Amendment SA2-AB748

AB748-SA2,18,7 (f) Exception. An employer is not required to comply with this subsection during a period in which the employer's regular operations are suspended due to an event outside of the employer's control.

AB748-SA2,18,15 (g) Designating additional covered occupations. The department may promulgate rules to apply the protections afforded under pars. (a) to (f) to additional occupations. The department may designate an occupation under this paragraph if the department determines that at least 10 percent of the individuals employed in the occupation either typically receive notice of changes to their work schedules less than 14 days before the change takes effect or regularly experience fluctuations in the number of hours the individuals are scheduled to work on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

AB748-SA2,18,22 (4) Prohibited acts. (a) No employer may interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of the right of an employee to request and receive a change in the terms and conditions of employment as provided under sub. (2). No employer may interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of the right of a service employee to receive advance notice of work schedules as provided under sub. (3) (a), receive compensation as provided under sub. (3) (b) 1. and (d), or request approval to trade work shifts as provided under sub. (3) (c).

AB748-SA2,19,4 (b) No employer may discharge or discriminate against an employee in promotion, in compensation, or in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment for exercising a right of an employee described under par. (a), opposing a practice prohibited under this section, filing or indicating an intent to file a complaint or otherwise attempting to enforce a right under this section, or testifying, assisting, or participating in any manner in any investigation, action, or proceeding to enforce a right under this section.

AB748-SA2,19,12 (5) Enforcement. (a) Administrative proceeding. An employee whose rights are interfered with, restrained, or denied in violation of sub. (4) (a) or who is discharged or discriminated against in violation of sub. (4) (b) may file a complaint with the department, and the department shall process the complaint in the same manner that employment discrimination complaints are processed under s. 111.39. If the department finds that a violation has occurred, the department may order the employer to take action to remedy the violation, including any action authorized under s. 111.39.

AB748-SA2,19,17 (b) Civil action. 1. The department or an employee whose rights are interfered with, restrained, or denied in violation of sub. (4) (a) or who is discharged or discriminated against in violation of sub. (4) (b) may bring an action in circuit court against an employer on the basis of the violation without regard to exhaustion of any administrative remedy.

AB748-SA2,19,20 2. In an action under subd. 1., if the circuit court finds that a violation of sub. (4) (a) or (b) has occurred with respect to an employee, the circuit court shall order the defendant to pay to the employee all of the following:

AB748-SA2,19,22 a. Compensatory damages in an amount that the circuit court or jury finds appropriate.

AB748-SA2,20,2 b. Unless the employer proves that the employer acted in good faith and had a reasonable basis for believing that the act or omission that constituted the violation was not a violation of this section, an additional amount as liquidated damages equal to 100 percent of the amount of compensatory damages determined under subd. 2. a.

AB748-SA2,20,4 c. Notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1), reasonable attorney fees and costs incurred in the action.

AB748-SA2,20,6 3. Damages awarded under subd. 2. are in addition to any back pay or other amounts awarded under s. 111.39 or 111.395.

AB748-SA2,20,9 (6) Penalties. In addition to any damages imposed under sub. (5), an employer that willfully violates this section may be required to forfeit not more than $1,000 for each violation. Each day of continued violation constitutes a separate offense.

AB748-SA2,20,13 (7) Notice posted. An employer shall post, in one or more conspicuous places where notices to employees are customarily posted, a notice in a form approved by the department setting forth employees' rights under this section. An employer that violates this subsection shall forfeit not more than $100 for each violation.”.

AB748-SA2,20,14 15. Page 5, line 6: before that line insert:

AB748-SA2,20,16 “ Section 3b. 103.10 (1) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 103.10 (1) (a) and amended to read:

AB748-SA2,20,18 103.10 (1) (a) “Child" means a natural, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, or a legal ward to whom any of the following applies: .

AB748-SA2,3c Section 3c. 103.10 (1) (a) 1. of the statutes is repealed.

AB748-SA2,3d Section 3d. 103.10 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB748-SA2,3e Section 3e. 103.10 (1) (ap) of the statutes is created to read:

AB748-SA2,20,22 103.10 (1) (ap) “Covered active duty" means any of the following:

AB748-SA2,20,24 1. In the case of a member of a regular component of the U.S. armed forces, duty during the deployment of the member with the U.S. armed forces to a foreign country.

AB748-SA2,21,4 2. In the case of a member of a reserve component of the U.S. armed forces, duty during the deployment of the member with the U.S. armed forces to a foreign country under a call or order to active duty under a provision of law specified in 10 USC 101 (a) (13) (B).

AB748-SA2,3f Section 3f. 103.10 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB748-SA2,21,9 103.10 (1) (b) Except as provided in sub. (1m) (b) 2. and s. 452.38, “employee" means an individual employed in this state by an employer, except the employer's parent, child, spouse, domestic partner, or child parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling.

AB748-SA2,3g Section 3g. 103.10 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB748-SA2,21,16 103.10 (1) (c) Except as provided in sub. (1m) (b) 3., “employer" means a person engaging in any activity, enterprise, or business in this state employing at least 50 25 individuals on a permanent basis. “Employer" includes the state and any office, department, independent agency, authority, institution, association, society, or other body in state government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, including the legislature and the courts.

AB748-SA2,3h Section 3h. 103.10 (1) (dm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB748-SA2,21,18 103.10 (1) (dm) “Grandchild" means the child of a child.

AB748-SA2,3i Section 3i. 103.10 (1) (dp) of the statutes is created to read:

AB748-SA2,21,20 103.10 (1) (dp) “Grandparent" means the parent of a parent.

AB748-SA2,3j Section 3j. 103.10 (1) (gm) of the statutes is created to read:

AB748-SA2,21,23 103.10 (1) (gm) “Sibling" means a brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, or stepsister, whether by blood, marriage, or adoption.

AB748-SA2,3k Section 3k. 103.10 (1m) (b) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB748-SA2,22,8 103.10 (1m) (b) 4. “Family member" means a spouse or domestic partner of an employee; a parent, child, sibling, including a foster sibling, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, grandparent, stepgrandparent, or grandchild of an employee or of an employee's spouse or domestic partner; or any other person who is related by blood, marriage, or adoption to an employee or to an employee's spouse or domestic partner and whose close association with the employee, spouse, or domestic partner makes the person the equivalent of a family member of the employee, spouse, or domestic partner.

AB748-SA2,3L Section 3L. 103.10 (3) (a) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB748-SA2,22,11 103.10 (3) (a) 1. In a 12-month period no employee may take more than 6 weeks of family leave under par. (b) 1. and, 2., and 4.

AB748-SA2,3m Section 3m. 103.10 (3) (b) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB748-SA2,22,15 103.10 (3) (b) 3. To care for the employee's child, spouse, domestic partner, or parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling, if the child, spouse, domestic partner, or parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling has a serious health condition.

AB748-SA2,3n Section 3n. 103.10 (3) (b) 4. of the statutes is created to read:

AB748-SA2,22,20 103.10 (3) (b) 4. Because of any qualifying exigency, as determined by the department by rule, arising out of the fact that the spouse, child, domestic partner, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the employee is on covered active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty.

AB748-SA2,3o Section 3o. 103.10 (6) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB748-SA2,23,2 103.10 (6) (b) (intro.) If an employee intends to take family leave because of the planned medical treatment or supervision of a child, spouse, domestic partner, or parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling or intends to take medical leave because of the planned medical treatment or supervision of the employee, the employee shall do all of the following:

AB748-SA2,3p Section 3p. 103.10 (6) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB748-SA2,23,7 103.10 (6) (b) 1. Make a reasonable effort to schedule the medical treatment or supervision so that it does not unduly disrupt the employer's operations, subject to the approval of the health care provider of the child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or employee.

AB748-SA2,3q Section 3q. 103.10 (6) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

AB748-SA2,23,13 103.10 (6) (c) If the employee intends to take leave under sub. (3) (b) 4. that is foreseeable because the spouse, child, domestic partner, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the employee is on covered active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty, the employee shall provide notice of that intention to the employer in a reasonable and practicable manner.

AB748-SA2,3r Section 3r. 103.10 (7) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB748-SA2,23,19 103.10 (7) (a) If an employee requests family leave for a reason described in sub. (3) (b) 3. or requests medical leave, the employer may require the employee to provide certification, as described in par. (b), issued by the health care provider or Christian Science practitioner of the child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or employee, whichever is appropriate.

AB748-SA2,3s Section 3s. 103.10 (7) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB748-SA2,23,22 103.10 (7) (b) (intro.) No employer may require certification under par. (a) stating more than the following:

AB748-SA2,3t Section 3t. 103.10 (7) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB748-SA2,23,25 103.10 (7) (b) 1. That the child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or employee has a serious health condition.

AB748-SA2,3u Section 3u. 103.10 (7) (d) of the statutes is created to read:

AB748-SA2,24,8 103.10 (7) (d) If an employee requests leave under sub. (3) (b) 4., the employer may require the employee to provide certification that the spouse, child, domestic partner, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling of the employee is on covered active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty issued at such time and in such manner as the department may prescribe by rule, and the employee shall provide a copy of that certification to the employer in a timely manner.

AB748-SA2,3v Section 3v. 103.10 (12) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB748-SA2,24,16 103.10 (12) (c) If 2 or more health care providers disagree about any of the information required to be certified under sub. (7) (b), the department may appoint another health care provider to examine the child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, or employee and render an opinion as soon as possible. The department shall promptly notify the employee and the employer of the appointment. The employer and the employee shall each pay 50 percent of the cost of the examination and opinion.

AB748-SA2,3w Section 3w. 103.10 (14) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 103.10 (14).

AB748-SA2,3x Section 3x. 103.10 (14) (b) of the statutes is repealed.

AB748-SA2,3y Section 3y. 103.105 of the statutes is created to read:

AB748-SA2,24,21 103.105 Family and medical leave insurance program. (1) Definitions. In this section:

AB748-SA2,24,24 (a) “Application year" means the 12-month period beginning on the first day of the first calendar week for which family or medical leave insurance benefits are claimed by a covered individual.

AB748-SA2,25,2 (b) “Average weekly earnings" means the average weekly earnings of a covered individual as calculated under s. 102.11 (1) (a) to (e).

AB748-SA2,25,3 (c) “Child" means a natural, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, or a legal ward.

AB748-SA2,25,8 (d) “Covered individual" means an individual who worked for an employer for at least 680 hours in the calendar year prior to the individual's application year or a self-employed individual who elects coverage under sub. (2) (b), regardless of whether the individual is employed or unemployed at the time the individual files an application for family or medical leave insurance benefits.

AB748-SA2,25,9 (e) “Domestic partner" has the meaning given in s. 40.02 (21c) or 770.01 (1).

AB748-SA2,25,12 (f) “Employee" means an individual employed in this state by an employer, except the employer's child, spouse, domestic partner, parent, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling.

AB748-SA2,25,17 (g) “Employer" means a person engaging in any activity, enterprise, or business in this state. “Employer" includes the state and any office, department, independent agency, authority, institution, association, society, or other body in state government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, including the legislature and the courts.

AB748-SA2,25,19 (h) “Family leave" means leave from employment, self-employment, or availability for employment for a reason specified in s. 103.10 (3) (b) 1., 2., 3., or 4.

AB748-SA2,25,22 (i) “Family or medical leave insurance benefits" means family or medical leave insurance benefits payable under this section from the family and medical leave insurance trust fund.

AB748-SA2,25,23 (j) “Grandchild" means the child of a child.

AB748-SA2,25,24 (k) “Grandparent" means the parent of a parent.

AB748-SA2,26,7 (L) “Medical leave" means leave from employment when a covered individual has a serious health condition that makes the individual unable to perform his or her employment duties, leave from self-employment when a covered individual has a serious health condition that makes the individual unable to perform the duties of his or her self-employment, or leave from availability for employment when a covered individual has a serious health condition that makes the individual unable to perform the duties of any suitable employment.

AB748-SA2,26,10 (m) “Parent" means a natural parent, foster parent, adoptive parent, stepparent, or legal guardian of an employee or of an employee's spouse or domestic partner.

AB748-SA2,26,11 (n) “Serious health condition" has the meaning given in s. 103.10 (1) (g).

AB748-SA2,26,13 (o) “Sibling" means a brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, or stepsister, whether by blood, marriage, or adoption.

AB748-SA2,26,14 (p) “Spouse" means an employee's legal husband or wife.

AB748-SA2,26,17 (q) “State annual median wage" means the median hourly wage for all occupations in this state, as determined by the bureau of labor statistics of the U.S. department of labor, multiplied by 2,080.

AB748-SA2,26,19 (r) “Waiting period" means the period under sub. (4) (b) 1. for which no family or medical leave insurance benefits are payable.

AB748-SA2,27,2 (2) Eligibility for benefits. (a) A covered individual who is on family or medical leave is eligible to receive family or medical leave insurance benefits in the amount specified in sub. (3) and for the duration specified in sub. (4). No family or medical leave insurance benefits are payable for any period of family or medical leave for which a covered individual is substituting paid leave of any other type provided by his or her employer or for which a covered individual is receiving unemployment insurance benefits under ch. 108 or worker's compensation benefits under ch. 102.

AB748-SA2,27,16 (b) Any sole proprietor, partner of a partnership, member of a limited liability company, or other self-employed individual engaged in a vocation, profession, or business in this state on a substantially full-time basis may elect to be covered under this section by filing a written notice of election with the department in a form and manner prescribed by the department by rule. An initial election under this paragraph becomes effective on the date on which the notice of election is filed, shall be for a period of not less than 3 years, and may be renewed for subsequent one-year periods by the filing of a written notice with the department that the self-employed individual intends to continue his or her coverage under this section. A self-employed individual who elects coverage under this section may withdraw that election no earlier than 3 years after the date of the initial election or at such other times as the department may prescribe by rule by providing notice of that withdrawal to the department not less than 30 days before the expiration date of the election.

AB748-SA2,28,2 (c) To receive family or medical leave insurance benefits, a covered individual shall file a claim for those benefits within such time and in such manner as the department may prescribe by rule. On receipt of a claim for family or medical leave insurance benefits, the department may request from the claimant's employer such information as may be necessary for the department to determine the claimant's eligibility for those benefits and the amount and duration of those benefits, and the employer shall provide that information to the department within such time and in such manner as the department may prescribe by rule. If the department determines that a claimant is eligible to receive family or medical leave insurance benefits, the department shall provide those benefits to the claimant as provided in subs. (3) to (5).

AB748-SA2,28,5 (3) Amount of benefits. (a) Subject to par. (b), the amount of family or medical leave insurance benefits for a week of leave for which those benefits are payable is as follows:

AB748-SA2,28,8 1. For a covered individual who earned less than 30 percent of the state annual median wage in the calendar year before the individual's application year, 95 percent of that individual's average weekly earnings.

AB748-SA2,28,11 2. For a covered individual who earned at least 30 percent, but less than 50 percent, of the state annual median wage in the calendar year before the individual's application year, 90 percent of that individual's average weekly earnings.

AB748-SA2,28,14 3. For a covered individual who earned at least 50 percent, but less than 80 percent, of the state annual median wage in the calendar year before the individual's application year, 85 percent of that individual's average weekly earnings.

AB748-SA2,28,17 4. For a covered individual who earned at least 80 percent of the state annual median wage in the calendar year before the individual's application year, 66 percent of that individual's average weekly earnings.

AB748-SA2,28,22 (b) The amount of family or medical leave insurance benefits for a fractional week of leave for which those benefits are payable is one-seventh of the covered individual's weekly benefit amount under par. (a) multiplied by the number of days of leave taken that week. Family or medical leave insurance benefits are not payable for a period of leave of less than one day in duration.

AB748-SA2,29,9 (4) Duration of benefits. (a) The maximum number of weeks for which family or medical leave insurance benefits are payable in an application year is 12 weeks. A covered individual may take family or medical leave continuously or, at the option of the covered individual, intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule, except that a covered individual may not take family or medical leave intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule for more than 24 consecutive weeks unless the leave is for a reason specified in sub. (1) (L) or s. 103.10 (3) (b) 3. and the covered individual shows that the leave is medically necessary. If a covered individual who is employed intends to take family or medical leave intermittently or on a reduced leave schedule, the covered individual shall make a reasonable effort to schedule that leave so as not to unduly disrupt the operations of his or her employer and shall provide the employer with prior notice of that leave in a reasonable and practicable manner.

AB748-SA2,29,17 (b) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., no family or medical leave insurance benefits are payable for the first 5 calendar days in an application year for which a covered individual is eligible for those benefits. Except as provided in subd. 2., family or medical leave insurance benefits are payable beginning on the 6th calendar day in an application year for which a covered individual is eligible for those benefits. The first payment of family or medical leave insurance benefits shall be made no later than 2 weeks after a covered individual files a claim for those benefits and subsequent payments shall be made no less often than semimonthly.