In Wisconsin, no self-insured employer has ever defaulted on its obligation to pay worker's compensation benefits due to financial problems. Still, under current law, as a condition of self- insurance, the Department typically requires self-insured employers to provide some form of security. This rule establishes standards for determining the amounts and types of security that the Department may require from self-insured employers. It also provides that the Department may call the security provided by the employer and use it to pay and administer that employer's worker's compensation liabilities if the Department has a reasonable basis to believe that the employer is not or will not be able to timely pay its worker's compensation liabilities from other employer resources.
Fiscal Estimate
The proposed rule changes are intended to simplify and clarify requirements for employers to be exempted from the need to carry worker's compensation insurance. The rule authorizes the Department to expand the duration of self-insurance orders from one year to three years, even though the employer is still required to report financial and claims information to the Department annually and to pay an annual self-insurance fee of $200. The rule establishes a minimum security requirement for self-insurers of $500,000, unless certain financial criteria are met to exempt the employer from this requirement. The rule also requires employers to use standard Department insurance and security forms. The Department is also granted authority to “call” the employer's security to administer and pay worker's compensation claims for which the employer is liable, if the Department determines the employer is not willing or able to timely meet its worker's compensation claim liabilities. The proposed rule changes do not modify the application fee for employers seeking exemption from the duty to insure, or the annual fee charged to employers already exempted. Therefore, there is no expected increase or decrease in revenue related to fees and assessments. The rule changes will reduce some of the staff work involving the issuance of annual renewal orders, but this will not result in a reduction in staff positions. Other aspects of the proposed rule change will modestly increase the staff workload, especially related to determining appropriate security requirements for self-insurers. The proposed rule changes to s. DWD 80.60 are not expected to have a significant impact on program revenues or expenditures.
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
1.   Types of small businesses that will be affected by the rules.
Businesses that usually employ 3 or more employes or which pay $500 in a calendar quarter to all employes are subject to the Worker's Compensation Act and this rule.
2.   Reporting, bookkeeping and other procedures required for compliance with the rules.
The rule establishes security standards for self-insured employers for purposes of worker's compensation. Few, if any, small businesses are self-insured.
3.   Types of professional skills necessary for compliance with the rules.
Financial. The rule relates to financial security instruments for self-insurance.
Notice of Submission of Proposed Rules to the Presiding Officer of each House of the Legislature, Under S. 227.19, Stats.
Please check the Bulletin of Proceedings for further information on a particular rule.
Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (CR 98-14):
Chs. ATCP 32, 33 and 35 - Relating to bulk fertilizer and pesticide storage and agrichemical cleanups.
Commerce (CR 97-138):
Chs. ILHR 20-25 - Relating to the Uniform Dwelling Code.
Health & Family Services (CR 97-126):
SS. HSS 45.05 (11) and HFS 46.06 (11) - Relating to outdoor play space for children attending day care centers.
Natural Resources (CR 98-18):
Chs. NR 500, 502, 507, 512, 520 and 680 and ss. NR 504.09, 509.07, 514.04 and 620.15 - Relating to solid and hazardous waste management activities.
Natural Resources (CR 98-21):
SS. NR 487.03, 487.05, 487.07, 487.09 and 487.10 - Relating to the clean fuel fleet program to reduce volatile organic compound (VOC) and oxides of nitrogen emissions from fleet vehicles.
Natural Resources (CR 98-22):
Ch. NR 10 and ss. NR 11.10, 15.02, 19.09, 19.30 & 27.03 - Relating to wildlife management housekeeping changes.
Natural Resources (CR 98-23):
Chs. NR 20 & 26 and ss. NR 21.04, 23.05 & 25.10 - Relating to recreational and commercial fishing regulations and fish refuges on the inland, outlying and boundary waters.
Natural Resources (CR 98-24):
Chs. NR 10 & 11 and ss. NR 15.02 & 45.09 - Relating to hunting and trapping.
Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists and Professional Counselors Examining Board (CR 97-119):
SS. SFC 1.05 (2) and (4), 11.035, 14.01 (2) and 14.02 (2) - Relating to examination requirements and procedures, academic programs equivalent to master's and doctorate degrees in professional counseling, and temporary certificates for professional counselors.
Administrative Rules Filed With The
Revisor Of Statutes Bureau
The following administrative rules have been filed with the Revisor of Statutes Bureau and are in the process of being published. The date assigned to each rule is the projected effective date. It is possible that the publication of these rules could be delayed. Contact the Revisor of Statutes Bureau at (608) 266-7275 for updated information on the effective dates for the listed rules.
Financial Institutions (CR 98-4):
An order affecting ss. S-L 13.03 and DFI-SL 13.03 (3) (d) 6., relating to creating an exception for savings and loan associations to the 10% down payment requirement for mortgage loan made to meet the objectives of the federal Community Reinvestment Act.
Effective 08-01-98.
Hearing & Speech Examining Board (CR 98-12):
An order affecting chs. HAS 1 to 7, relating to hearing instrument specialists.
Effective 08-01-98.
Natural Resources (CR 97-140):
An order affecting ss. NR 10.001 and 10.102, relating to bear hunting.
Effective 08-01-98.
Natural Resources (CR 98-25):
An order creating ch. NR 166, relating to the safe drinking water loan program.
Effective 08-01-98.
Public Instruction (CR 98-10):
An order creating ch. PI 36, relating to full-time and part-time open enrollment.
Effective 08-01-98.
Public Instruction (CR 98-11):
An order affecting ch. PI 40, relating to the youth options program.
Effective 08-01-98.
Regulation & Licensing (CR 98-8):
An order affecting chs. RL 11 to 13, 16 to 18 and 22 to 26, relating to real estate brokers and real estate salespeople.
Effective 08-01-98.
Transportation (CR 98-40):
An order amending s. Trans 276.07 (31), relating to allowing the operation of “double bottoms” (and certain other vehicles) on certain specified highways.
Effective 08-01-98.
University of Wisconsin System (CR 97-149):
An order affecting s. UWS 18.06, relating to conduct on University lands.
Effective 09-01-98.
Veterans Affairs (CR 98-37):
An order affecting chs. VA 1 to 4, 11 and 13, relating to the health care aid grant, retraining grant, primary mortgage loan, economic assistance loan, consumer loan and veterans assistance programs.
Effective 08-01-98.
rules_published Rules Published In This Wis. Adm. Register
The following administrative rule orders have been adopted and published in the June 30, 1998 Wisconsin Administrative Register. Copies of these rules are sent to subscribers of the complete Wisconsin Administrative Code, and also to the subscribers of the specific affected Code.
For subscription information, contact Document Sales at (608) 266-3358.
Administration (CR 98-5):
An order amending s. WGC 13.05 (3) (a) and repealing s. WGC 13.15 (4) (c), relating to kennel license fees.
Effective 07-01-98.
Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection (CR 97-127):
An order affecting chs. ATCP 90 and 91, relating to fair packaging and labeling, weighing and measuring devices, and selling commodities by weight, measure or count.
Effective 07-01-98.
Commerce (CR 98-6):
An order repealing and recreating chs. Comm 122 and 128, relating to the Physician and Health Care Provider Loan Assistance Programs.
Effective 07-01-98.
Corrections (CR 96-180):
An order affecting ss. DOC 308.01, 308.03 and 308.04, relating to administrative confinement of inmates.
Effective 07-01-98.
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Links to Admin. Code and Statutes in this Register are to current versions, which may not be the version that was referred to in the original published document.