Chapter 106

106.30(5) (5) Nursing workforce grants.

106.30(5)(a) (a) From the appropriation account under s. 20.445 (1) (km), the department of workforce development shall award grants equal to the amount appropriated under s. 20.445 (1) (km) minus the amount expended under sub. (4) to a nonprofit statewide nursing center that is comprised of and led by nurses and that has demonstrated coordination with constituent groups within the nursing community, including professional nursing organizations; organizations representing nurse educators, staff nurses, and nurse managers or executives; labor organizations representing nurses; the department of safety and professional services; the department of health services; and legislators who are concerned with issues affecting the nursing profession.

106.30(5)(b) (b) A statewide nursing center that receives a grant under par. (a) shall use the grant moneys to develop strategies to ensure that there is a nursing workforce that is adequate to meet the current and future health care needs of this state. The statewide nursing center may use those moneys to fund activities that are aimed at ensuring such a nursing workforce, including monitoring trends in the applicant pool for nursing education programs; evaluating the effectiveness of nursing education programs in increasing access to those programs and in enhancing career mobility for nurses, especially for populations that are underrepresented in the nursing profession; and facilitating partnerships between the nursing community and other health care providers, the department of safety and professional services, the business community, the legislature, and educators to promote diversity within the nursing profession, enhance career mobility and leadership development for nurses, and achieve consensus regarding policies aimed at ensuring an adequate nursing workforce in this state.

106.30 History History: 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 32; s. 35.17 correction in (2).

106.36 106.36 Offender reentry initiative.

106.36(1) (1) In this section, “offender” has the meaning given in 29 USC 3102 (38).

106.36(2) (2) The department shall align its workforce development activities under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, 29 USC 3101 to 3361, with the department of corrections’ initiatives to reintegrate offenders into the community by doing all of the following:

106.36(2)(a) (a) Training staff of the department of corrections in the use of assessment tools to assess the educational and vocational needs and skills of offenders who are incarcerated.

106.36(2)(b) (b) Providing in its guidelines for the development of local plans under 29 USC 3123 a specific requirement that local workforce development boards established under 29 USC 3122 outline in their local plans how they will work with local and statewide offender reentry initiatives supported by the department of corrections.

106.36(2)(c) (c) Appointing a representative of the department of corrections to serve on any subcommittee of the state workforce development board established under 29 USC 3111 that is responsible for the planning and operation of, and other issues relating to, the state workforce development system to ensure that workforce development programs made available through that system provide workforce development activities serving offenders.

106.36(2)(d) (d) Integrating offender reentry initiatives supported by the department of corrections with the job center network under s. 106.14 (1) to ensure that offenders are aware of the comprehensive career planning, job placement, job training, and other resources available to them through the job center network.

106.36 History History: 2015 a. 55.

106.361 106.361 Hotline for employers.

106.361(1) (1) The department shall maintain a toll-free telephone number as a hotline to assist employers seeking to employ individuals with a conviction record, as defined in s. 111.32 (3). The department shall make the hotline available during normal work hours, as determined by the department. The department shall designate hotline staff to provide employers with information and assistance relating to available incentives and programs under state and federal law for employing individuals with a conviction record, including individuals on release under s. 302.27, individuals on work release under s. 303.065, and individuals on Huber release under s. 303.08 or 973.09 (4).

106.361(2) (2) The department shall maintain a website that contains information relating to employing individuals with a conviction record, including individuals on release under s. 302.27, individuals on work release under s. 303.065, and individuals on Huber release under s. 303.08 or 973.09 (4).

106.361 History History: 2023 a. 228.

106.38 106.38 Hire Heroes program.

106.38(1) (1) Definition. In this section, “program” means the Hire Heroes program established under this section.

106.38(2) (2) Establishment. The department shall establish a Hire Heroes program to provide transitional jobs to veterans.

106.38(3) (3) Program components. The program under this section shall include all of the following features and requirements:

106.38(3)(a) (a) An individual may participate in the program for a maximum of 1,040 hours actually worked.

106.38(3)(b) (b) The employer of record shall pay the individual for hours actually worked at not less than the federal or state minimum wage that applies to the individual.

106.38(3)(c) (c) The department may reimburse an employer that employs an individual participating in the program for a minimum of 20 hours per week at a location in this state for any of the following costs that are attributable to the employment of the individual under the program:

106.38(3)(c)1. 1. A wage subsidy that is equal to an amount negotiated between the department and the employer, that is paid for each hour the individual actually worked, not to exceed 40 hours per week, and that is not more than the federal or state minimum wage that applies to the individual.

106.38(3)(c)2. 2. Federal social security and Medicare taxes.

106.38(3)(c)3. 3. State and federal unemployment insurance contributions or taxes, if any.

106.38(3)(c)4. 4. Worker’s compensation insurance premiums, if any.

106.38(3)(d) (d) An employer that employs an individual participating in the program may pay the individual an amount that exceeds any wage subsidy paid to the employer by the department under par. (c) 1., except that the employer or contractor must pay the individual at least minimum wage.

106.38(3)(e) (e) The employment of an individual under this section may not do any of the following:

106.38(3)(e)1. 1. Have the effect of filling a vacancy created by an employer terminating a regular employee or otherwise reducing its work force for the purpose of hiring an individual under this section.

106.38(3)(e)2. 2. Fill a position when any other person is on layoff or strike from the same or a substantially equivalent job within the same organizational unit.

106.38(3)(e)3. 3. Fill a position when any other person is engaged in a labor dispute regarding the same or a substantially equivalent job within the same organizational unit.

106.38(4) (4) Eligibility.

106.38(4)(a) (a) To be eligible to participate in the program, an individual must satisfy all of the following criteria:

106.38(4)(a)1. 1. Be at least 18 years of age.

106.38(4)(a)2. 2. Be a veteran, as defined under s. 45.01 (12), who is verified by the department of veterans affairs.

106.38(4)(a)2m. 2m. Submit an application to the program at any time after the date of discharge from military service.

106.38(4)(a)3. 3. Be ineligible to participate in the Wisconsin Works program under ss. 49.141 to 49.161.

106.38(4)(a)4. 4. Be unemployed for at least 4 weeks.

106.38(4)(a)5. 5. Satisfy all of the requirements related to substance abuse screening, testing, and treatment under s. 49.162 that apply to the individual.

106.38(4)(b) (b) Preference for participation in the program shall be given to individuals whose household income is not more than 60 percent of the statewide median household income, excluding service-connected disability benefits payments by the U.S. department of veterans affairs.

106.38(5) (5) Memorandum of understanding for administration. The department of children and families, the department of veterans affairs, and the department of workforce development shall enter into a memorandum of understanding for the purpose of administering this section. The memorandum of understanding shall include all of the following:

106.38(5)(a) (a) That the department of veterans affairs shall refer veterans to the program and verify eligible veterans who apply for the program.

106.38(5)(b) (b) That the department of workforce development shall allocate not more than $400,000 each fiscal year from the appropriation account under s. 20.445 (1) (m) for the purposes of funding the Hire Heroes program.

106.38(5)(c) (c) That the department of workforce development shall be responsible for administering the program.

106.38(5)(d) (d) That the department of children and families, the department of veterans affairs, and the department of workforce development shall each seek additional federal funds to support the program.

106.38(5)(e) (e) That the department of workforce development, department of children and families, and department of veterans affairs shall, to the greatest extent possible, implement the program to achieve all of the following:

106.38(5)(e)1. 1. Minimization of administrative costs by using existing contractors and other arrangements made by the department of children and families in the administration of the Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs programs under s. 49.163.

106.38(5)(e)2. 2. Coordination of any future expansion of the Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs programs under s. 49.163 with any future expansion of the Hire Heroes program.

106.38(5)(e)3. 3. Addressing the most urgent needs of Wisconsin’s unemployed veterans.

106.38(6) (6) Recovery of overpayments. The department may recover from any individual participating, or who has participated, in the program under this section any overpayment resulting from a misrepresentation by the individual as to any criterion for eligibility under sub. (3).

106.38(7) (7) Rule-making authority. The department may promulgate rules to implement the program.

106.38(8) (8) Report. Beginning in 2018, no later than December 31, the department shall prepare an annual report on the Hire Heroes program and shall submit the report to the governor, the appropriate standing committees of the legislature under s. 13.172 (3), the department of children and families, and the department of veterans affairs. The annual report shall include all of the following information about the program:

106.38(8)(a) (a) The cost of the program.

106.38(8)(b) (b) The number of applicants for the program.

106.38(8)(c) (c) The number of placements in the program.

106.38(8)(d) (d) The outcomes of the placements, including whether a veteran continued with the employer in an unsubsidized position, secured other unsubsidized employment, or did not secure an unsubsidized position after participation in the program and why, and what the post-program earnings of participants are.

106.38(8)(e) (e) Opportunities and suggestions for expansion and improvement of the program.

106.38 History History: 2017 a. 195; 2021 a. 58.

106.40 106.40 Agricultural education and workforce development council.

106.40(1) (1) Definition. In this section, “council” means the agricultural education and workforce development council.

106.40(2) (2) Functions.

106.40(2)(a) (a) The council shall seek to do all of the following:

106.40(2)(a)1. 1. Increase the hiring and retention of well-qualified employees in industries related to agriculture, food, and natural resources.

106.40(2)(a)2. 2. Promote the coordination of educational systems to develop, train, and retrain employees for current and future careers related to agriculture, food, and natural resources.

106.40(2)(a)3. 3. Develop support for employment in fields related to agriculture, food, and natural resources.

106.40(2)(a)4. 4. Recommend policies and other changes to improve the efficiency of the development and provision of agricultural education across educational systems.

106.40(2)(b) (b) The council shall seek to accomplish the purposes under par. (a) by advising state agencies on matters related to integrating agricultural education and workforce development systems, including all of the following:

106.40(2)(b)1. 1. The coordination of programs.

106.40(2)(b)2. 2. The exchange of information related to educational and workforce development needs.

106.40(2)(b)3. 3. The monitoring and evaluation of programs.

106.40(2)(c) (c) The council shall identify criteria for evaluating the success of its activities, shall evaluate the success of its activities using those criteria, and shall annually report the results of the evaluation in the report under sub. (5).

106.40(3) (3) Committees.

106.40(3)(a) (a) The council shall create an executive committee that includes the secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection or his or her designee, the state superintendent of public instruction or his or her designee, and the secretary of workforce development or his or her designee. The council shall select members of the executive committee so that fewer than half of the members of the executive committee are state employees. The executive committee shall provide guidance to the council and to staff that support the functions of the council. The executive committee shall meet between meetings of the council.

106.40(3)(b) (b) The executive committee may create other committees to assist the council in its work. The committee members may include members of the council, employees of the agencies and educational institutions with members on the council, employees of other state agencies, representatives of organizations, and others. The council and the executive committee shall consider the need for committees on the subjects within the scope of the council’s functions under sub. (2) and other subjects determined to be appropriate by the council and the executive committee. A committee shall annually provide a written summary of its meetings and activities to the executive committee for review and inclusion in the report under sub. (5).

106.40(4) (4) Assistance. The department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the department of public instruction, the department of workforce development, the department of natural resources, the technical college system, the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the College of Business, Industry, Life Science, and Agriculture of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, the College of Agriculture, Food, and Environmental Sciences of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and the College of Natural Resources of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point may assist the council in performing its functions.

106.40(4m) (4m) Meetings. The council shall meet at least annually and may meet at other times on the call of at least 6 members or on the call of the executive committee. Section 15.09 (3) does not apply to the council.

106.40(4s) (4s) Reviews.

106.40(4s)(a) (a) The department of public instruction shall annually prepare a review of agricultural education programs in primary and secondary schools.

106.40(4s)(b) (b) The technical college system shall annually prepare a review of agricultural education programs in technical colleges.

106.40(4s)(c) (c) Each of the individuals specified in s. 15.227 (15) (a) 8. and the dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison division of extension, jointly or individually, shall annually prepare a review of agricultural education programs in the University of Wisconsin System, with input from or review by the University of Wisconsin System administration.

106.40(5) (5) Annual report. In September of each year, the council shall submit a report to the appropriate standing committees of the legislature as determined by the speaker of the assembly and the president of the senate, under s. 13.172 (3), the governor, the secretary of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the state superintendent of public instruction, the secretary of workforce development, the secretary of natural resources, the chief executive officer of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, the president of the University of Wisconsin System, the director of the technical college system, the dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison division of extension, the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and the chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. The council shall include all of the following in the report:

106.40(5)(a) (a) A summary of the activities of the council during the fiscal year ending on the preceding June 30.

106.40(5)(am) (am) The reviews prepared under sub. (4s).

106.40(5)(b) (b) The council’s reaction to the reviews prepared under sub. (4s).

106.40(5)(c) (c) A list of current and anticipated challenges related to agricultural education.

106.40(5)(d) (d) Recommendations of the council, including any recommendations related to the structure of the council or the termination of the council.

106.40(5)(e) (e) Dissents of any council member related to the activities and recommendations of the council.

106.40 History History: 2007 a. 223; 2011 a. 32; 2017 a. 59 s. 1238; Stats. 2017 s. 106.40; 2023 a. 152.