To committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources.
__________________
Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Representative Strachota added as a cosponsor of
Senate Bill
64
.
Pursuant to Senate Rule 17 (5), Senator S. Fitzgerald added as a coauthor of
Senate Bill
51
.
__________________
State of Wisconsin
Department of Workforce Development
February 25, 2009
The Honorable, The Senate:
Pursuant to 109.12(2) and (3), Wis. Stats., I hereby submit the Department of Workforce Development's (DWD) 2008 annual report on the administration and enforcement of 109.07 and 109.075, Wis. Stats. The report contains three sections. The first section lists all employers in 2008 that notified DWD of business closings and mass layoffs planned in Wisconsin. The second section of the report lists employers against whom DWD has received business closing or mass layoff notification complaints and the current status or outcome of those complaints. The third section of the report lists employers against whom DWD has received healthcare cessation notification complaints, DWD's actions and the current status or outcome of those complaints.
Business Closing or Mass Layoff Notification Cases:
On January 1, 2008 the department had 24 business closing or mass layoff cases pending either within the department [DWD] or at the Department of Justice [DOJ}. Since January 1, 2008, 15 of those cases have been resolved. Seven cases were settled. Eight cases were closed as invalid complaints. Of the remaining nine cases, eight remain with the DOJ in various stages of litigation and one has an invalid initial determination but is still in the appeal process.
During 2008 and thus far in 2009 the department has received 30 new cases. Eleven of these cases remain under investigation. Eighteen cases have been closed as invalid. One case has been referred to DOJ for litigation.
Overall in 2008 the departments collected more than $636,000 in increased wages for 288 employees due to a combination of employers' failures to provide employees with advance notices of business closings or mass layoffs and unpaid final wages for these employees.
Healthcare Plan Cessation Notification Cases:
On January 1, 2008 the department had nine healthcare plan cessation notification cases pending either at DWD or DOJ. Since January 1, 2008 one of these cases was settled. Four cases were closed as invalid. One has an invalid initial determination but is still in the appeal process. The remaining three cases are pending litigation by DOJ. The amount of money collected in the settlement of the above case is included in the $636,000 listed as collected under the business closing cases.
In 2008 four new healthcare plan cessation notification cases were filed. DWD has completed its investigation of three of these cases and determined they were invalid. The other case was referred to DOJ for litigation.
If you have any questions regarding the information contained in this report, please contact Jennifer Ortiz, Administrator of the Equal Rights Division, at (608) 266-0946.
Sincerely,
roberta gassman
Secretary
Referred to committee on Labor, Elections, and Urban Affairs.
__________________
Relating to the Wisconsin lists of endangered and threatened species.
Submitted by Department of Natural Resources.
Report received from Agency, February 23, 2009.
Referred to committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources, February 25, 2009.
