2013 Wisconsin Act 36

36,92 Section 92. 108.14 (26) of the statutes is created to read:

108.14 (26) The department shall prescribe by rule a standard affidavit form that may be used by parties to appeals under ss. 108.09 and 108.10 and shall make the form available to employers and claimants. The form shall be sufficient to qualify as admissible evidence in a hearing under this chapter if the authentication is sufficient and the information set forth by the affiant is admissible, but its use by a party does not eliminate the right of an opposing party to cross examine the affiant concerning the facts asserted in the affidavit.

36,93 Section 93. 108.141 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

108.141 (7) (a) The department shall charge the state's share of each week of extended benefits to each employer's account in proportion to the employer's share of the total wages of the employee receiving the benefits in the employee's base period, except that if the employer is subject to the contribution requirements of ss. 108.17 and 108.18 the department shall charge the share of extended benefits to which s. 108.04 (1) (f), (5), (7) (a), (c), (d), (e), (k), (L), (o), (p), (q), (s), or (t), (7m) or (8) (a) or 108.07 (3), (3r), or (5) (b) or (8) applies to the fund's balancing account.

36,94 Section 94. 108.16 (2) (g) and (h) of the statutes are amended to read:

108.16 (2) (g) Whenever the department receives a request of 2 or more partnerships or limited liability companies consisting of the same partners or members to be treated as separate employers prior to October 1 of any year, the department shall apportion the balance in any existing account of the partnerships or limited liability companies among the separate employers on January 1 following the date of receipt of the request in proportion to the payrolls incurred in the businesses operated by each of the employers in the 4 completed calendar quarters ending on the computation date preceding the date of receipt of the request and shall calculate the reserve percentage of each separate employer in accordance with the proportion of the payroll attributable to that employer. Section 108.18 (2) is not made applicable to the separate employers by reason of such treatment. For purposes of s. 108.18 (7), the department shall treat the partnerships or limited liability companies as separate employers on November 1 preceding that January 1. For purposes of s. 108.18 (7) (b) and (c), the department shall treat the separate employers as existing employers on that January 1.

(h) Whenever, prior to October 1 of any year, the department receives a written request by all partnerships or limited liability companies consisting of the same partners or members which have elected to be treated as separate employers for the partnerships or limited liability companies to be treated as a single employer, the department shall combine the balances in the existing accounts of the separate employers into a new account on January 1 following the date of receipt of the request and shall calculate the reserve percentage of the single employer in accordance with the combined payroll attributable to each of the separate employers in the 4 completed calendar quarters ending on the computation date preceding that January 1. Section 108.18 (2) is not made applicable to the single employer by reason of such treatment. For purposes of s. 108.18 (7), the department shall treat the partnerships or limited liability companies as a single employer on November 1 preceding that January 1. For purposes of s. 108.18 (7) (b) and (c), the department shall treat the single employer as an existing employer on that January 1.

36,95 Section 95. 108.16 (3) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

108.16 (3) (c) Any nonrecoverable payment made without fault on the part of the intended payee.

36,96 Section 96. 108.16 (6) (o) of the statutes is created to read:

108.16 (6) (o) Any erroneous payment recovered under s. 108.22 (8e).

36,97 Section 97. 108.16 (6m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

108.16 (6m) (a) The benefits thus chargeable under s. 108.04 (1) (f), (5), (5g), (7) (h), (8) (a), (13) (c) or (d) or (16) (e), 108.07 (3), (3r), (5) (b), (5m), or (6), or (8), 108.14 (8n) (e), 108.141, 108.151, or 108.152 or sub. (6) (e) or (7) (a) and (b).

36,98 Section 98. 108.16 (6m) (h) of the statutes is created to read:

108.16 (6m) (h) Any amount paid to correct a payment under s. 108.22 (8e) that is not recovered or recoverable.

36,99 Section 99. 108.16 (8) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

108.16 (8) (b) 4. The department has received a written application from the transferee requesting that it be deemed a successor. Such Unless the transferee satisfies the department that the application was late as a result of excusable neglect, the application must be received by the department on or before the contribution payment due date for the first full quarter following the date of transfer. The department shall not accept a late application under this subdivision more than 90 days after its due date.

36,100 Section 100. 108.205 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

108.205 (1) Each employer shall file with the department, in such form as the department by rule requires, a quarterly report showing the name, social security number and wages paid to each employee who is employed by the employer in employment with the employer during the quarter. The department may also by rule require each employer to include in the report any salary reduction amounts that are not wages and that would have been paid to each such employee by the employer as salary during the quarter but for a salary reduction agreement under a cafeteria plan, within the meaning of 26 USC 125. The employer shall file the report no later than the last day of the month following the completion of each quarter.

36,102 Section 102. 108.22 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

108.22 (1) (a) If Except as provided in par. (cm), if any employer, other than an employer which has ceased business and has not paid or incurred a liability to pay wages in any quarter following the cessation of business, is delinquent in making by the assigned due date any payment to the department required of it under this chapter, the employer shall pay interest on the delinquent payment at that monthly rate that annualized is equal to 9 percent or to 2 percent more than the prime rate as published in the Wall Street Journal as of September 30 of the preceding year, whichever is greater, for each month or fraction thereof that the employer is delinquent from the date such payment became due. If any such employer is delinquent in making filing any quarterly report under s. 108.205 (1) by the assigned due date, the employer shall pay department may assess a tardy filing fee of $50 to the employer for each delinquent quarterly report in the amount of $100 or $20 per employee, as reported on the employer's most recent quarterly report, whichever is greater, or, if the report is filed within 30 days of its due date, in the amount of $50. If the department cannot determine the number of the employer's employees from the employer's most recent quarterly report, the department may reasonably estimate the number of the employer's employees for purposes of this paragraph.

36,103 Section 103. 108.22 (1) (cm) of the statutes is created to read:

108.22 (1) (cm) In limited circumstances as prescribed by rule of the department, the department may waive or decrease the interest charged under par. (a) or s. 108.17 (2c) (c).

36,104 Section 104. 108.22 (8) (c) 1. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

108.22 (8) (c) 1. a. The overpayment was the result of a departmental error and was not the fault of any employer under s. 108.04 (13) (f); and

36,105 Section 105. 108.22 (8e) of the statutes is created to read:

108.22 (8e) If the department determines a payment has been made to an unintended recipient erroneously without fault on the part of the intended payee or payee's authorized agent, the department may issue the correct payment to the intended payee if necessary, and may recover the amount of the erroneous payment from the recipient under this section or s. 108.225 or 108.245.

36,106 Section 106. 108.223 of the statutes is created to read:

108.223 Financial record matching program. (1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) "Account" means a demand deposit account, checking account, negotiable withdrawal order account, savings account, time deposit account, or money market mutual fund account.

(bg) "Debt" has the meaning given in s. 108.225 (1) (b).

(br) "Debtor" means a debtor, as defined in s. 108.225 (1) (c), whose debt has been finally determined under this chapter and is not subject to further appeal and for whom, with respect to a debt, a warrant has been issued under s. 108.22 (2), (3) or (8).

(c) "Financial institution" has the meaning given in 12 USC 3401 (1).

(2) Matching program and agreements. (a) The department shall operate a financial record matching program under this section for the purpose of identifying the assets of debtors.

(b) The department shall enter into agreements with financial institutions doing business in this state to operate the financial record matching program under this section. An agreement shall require the financial institution to participate in the financial record matching program by electing either the financial institution matching option under sub. (3) or the state matching option under sub. (4). The financial institution and the department may by mutual agreement make changes to the agreement. A financial institution that wishes to choose a different matching option shall provide the department with at least 60 days notice. The department shall furnish the financial institution with a signed copy of the agreement.

(c) The department shall reimburse a financial institution up to $125 per calendar quarter for participating in the financial record matching program under this section. The department shall make reimbursements under this paragraph from the appropriation under s. 20.445 (1) (n).

(d) To the extent feasible, the information to be exchanged under the matching program shall be provided by electronic data exchange as prescribed by the department in the agreement under par. (b).

(3) Financial institution matching option. If a financial institution with which the department has an agreement under sub. (2) elects the financial institution matching option under this subsection, all of the following apply:

(a) At least once each calendar quarter, the department shall provide to the financial institution, in the manner specified in the agreement under sub. (2) (b), information regarding debtors. The information shall include names and social security or other taxpayer identification numbers.

(b) Based on the information received under par. (a), the financial institution shall take actions necessary to determine whether any debtor has an ownership interest in an account maintained at the financial institution. If the financial institution determines that a debtor has an ownership interest in an account at the financial institution, the financial institution shall provide the department with a notice containing the debtor's name, address of record, social security number or other taxpayer identification number, and account information. The account information shall include the account number, the account type, the nature of the ownership interest in the account, and the balance of the account at the time that the record match is made. The notice under this paragraph shall be provided in the manner specified in the agreement under sub. (2) (b) and, to the extent feasible, by an electronic data exchange.

(4) State matching option. If a financial institution with which the department has an agreement under sub. (2) elects the state matching option under this subsection, all of the following apply:

(a) At least once each calendar quarter, the financial institution shall provide the department with information concerning all accounts maintained at the financial institution. For each account maintained at the financial institution, the financial institution shall notify the department of the name and social security number or other tax identification number of each person having an ownership interest in the account, together with a description of each person's interest. The information required under this paragraph shall be provided in the manner specified in the agreement under sub. (2) (b) and, to the extent feasible, by an electronic data exchange.

(b) The department shall take actions necessary to determine whether any debtor has an ownership interest in an account maintained at the financial institution providing information under par. (a). Upon the request of the department, the financial institution shall provide to the department, for each debtor who matches information provided by the financial institution under par. (a), the address of record, the account number and account type, and the balance of the account.

(5) Use of information by financial institution; penalty. A financial institution participating in the financial record matching program under this section, and the employees, agents, officers, and directors of the financial institution, may use information received from the department under sub. (3) only for the purpose of matching records and may use information provided by the department in requesting additional information under sub. (4) only for the purpose of providing the additional information. Neither the financial institution nor any employee, agent, officer, or director of the financial institution may disclose or retain information received from the department concerning debtors. Any person who violates this subsection may be fined not less than $50 nor more than $1,000 or imprisoned in the county jail for not less than 10 days or more than one year or both.

(6) Use of information by department. The department may use information provided by a financial institution under this section only for matching records under sub. (4), for administering the financial record matching program under this section, and for pursuing the collection of amounts owed to the department by debtors. The department may not disclose or retain information received from a financial institution under this section concerning account holders who are not debtors.

(7) Financial institution liability. A financial institution is not liable to any person for disclosing information to the department in accordance with an agreement under this section or for any other action that the financial institution takes in good faith to comply with this section.

36,107 Section 107. 108.225 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

108.225 (1) (b) "Debt" means a delinquent contribution or repayment of a benefit overpayment, a delinquent assessment under s. 108.04 (11) (cm) or 108.19 (1m), a liability incurred under s. 108.04 (11) (bh), an erroneous payment from the fund recovered under s. 108.245, or any liability of a 3rd party for failure to surrender to the department property or rights to property subject to levy after proceedings under sub. (4) (b) and s. 108.10 to determine that liability.

36,108 Section 108. 108.227 of the statutes is created to read:

108.227 License denial, nonrenewal, discontinuation, suspension and revocation based on delinquent unemployment insurance contributions. (1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) "Contribution" includes contributions under ss. 108.17 and 108.18, interest for a nontimely payment or a fee assessed on an employer, an assessment under s. 108.19, any payment due for a forfeiture imposed upon an employing unit under s. 108.04 (11) (c), and any other penalty assessed by the department under this chapter against an employing unit.

(b) "Credential" has the meaning given in s. 440.01 (2) (a), but does not include a registration as an inactive licensee under s. 452.12 (6) (b).

(c) "Credentialing board" means a board, examining board or affiliated credentialing board in the department of safety and professional services that grants a credential.

(d) "Liable for delinquent contributions" means that a person has exhausted all of the person's remedies under s. 108.10 to challenge the assertion that the person owes the department any contributions and the person is delinquent in the payment of those contributions.

(e) "License" means any of the following:

1. An approval specified in s. 29.024 (2r) or a license specified in s. 169.35.

2. A license issued by the department of children and families under s. 48.66 (1) (a) to a child welfare agency, group home, shelter care facility, or child care center, as required by s. 48.60, 48.625, 48.65, or 938.22 (7).

3. A license, certificate of approval, provisional license, conditional license, certification, certification card, registration, permit, training permit or approval specified in s. 50.35, 50.49 (6) (a) or (10), 51.038, 51.04, 51.42 (7) (b) 11., 51.421 (3) (a), 51.45 (8), 146.40 (3) or (3m), 252.23 (2), 252.24 (2), 254.176, 254.20 (3), 255.08 (2) (a), 256.15 (5) (a) or (b), (6g) (a), (7), or (8) (a) or (f) or 343.305 (6) (a) or a permit for operation of a campground specified in s. 254.47 (1).

5. A license, as defined in s. 101.02 (20) (a).

6. A license or certificate of registration issued by the department of financial institutions, or a division of it, under ss. 138.09, 138.12, 138.14, 217.06, 218.0101 to 218.0163, 218.02, 218.04, 218.05, 224.72, 224.725, 224.93 or under subch. IV of ch. 551.

7. A license described in s. 218.0114 (14) (a) and (g), a license described in s. 218.0114 (14) (b), (c) or (e), a license issued under s. 218.11, 218.12, 218.22, 218.32, 218.41, 343.61 or 343.62, a buyer identification card issued under s. 218.51 or a certificate of registration issued under s. 341.51.

7m. A license issued under s. 562.05 or 563.24.

8. A license, registration or certification specified in s. 299.07 (1) (a).

9. A credential.

10. A license or permit granted by the department of public instruction.

11. A license to practice law.

12. A license issued under s. 628.04, 632.69 (2), or 633.14 or a temporary license issued under s. 628.09.

13. A license issued by the government accountability board under s. 13.63 (1).

14. A permit under s. 170.12.

15. A certificate under s. 73.03 (50) or a certification under s. 73.09.

(f) "Licensing department" means the department of administration; the board of commissioners of public lands; the department of children and families; the government accountability board; the department of financial institutions; the department of health services; the department of natural resources; the department of public instruction; the department of revenue; the department of safety and professional services; the office of the commissioner of insurance; or the department of transportation.

(g) "Nondelinquency certificate" means a certificate that the department of workforce development issues to a person and that states that the person is not liable for delinquent contributions.

(1m) General provisions. The department shall promulgate rules specifying procedures to be used before taking action under sub. (3) (b) or s. 102.17 (1) (ct), 103.275 (2) (bt), 103.34 (10) (d), 103.91 (4) (d), 103.92 (8), 104.07 (7), or 105.13 (4) with respect to a person whose license or credential is to be denied, not renewed, discontinued, suspended, or revoked, including rules with respect to all of the following:

(a) Permitting the department to take action only when all of the remedies available to the department under this chapter have been exhausted.

(b) Providing persons with a certified notice of liability for delinquent contributions.

(c) Allowing persons to make full payment of contributions owed or to negotiate with the department for a payment plan to pay the delinquent contributions. The rules shall include provisions to consider the ability of persons to pay and provisions to allow persons sufficient time and payment terms for paying delinquent contributions.

(2) Duties and powers of licensing departments. (a) Each licensing department and the supreme court, if the supreme court agrees, shall enter into a memorandum of understanding with the department of workforce development under sub. (4) (a) that requires the licensing department or supreme court to do all of the following:

1. Request the department of workforce development to certify whether an applicant for a license or license renewal or continuation is liable for delinquent contributions. With respect to an applicant for a license granted by a credentialing board, the department of safety and professional services shall make a request under this subdivision. This subdivision does not apply to the department of transportation with respect to licenses described in sub. (1) (e) 7.

2. Request the department of workforce development to certify whether a license holder is liable for delinquent contributions. With respect to a holder of a license granted by a credentialing board, the department of safety and professional services shall make a request under this subdivision.

(b) Each licensing department and the supreme court, if the supreme court agrees, shall do all of the following:

1. a. If, after a request is made under par. (a) 1. or 2., the department of workforce development certifies that the license holder or applicant for a license or license renewal or continuation is liable for delinquent contributions, revoke the license or deny the application for the license or license renewal or continuation. The department of transportation may suspend licenses described in sub. (1) (e) 7. in lieu of revoking those licenses. A suspension, revocation, or denial under this subd. 1. a. is not subject to administrative review or, except as provided in sub. (6), judicial review. With respect to a license granted by a credentialing board, the department of safety and professional services shall make a revocation or denial under this subd. 1. a. With respect to a license to practice law, the department of workforce development shall not submit a certification under this subd. 1. a. to the supreme court until after the license holder or applicant has exhausted his or her remedies under subs. (5) (a) and (6) or has failed to make use of such remedies.

b. Mail a notice of suspension, revocation, or denial under subd. 1. a. to the license holder or applicant. The notice shall include a statement of the facts that warrant the suspension, revocation, or denial and a statement that the license holder or applicant may, within 30 days after the date on which the notice of suspension, revocation, or denial is mailed, file a written request with the department of workforce development to have the certification of contribution delinquency on which the suspension, revocation, or denial is based reviewed at a hearing under sub. (5) (a) and that the license holder or applicant may seek judicial review under sub. (6) of an affirmation under sub. (5) (b) 2. that the person is liable for delinquent contributions. With respect to a license granted by a credentialing board, the department of safety and professional services shall mail a notice under this subd. 1. b. With respect to a license to practice law, the department of workforce development shall mail a notice under this subd. 1. b. and the notice shall indicate that the license holder or applicant may request a hearing under sub. (5) (a) and may request judicial review under sub. (6) and that the department of workforce development will submit a certificate of delinquency to suspend, revoke, or deny a license to practice law to the supreme court after the license holder or applicant has exhausted his or her remedies under subs. (5) (a) and (6) or has failed to make use of such remedies. A notice sent to a person who holds a license to practice law or who is an applicant for a license to practice law shall also indicate that the department of workforce development may not submit a certificate of delinquency to the supreme court if the license holder or applicant pays the delinquent contributions in full or enters into an agreement with the department of workforce development to satisfy the delinquency.

2. Except as provided in subd. 2m., if notified by the department of workforce development that the department of workforce development has affirmed a certification of contribution delinquency after a hearing under sub. (5) (a), affirm a suspension, revocation, or denial under subd. 1. a. With respect to a license granted by a credentialing board, the department of safety and professional services shall make an affirmation under this subdivision.

2m. With respect to a license to practice law, if notified by the department of workforce development that the department of workforce development has affirmed a certification of contribution delinquency after any requested review under subs. (5) (a) and (6), decide whether to suspend, revoke, or deny a license to practice law.

3. If a person submits a nondelinquency certificate issued under sub. (5) (b) 1., reinstate the license or grant the application for the license or license renewal or continuation, unless there are other grounds for suspending or revoking the license or for denying the application for the license or license renewal or continuation. If reinstatement is required under this subdivision, a person is not required to submit a new application or other material or to take a new test. No separate fee may be charged for reinstatement of a license under this subdivision. With respect to a license granted by a credentialing board, the department of safety and professional services shall reinstate a license or grant an application under this subdivision.

4. If a person whose license has been suspended or revoked or whose application for a license or license renewal or continuation has been denied under subd. 1. a. submits a nondelinquency certificate issued under sub. (3) (a) 2., reinstate the license or grant the person's application for the license or license renewal or continuation, unless there are other grounds for not reinstating the license or for denying the application for the license or license renewal or continuation. With respect to a license granted by a credentialing board, the department of safety and professional services shall reinstate a license or grant an application under this subdivision.

(c) 1. Each licensing department and the supreme court may require a license holder or an applicant for a license or license renewal or continuation to provide the following information upon request:

a. If the license holder or applicant is an individual and has a social security number, the license holder's or applicant's social security number.

am. If the license holder or applicant is an individual and does not have a social security number, a statement made or subscribed under oath or affirmation that the license holder or applicant does not have a social security number. The form of the statement shall be prescribed by the department of children and families. A license issued in reliance upon a false statement submitted under this subd. 1. am. is invalid.