Chapter 49

49.137(5) (5) Limit on expenditure of funds. No funds provided under this section may be used for the purchase or improvement of land or for the purchase, construction or permanent improvement, other than minor remodeling, of any building or facility.

49.137(6) (6) Grant administration. The department may administer the grant application processes under subs. (2) and (3) or contract for the administration of that process.

49.137 History History: 1991 a. 275; 1993 a. 16; 1995 a. 27, 289; 1995 a. 404 ss. 142 to 161; Stats. 1995 s. 49.137; 1997 a. 27, 252; 2001 a. 16; 2005 a. 25; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 185; 2013 a. 20; 2017 a. 59.

49.137 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DCF 204, Wis. adm. code.

49.1375 49.1375 Early childhood excellence initiative.

49.1375(1) (1) The department shall establish a grant program to develop at least 5 early childhood centers for children under the age of 5 who are eligible to receive temporary assistance to needy families under 42 USC 601 et seq. Centers awarded a grant under this subsection shall provide outreach and training for parents of the children served by the center and training for child care providers. The centers shall emphasize stimulation of the child’s language skills and senses of vision and touch. A person who is awarded a grant under this subsection shall contribute matching funds from local or private sources equal to 25 percent of the amount awarded under this subsection.

49.1375(2) (2) The department shall establish a grant program under which a child care provider that receives training at a center that is awarded a grant under sub. (1) may apply for a grant to establish an early childhood program that serves children specified under sub. (1). The program developed under a grant received under this subsection shall emphasize stimulation of the children’s language skills and senses of vision and touch. A person who is awarded a grant under this subsection shall contribute matching funds from local or private sources equal to 25 percent of the amount awarded under this subsection.

49.1375 History History: 1999 a. 9.

49.138 49.138 Emergency assistance for families with needy children.

49.138(1d) (1d) In this section:

49.138(1d)(a) (a) “Administering agency” means the department or, if the department has contracted with a Wisconsin works agency under sub. (3), the Wisconsin works agency.

49.138(1d)(b) (b) “Needy person” has the meaning specified by the department by rule.

49.138(1m) (1m) The department shall implement a program of emergency assistance to needy persons in cases of fire, flood, natural disaster, homelessness or impending homelessness, or energy crisis. The department shall establish the maximum amounts of aid to be granted. The department need not establish the maximum amounts by rule under ch. 227. The department shall publish the maximum amounts in the Wisconsin administrative register if the department does not establish the maximum amounts by rule. Emergency assistance provided to needy persons under this section may only be provided to a needy person once in a 12-month period. Emergency assistance provided to needy persons under this section in cases of homelessness or impending homelessness may be used only to obtain or retain a permanent living accommodation. For the purposes of this section, a family is considered to be homeless, or to be facing impending homelessness, if any of the following applies:

49.138(1m)(a) (a) The family must leave its current housing because it is uninhabitable as determined by a local building inspector, a local health department or another appropriate local authority.

49.138(1m)(am) (am) The family is experiencing a financial crisis that makes it very difficult for the family to make a rent payment, mortgage payment or property tax payment and the family has been notified that it will be required to leave its current housing if it does not make that payment immediately.

49.138(1m)(b) (b) The family has a current residence that is a shelter designed for temporary accommodation such as a motel, hotel, shelter facility or transitional shelter facility.

49.138(1m)(c) (c) A member of the family was a victim of domestic abuse, as defined in s. 968.075 (1) (a).

49.138(1m)(d) (d) The family is without a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.

49.138(1m)(e) (e) The family is living in a place that is not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation.

49.138(3) (3) The department may contract with a Wisconsin works agency to administer this section.

49.138(4) (4) 

49.138(4)(a) (a) Any individual whose application for emergency assistance under this section is not acted upon with reasonable promptness after the filing of the application, as defined by the department by rule, or is denied in whole or in part, or who believes that the assistance amount was calculated incorrectly, may petition the administering agency for a review of such action. Review is unavailable if the action by the administering agency occurred more than 45 days prior to submission of the petition for review.

49.138(4)(b) (b) Upon a timely petition under par. (a), the administering agency shall give the petitioner reasonable notice and opportunity for a review. The administering agency shall render its decision as soon as possible after the review and shall send by 1st class mail a certified copy of its decision to the petitioner. The administering agency shall deny a petition for a review or shall refuse to grant relief if the petitioner does any of the following:

49.138(4)(b)1. 1. Withdraws the petition in writing.

49.138(4)(b)2. 2. Abandons the petition. Abandonment occurs if the petitioner fails to appear in person or by representative at a scheduled review without good cause, as defined by the department by rule.

49.138(4)(c) (c) If the administering agency is a Wisconsin works agency, the department may review the decision of the Wisconsin works agency if, within 14 days after the date on which the certified copy of the decision of the Wisconsin works agency is mailed, the applicant or participant petitions the department for a review of that decision.

49.138(5) (5) 

49.138(5)(a) (a) The department shall recover from an individual receiving emergency assistance under this section an overpayment of the emergency assistance if the overpayment resulted from a misrepresentation by the individual applying for the assistance with respect to any fact having an effect on the individual’s eligibility for, or the amount of, the assistance granted.

49.138(5)(b) (b) If an overpayment of emergency assistance provided under this section resulted from an error made by a Wisconsin Works agency, the department shall recover the overpayment from the Wisconsin Works agency and may do so by offsetting the amount from amounts otherwise due the agency under a contract under s. 49.143.

49.138(5)(c) (c) The department may recover overpayments of emergency assistance under par. (a) or (b) in the manners provided in ss. 49.195 (3m) and 49.85. Nothing in this paragraph or par. (b) precludes the department from recovering emergency assistance overpayments through any other legal means.

49.138 History History: 1995 a. 289 ss. 83e, 103d; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2003 a. 33; 2005 a. 25; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 45; 2015 a. 55.

49.138 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DCF 120, Wis. adm. code.

49.1385 49.1385 Grants for services for homeless and runaway youth. The department may award not more than $400,000 in each fiscal year in grants to support programs that provide services for homeless and runaway youth.

49.1385 History History: 2017 a. 59; 2019 a. 9.

49.139 49.139 Emergency shelter funding. From the appropriation account under s. 20.437 (2) (f), the department shall provide $50,000 annually, beginning on October 1, 2009, to the Emergency Shelter of the Fox Valley to provide services to homeless individuals and families.

49.139 History History: 2009 a. 28.

49.141 49.141 Wisconsin works; general provisions.

49.141(1) (1) Definitions. As used in ss. 49.141 to 49.161 and 49.26:

49.141(1)(a) (a) “Community service job” means a work component of Wisconsin works administered under s. 49.147 (4).

49.141(1)(b) (b) “Custodial parent” means, with respect to a dependent child, a parent who resides with that child and, if there has been a determination of legal custody with respect to the dependent child, has legal custody of that child. For the purposes of this paragraph, “legal custody” has the meaning given in s. 767.001 (2) (a).

49.141(1)(c) (c) “Dependent child” means a person who resides with a parent and who is under the age of 18 or, if the person is a full-time student at a secondary school or a vocational or technical equivalent and is reasonably expected to complete the program before attaining the age of 19, is under the age of 19.

49.141(1)(d) (d) “Financial and employment planner” means a caseworker employed by a Wisconsin works agency who provides financial or employment counseling services to a participant.

49.141(1)(e) (e) “Job access loan” means a loan administered under s. 49.147 (6).

49.141(1)(f) (f) “Migrant worker” has the meaning given in s. 103.90 (5).

49.141(1)(g) (g) “Minimum wage” means the state minimum hourly wage under s. 104.035 (1) or the federal minimum hourly wage under 29 USC 206 (a) (1), whichever is applicable.

49.141(1)(h) (h) “Noncustodial parent” means, with respect to a dependent child, a parent who is not the custodial parent.

49.141(1)(i) (i) “Nonmarital coparent” means, with respect to an individual and a dependent child, a parent who is not married to the individual, who resides with the dependent child, and who is one of the following:

49.141(1)(i)1. 1. An adjudicated parent.

49.141(1)(i)2. 2. A parent who has signed and filed with the state registrar under s. 69.15 (3) (b) 3. a statement acknowledging paternity.

49.141(1)(i)3. 3. A parent who has been conclusively determined from genetic test results to be the father under s. 767.804.

49.141(1)(j) (j) “Parent” means any of the following:

49.141(1)(j)1. 1. A biological parent.

49.141(1)(j)2. 2. A person who has consented to the artificial insemination of his wife under s. 891.40.

49.141(1)(j)3. 3. A parent by adoption.

49.141(1)(j)4. 4. A man adjudged in a judicial proceeding to be the biological father of a child if the child is a nonmarital child who is not adopted or whose parents do not subsequently intermarry under s. 767.803.

49.141(1)(j)5. 5. A man who has signed and filed with the state registrar under s. 69.15 (3) (b) 3. a statement acknowledging paternity.

49.141(1)(j)6. 6. A man who has been conclusively determined from genetic test results to be the father under s. 767.804.

49.141(1)(k) (k) “Participant” means an individual who participates in any component of the Wisconsin works program.

49.141(1)(L) (L) “Strike” has the meaning provided in 29 USC 142 (2).

49.141(1)(m) (m) “Transitional placement” means a work component of Wisconsin works administered under s. 49.147 (5).

49.141(1)(n) (n) “Trial employment match program job” means a work component of Wisconsin Works administered under s. 49.147 (3).

49.141(1)(p) (p) “Wisconsin works” means the assistance program for families with dependent children, administered under ss. 49.141 to 49.161.

49.141(1)(r) (r) “Wisconsin works employment position” means any job or placement under s. 49.147 (3) to (5).

49.141(1)(s) (s) “Wisconsin Works group” means an individual who is a custodial parent, all dependent children with respect to whom the individual is a custodial parent, and all dependent children with respect to whom the individual’s dependent child is a custodial parent. “Wisconsin Works group” includes any nonmarital coparent or any spouse of the individual who resides in the same household as the individual and any dependent children with respect to whom the spouse or nonmarital coparent is a custodial parent.

49.141(3) (3) Applications. Any individual may apply for any component of Wisconsin works. Application for each component of Wisconsin works shall be made on a form prescribed by the department. The individual shall submit a completed application form to a Wisconsin works agency in the geographical area specified by the department under s. 49.143 (6) in which the individual lives and in the manner prescribed by the department.

49.141(4) (4) Nonentitlement. Notwithstanding fulfillment of the eligibility requirements for any component of Wisconsin works, an individual is not entitled to services or benefits under Wisconsin works.

49.141(5) (5) Nonsupplant.

49.141(5)(am) (am) No Wisconsin works employment position may be operated so as to do any of the following:

49.141(5)(am)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 s. 49.147 (3), (4) or (5).

49.141(5)(am)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.

49.141(5)(am)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.

49.141(5)(bm) (bm) The department shall promulgate rules specifying a grievance procedure for resolving complaints of alleged violations of par. (am).

49.141(6) (6) Prohibited conduct. A person, in connection with Wisconsin works, may not do any of the following:

49.141(6)(a) (a) Knowingly and willfully make or cause to be made any false statement or representation of a material fact in any application for any benefit or payment.

49.141(6)(b) (b) Having knowledge of the occurrence of any event affecting the initial or continued eligibility for a benefit or payment under Wisconsin works, conceal or fail to disclose that event with an intent fraudulently to secure a benefit or payment under Wisconsin works either in a greater amount or quantity than is due or when no such benefit or payment is authorized.

49.141(7) (7) Suspensions.

49.141(7)(c) (c) Except as provided in par. (d), in addition to the penalties applicable under s. 946.90 (2) or (3), a person shall be suspended from participating in Wisconsin Works for a period of 10 years, beginning on the date of conviction, if the person is convicted in a federal or state court for any of the following:

49.141(7)(c)1. 1. Violating sub. (6) (a) or s. 946.90 (2) (a) with respect to his or her identity or place of residence for the purpose of receiving simultaneously from this state and at least one other state assistance funded by a block grant under Title I of the Federal Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

49.141(7)(c)2. 2. Fraudulently misstating or misrepresenting his or her identity or place of residence for the purpose of receiving simultaneously from this state and at least one other state benefits under the medical assistance program under 42 USC 1396 et seq.

49.141(7)(c)3. 3. Fraudulently misstating or misrepresenting his or her identity or place of residence for the purpose of receiving simultaneously in this state and at least one other state benefits under the federal food stamp program under 7 USC 2011 to 2029.

49.141(7)(c)4. 4. Fraudulently misstating or misrepresenting his or her identity or place of residence for the purpose of receiving simultaneously in this state and at least one other state benefits under the federal supplemental security income program under 42 USC 1381 to 1383d.

49.141(7)(d) (d) A person who has been suspended from participating in Wisconsin works under par. (c) and whom the president of the United States has pardoned with respect to the conduct for which the person had been suspended may have his or her eligibility to participate in Wisconsin works reinstated beginning on the first day of the first month beginning after the pardon.

49.141(8) (8) Damages. If a person is convicted under s. 946.90 (2) or (3), the state has a cause of action for relief against the person in an amount equal to 3 times the amount of actual damages sustained as a result of any excess payments made in connection with the offense for which the conviction was obtained. Proof by the state of a conviction under s. 946.90 (2) or (3) is conclusive proof in a civil action of the state’s right to damages and the only issue in controversy shall be the amount, if any, of the actual damages sustained. Actual damages consist of the total amount of excess payments, any part of which is paid with state funds. In a civil action under this subsection, the state may elect to file a motion in expedition of the action. Upon receipt of the motion, the presiding judge shall expedite the action.

49.141 History History: 1995 a. 289; 1997 a. 27, 41, 283; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 105, 109; 2003 a. 173; 2005 a. 443 s. 265; 2009 a. 28; 2013 a. 20, 226; 2015 a. 55; 2019 a. 95.

49.141 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DCF 101, Wis. adm. code.

49.143 49.143 Wisconsin works; agency contracts.

49.143(1) (1) Awarding contracts.

49.143(1)(a) (a) Except as provided in par. (ar), the department may do any of the following:

49.143(1)(a)1. 1. Award a contract, on the basis of a competitive process approved by the secretary of administration, to any person to administer Wisconsin works in a geographical area determined by the department under sub. (6). The competitive process shall include cost and prior experience criteria.