SB398: Bill Text

SB398,8,14 109.03 (5) Enforcement. Except as provided in sub. (1), no employer may by special contract with employees or by any other means secure exemption from this section. Each employee shall have a right of action against any employer for the full amount of the employee's wages due on each regular pay day as provided in this section and for interest on that amount and increased wages as provided in s. 109.11 (2), in any court of competent jurisdiction. An employee may bring an action under this subsection on his or her own behalf and on behalf of other employees similarly situated who consent in writing to being parties to the action. Such a consent shall be filed with the court. An employee may bring an action against an employer under this subsection without first filing a wage claim with the department under s. 109.09 (1) (a). An employee who brings an action against an employer under this subsection shall have a lien upon all property of the employer, real or personal, located in this state as described in s. 109.09 (2).

SB398,9 Section 9. 109.09 (1) of the statutes is renumbered 109.09 (1) (a) and amended to read:

SB398,9,2 109.09 (1) (a) The department shall investigate and attempt equitably to adjust controversies between employers and employees as to alleged wage claims. An employee may file a wage claim under this paragraph on his or her own behalf and on behalf of other employees similarly situated who consent in writing to being parties to the claim. Such a consent shall be filed with the department. The department may receive and investigate any wage claim which that is filed with the department, or received by the department under s. 109.10 (4), no later than 2 4 years after the date the wages are due. The department may, after After receiving a wage claim, the department may investigate any wages due from the employer against whom the claim is filed to any employee during the period commencing 2 4 years before the date the claim is filed.

SB398,9,12 (b) The department shall enforce this chapter and ss. 66.0903, 103.02, 103.40, 103.49, 103.82, 104.12, and 229.8275. In pursuance of this duty, the department may sue the employer on behalf of the employee to collect any wage claim or wage deficiency and ss. 109.03 (6) and 109.11 (2) and (3) shall apply to such actions. Except for actions under s. 109.10, the department may refer such an action to the district attorney of the county in which the violation occurs occurred for prosecution and collection and the district attorney shall commence an action in the circuit court having appropriate jurisdiction. Any number of wage claims or wage deficiencies against the same employer may be joined in a single proceeding, but the court may order separate trials or hearings.

SB398,9,17 (c) In actions that are referred to a district attorney under this subsection par. (b), any taxable costs recovered by the district attorney shall be paid into the general fund of the county in which the violation occurs and used by that county to meet its financial responsibility under s. 978.13 (2) (b) for the operation of the office of the district attorney who prosecuted the action.

SB398,10 Section 10. 109.09 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB398,9,23 109.09 (2) (a) The department of workforce development, under its authority under sub. (1) (b) to maintain actions for the benefit of employees, or an employee who brings an action under s. 109.03 (5) shall have a lien upon all property of the employer, real or personal, located in this state for the full amount of any wage claim or wage deficiency.

SB398,11 Section 11. 109.09 (2) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB398,10,5 109.09 (2) (b) 3. The department of workforce development or employee must file the notice under subd. 1. or 2. within 2 4 years after the date on which the wages were due. The notice shall specify the nature of the claim and the amount claimed, describe the property upon which the claim is made and state that the person filing the notice claims a lien on that property.

SB398,12 Section 12. 109.09 (2) (c) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB398,10,16 109.09 (2) (c) 2. Except as provided in this subdivision, a lien under par. (a) does not take precedence over a lien of a commercial lending institution against the employer that originates before the lien under par. (a) takes effect. Subject to subd. 3., a lien under par. (a) takes precedence over a lien of a commercial lending institution against the employer that originates before the lien under par. (a) takes effect only as to the first $3,000 of unpaid wages covered under the lien that are earned by an employee within the 6 months preceding the date on which the employee files the wage claim under sub. (1) (a) or brings the action under s. 109.03 (5) or the date on which the department receives the wage claim under s. 109.10 (4) (a), whichever is applicable.

SB398,13 Section 13. 109.11 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB398,10,23 109.11 (1) (a) In adjusting a controversy between an employer and an employee as to an alleged wage claim filed with the department under s. 109.09 (1) (a), the department may compromise and settle that wage claim for such sum as may be agreed upon between the department, the employee, and the employer plus interest on that sum at the rate of 2 percent per month for each month that the wages were due and unpaid and the surcharge specified in sub. (4).

SB398,14 Section 14. 109.11 (1) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 109.11 (1) (b) 1. and amended to read:

SB398,11,10 109.11 (1) (b) 1. If the department finds that a wage claim is valid, the department may instruct the employer against whom the wage claim is filed to audit his or her payroll records to determine whether the employer may be liable for any other wage claims that are of the same type as the wage claim that prompted the audit instruction. If after the requested completion date of the audit the department receives a wage claim against the employer that is of the same type as the wage claim that prompted the audit instruction and if the department determines that the subsequent wage claim is valid, the department may audit the employer's payroll records to determine whether the employer may be liable for any other wage claims that are of the same type as the wage claim that prompted the audit instruction.

SB398,11,24 2. For any valid wage claim that is filed against an employer after the department has instructed the employer to audit his or her payroll records under this paragraph subd. 1. and that is of the same type as the wage claim that prompted the audit instruction and for any valid wage claim that is discovered as a result of the department's audit under this paragraph subd. 1. and that is of the same type as the wage claim that prompted the audit instruction, the department shall require the employer to pay, in addition to the amount of wages due and unpaid, increased wages of not more than 50% of the amount of wages due and unpaid, interest on the amount of wages due and unpaid at the rate of 2 percent per month for each month that the wages were due and unpaid, and the surcharge specified in sub. (4), unless the employer shows the department that payment of the increased wages, interest, or surcharge would cause extreme hardship. The department shall require an employer to make that payment without regard to whether the employer's failure to pay the wages due and unpaid was intentional or unintentional.

SB398,15 Section 15. 109.11 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB398,12,7 109.11 (1) (c) If an employer does not agree to compromise and settle a wage claim under this subsection, the department may refer the wage claim to a district attorney under s. 109.09 (1) (b) or to the department of justice under s. 109.10 (3) for commencement of an action in circuit court to collect the amount of wages due and unpaid plus interest on that amount at the rate of 2 percent per month for each month that the wages were due and unpaid, increased wages as specified in sub. (2) (b), and the surcharge specified in sub. (4).

SB398,16 Section 16. 109.11 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB398,12,20 109.11 (2) (a) In a wage claim action that is commenced by an employee before the department has completed its investigation under s. 109.09 (1) (a) and its attempts to compromise and settle the wage claim under sub. (1), a circuit court may order the employer to pay to the employee, in addition to the amount of wages due and unpaid and in addition to or in lieu of the criminal penalties specified in sub. (3), increased wages of not more than 50% 100 percent of the amount of wages due and unpaid, interest on the amount of wages due and unpaid at the rate of 2 percent per month for each month that the wages were due and unpaid, the surcharge specified in sub. (4), and, notwithstanding s. 814.04, reasonable costs and attorney fees. A circuit court may order an employer to make that payment without regard to whether the employer's failure to pay the wages due and unpaid was intentional or unintentional.

SB398,17 Section 17. 109.11 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB398,13,8 109.11 (2) (b) In a wage claim action that is commenced after the department has completed its investigation under s. 109.09 (1) (a) and its attempts to settle and compromise the wage claim under sub. (1), a circuit court may order the employer to pay to the employee, in addition to the amount of wages due and unpaid to an employee and in addition to or in lieu of the criminal penalties specified in sub. (3), increased wages of not more than 100% 200 percent of the amount of those wages due and unpaid, interest on the amount of wages due and unpaid at the rate of 2 percent per month for each month that the wages were due and unpaid, the surcharge specified in sub. (4), and, notwithstanding s. 814.04, reasonable costs and attorney fees. A circuit court may order an employer to make that payment without regard to whether the employer's failure to pay the wages due and unpaid was intentional or unintentional.

SB398,18 Section 18. 109.11 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

SB398,13,22 109.11 (4) Surcharge. In addition to the amounts payable under sub. (1) (a) or (b) or (2) (a) or (b), the department shall require, or a circuit court shall order, an employer who fails to pay wages that are due and payable to an employee to pay to the department or circuit court a surcharge of $500 for a first violation, $750 for a 2nd violation, and $1,000 for a 3rd or subsequent violation. If the surcharge is required by the department, the department shall collect the surcharge, deposit the surcharge in the general fund, and credit the surcharge to the appropriation account under s. 20.445 (1) (gr). If the surcharge is ordered by the circuit court, the clerk of circuit court shall collect the surcharge and transmit the surcharge to the county treasurer under s. 59.40 (2) (m), the county treasurer shall pay the surcharge to the secretary of administration under s. 59.25 (3) (f) 2., and the secretary of administration shall deposit the surcharge in the general fund and credit the surcharge to the appropriation account under s. 20.445 (1) (gr).

SB398,19 Section 19. 111.322 (2m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB398,14,2 111.322 (2m) (a) The individual files a complaint or attempts to enforce any right under s. 103.02, 103.10, 103.13, 103.28, 103.32, 103.34, 103.40, 103.455, 103.50, 104.12, 106.04, 109.03, 109.07, 109.075, 109.09, or 146.997 or ss. 101.58 to 101.599 or 103.64 to 103.82.

SB398,20 Section 20. 111.322 (2m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB398,14,7 111.322 (2m) (b) The individual testifies or assists in any action or proceeding held under or to enforce any right under s. 103.02, 103.10, 103.13, 103.28, 103.32, 103.34, 103.40, 103.455, 103.50, 104.12, 106.04, 109.03, 109.07, 109.075, 109.09, or 146.997 or ss. 101.58 to 101.599 or 103.64 to 103.82.

SB398,21 Section 21. 814.75 (28) of the statutes is created to read:

SB398,14,9 814.75 (28) The wage claim surcharge under s. 109.11 (4).

SB398,22 Section 22. 893.44 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB398,14,14 893.44 (1) Any action to recover unpaid salary, wages or other compensation for personal services, except actions to recover fees for professional services and except as provided in sub. (2), shall be commenced within 2 4 years after the cause of action accrues or be barred.

SB398,23 Section 23. 893.44 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB398,14,18 893.44 (2) An action to recover wages under s. 109.09 shall be commenced within 2 4 years after the claim is filed with the department of workforce development or be barred.

SB398,24 Section 24 . Initial applicability.

SB398,14,24 (1) Wage claim statute of limitations, interest, and surcharges. The treatment of sections 109.09 (1) (with respect to the receipt and investigation of a wage claim) and (2) (b) 3., 109.11 (1) (a), (b), and (c), (2) (a) and (b), and (4), and 893.44 (1) and (2) of the statutes first applies to wages earned on the effective date of this subsection.

SB398,15,3 (2) Filing of wage claims. The treatment of sections 109.03 (5) and 109.09 (1) (with respect to the filing of a wage claim) of the statutes first applies to a wage claim action commenced or a wage claim filed on the effective date of this subsection.

SB398,15,6 (3) Written disclosure statements. The treatment of sections 103.40 and 109.01 (3m) of the statutes first applies to an employee hired on, or a change in a term of employment effective 7 days after, the effective date of this subsection.

SB398,15,9 (4) Occupational or professional licensing. The treatment of section 103.35 (3) of the statutes first applies to an application for issuance or renewal of a professional or occupational license filed on the effective date of this subsection.

SB398,25 Section 25. Effective dates. This act takes effect on the day after publication, except as follows:

SB398,15,14 (1) Written disclosure statements. The treatment of sections 103.40, 109.01 (3m), and 111.322 (2m) (a) and (b) of the statutes and Section 24 (3) of this act take effect on the first day of the 3rd month beginning after publication.

SB398,15,18 (2) Occupational or professional licensing. The renumbering and amendment of section 103.35 of the statutes, the creation of Section 103.35 (1) and (3) of the statutes, and Section 24 (4) of this act take effect on the first day of the 6th month beginning after publication.

SB398,15,19 (End)