth of the guarantee if the employer’s guarantee is on a biweekly basis. If a worker is not available for work, the employer may reduce the minimum guarantee by an amount equal to the wages the worker would have earned if the worker had been available for work. This paragraph shall not apply to any person who is under the age of 18 years and who is a member of a household which contains a worker covered by a migrant work agreement under this section. The payment of the minimum guarantee under this paragraph shall be considered the payment of wages under ch. 108.