230.48(1)(a)(a) Formulate, establish and maintain a plan or plans to encourage and reward unusual and meritorious suggestions and accomplishments by state employees promoting efficiency and economy in the performance of any function of state government.

230.48(1)(b)(b) Appoint departmental or divisional committees to analyze and review suggestions and accomplishments of state employees submitted for consideration under the plan or plans established under par. (a), and make recommendations regarding the plan or plans to the state employees suggestion board.

230.48(1)(c)(c) Make and render awards to or for the benefit of state employees nominated to receive them in accordance with the plan or plans established under par. (a).

230.48(2)(2) Personnel, facilities and equipment. The administrator shall appoint, under the classified service, a secretary and such other employees as are necessary to carry out the duties of the state employees suggestion board, and shall provide such facilities and equipment as that board requires for the proper performance of its work. The state employees suggestion board may request and shall receive from any state department any assistance that it requires.

230.48(3)(3) Awards. The state employees suggestion board may determine the nature and extent of the awards to be made under this section which may include, but shall not be limited to, all of the following:

230.48(3)(a)(a) Certificates, medals or other insignia, in the form and awarded at the times that the state employees suggestion board determines.

230.48(3)(b)(b) Cash awards, in an amount equal to 10 percent of the average annual savings that result from the suggestion, with a minimum payment of $50 and a maximum payment of $10,000, and payable at the times that the state employees suggestion board determines.

230.48(4)(4) Rules. The state employees suggestion board may promulgate rules governing the operation of any plan or plans established under sub. (1) (a), the eligibility and qualifications of state employees participating under this section, the character and quality of suggestions and accomplishments submitted for consideration, the method of their submission and the procedure for their review, nominations for awards, and the kind, character and value of the awards, and any other rules as are necessary for the proper administration of this section or for the accomplishment of the purposes of this section.

230.48 HistoryHistory: 1971 c. 270 s. 87; Stats. 1971 s. 16.34; 1977 c. 196 s. 61; Stats. 1977 s. 16.008; 1977 c. 418 s. 36; Stats. 1977 s. 16.006; 1981 c. 20; 1987 a. 142; 1989 a. 31 s. 99; Stats. 1989 s. 230.48; 2003 a. 33; 2011 a. 32; 2015 a. 55.

230.80(1)(1) “Abuse of authority” means an arbitrary or capricious exercise of power.

230.80(1m)(1m) “Appointing authority” means the chief officer of any governmental unit unless another person is authorized to appoint subordinate staff by the constitution or any law.

230.80(2)(2) “Disciplinary action” means any action taken with respect to an employee which has the effect, in whole or in part, of a penalty, including but not limited to any of the following:

230.80(2)(a)(a) Dismissal, demotion, transfer, removal of any duty assigned to the employee’s position, refusal to restore, suspension, reprimand, verbal or physical harassment or reduction in base pay.

230.80(2)(b)(b) Denial of education or training, if the education or training may reasonably be expected to lead to an appointment, promotion, performance evaluation or other personnel action.

230.80(2)(d)(d) Failure to increase base pay, except with respect to the determination of a discretionary performance award.

230.80(3)(3) “Employee” means any person employed by any governmental unit except:

230.80(3)(a)(a) A person employed by the office of the governor, the courts, the legislature or a service agency under subch. IV of ch. 13.

230.80(3)(b)(b) A person who is, or whose immediate supervisor is, assigned to an executive salary group under s. 20.923 or a person who has, or whose immediate supervisor has, a position specified in s. 36.115 (3m) (ae) to (f).

230.80(4)(4) “Governmental unit” means any association, authority, board, commission, department, independent agency, institution, office, society, or other body in state government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, including the legislature, the office of the governor, and the courts. “Governmental unit” does not mean any political subdivision of the state or body within one or more political subdivisions that is created by law or by action of one or more political subdivisions.

230.80(5)(5) “Information” means information gained by the employee which the employee reasonably believes demonstrates: