AB910: Bill Text

Under current law, DWD must annually determine the total amount due and uncollectible from nonprofit employers that have elected what is known as reimbursement financing (reimbursable employers), and DWD must then charge that amount to an uncollectible reimbursable benefits account in the unemployment reserve fund. Whenever, as of a given year, that account has a negative balance of $5,000 or more, DWD must assess all such nonprofit reimbursable employers to reimburse for the uncollectible amount, except that employers that would otherwise be assessed less than $10 are not assessed, and their portion is instead applied to the amount owed by other employers on a pro rata basis.

Also under current law, pursuant to 2015 Wisconsin Act 334, $2,000,000 was set aside in the unemployment reserve fund to repay reimbursable employers for erroneous payments charged to them that resulted from a false statement or representation (e.g., identity theft).

The bill does the following:

1. Raises the threshold for charging a reimbursable nonprofit employer the assessment to $20 instead of $10.

2. Allows DWD, in lieu of or in addition to assessing nonprofit reimbursable employers as described above, to apply moneys from the $2,000,000 set aside to the uncollectible reimbursable benefits account described above, subject to certain limitations.

Waiver of overpayments

Current law requires the recovery of benefits that were erroneously paid to an individual to be waived if certain conditions apply, including that the erroneous payment was the result of a departmental error. Current law specifies what does and does not constitute a “departmental error” and also provides that if a determination or decision is amended, modified, or reversed by an appeal tribunal (administrative law judge), the Labor and Industry Review Commission, or any court, that action is not to be treated as establishing a departmental error.

The bill specifically provides that, for the purposes of the waiver of recovery of benefits, a “departmental error” does not include an error made by an administrative law judge.

Excluded employment

The bill excludes from coverage under the UI law seasonal work performed by a full-time student at an organized camp, other than an organized camp operated by a governmental or nonprofit entity, that operates for not more than seven months per calendar year, consistent with federal law. Under the bill, “full-time student” includes a person who is currently enrolled in school full time or who was enrolled in school full time during the previous academic year if there is a reasonable assurance that the person will be so enrolled for the immediately succeeding academic year. An individual who performs such services is not eligible to claim UI benefits based on the performance of the services, and a person who employs an individual to perform such services is not subject to a state UI contribution requirement (a requirement to pay taxes) based on the performance of the services.

Work-share programs

Current law allows an employer to create a work-share program within a work unit of the employer. Under a work-share program, the working hours of all of the full-time employees in the program are reduced in an equitable manner in lieu of a layoff of some of the employees and a continuation of full-time employment by the other employees. A claimant for UI benefits who is included in a work-share program may receive UI benefits during his or her continued employment with the work-share employer in an amount equal to the claimant's benefit for total unemployment reduced by the same percentage as the percentage reduction in the claimant's normal working hours that the claimant incurs under the program. Former law provided also for the temporary modification of certain requirements that apply to work-share programs with respect to work-share programs submitted on or after April 17, 2020, and before July 4, 2021.

The bill makes a number of the former-law modifications permanent. Among other things, it eliminates a requirement that work-share programs be limited to particular work units, reduces the minimum number of employees who must be covered under a work-share program from 20 to two, and eliminates a requirement that working hours be reduced equitably among employees. In addition, the bill allows a work-share program to remain in effect for 12 months in any five-year period instead of six months in any five-year period.

Collection of debt by Department of Revenue

Subject to certain exceptions, current law requires a state agency and the Department of Revenue to enter into a written agreement to have DOR collect certain amounts owed to the state agency. The bill provides that this requirement does not apply to amounts owed to DWD under the UI law or other federal unemployment programs administered by DWD.

Fiscal agent election of employer status

Generally, under current law, an individual who receives long-term support services in his or her home through certain government-funded care programs is considered to be an employer under the UI law of a person who provides those services to the individual. Such individuals may use fiscal agents, whose responsibilities include remitting any federal UI taxes or state UI contributions owed by the individual as a result of that employment.

The bill allows a private agency that serves as a fiscal agent or contracts with a fiscal intermediary to serve as a fiscal agent to such an individual receiving long-term support services to elect to instead be the employer of one or more employees providing those services, subject to certain requirements.

Other changes

The bill makes various changes to a) reorganize, clarify, and update provisions relating in the UI law; and b) address numerous out-of-date or erroneous cross-references in the UI law, including all of the following:

1. Changing certain out-of-date cross-references to federal law to reflect current federal law and the current numbering under the U.S. Code.

2. Repealing certain provisions that reference federal laws that have been repealed.

3. Correcting various cross-references that are otherwise incomplete or erroneous.

4. Replacing certain references to provisions in federal acts or to the Internal Revenue Code with references to the U.S. Code in order to facilitate accessibility to federal law.

5. Making other nonsubstantive changes to the UI law to improve organization, modernize language, and provide further clarity, specificity, and consistency in the law.

For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB910,1 Section 1. 16.48 (1) (a) (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 16.48 (1) (intro.) and amended to read:

AB910,6,2 16.48 (1) (intro.) No later than April 15 May 31 of each odd-numbered even-numbered year, the secretary of workforce development shall prepare and furnish to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the assembly, and the majority and minority leaders of the senate, and the council on unemployment insurance, a statement of unemployment insurance financial outlook, which shall contain all of the following, together with the secretary's recommendations and an explanation for such recommendations:

AB910,2 Section 2. 16.48 (1) (a) 1., 2., 3., 4., 5. and 6. of the statutes are renumbered 16.48 (1) (am), (bm), (c), (d), (e) and (f), and 16.48 (1) (bm), (c) and (f), as renumbered, are amended to read:

AB910,6,7 16.48 (1) (bm) Specific proposed changes, if any, in the laws relating to unemployment insurance financing, benefits, and administration.

AB910,6,8 (c) Projections specified in subd. 1. par. (am) under the proposed laws.

AB910,6,10 (f) If unemployment insurance program debt is projected at the end of the forecast period, the reasons why it is not methods proposed to liquidate the debt.

AB910,3 Section 3. 16.48 (1) (b) of the statutes is repealed.

AB910,4 Section 4. 16.48 (2) of the statutes is repealed.

AB910,5 Section 5. 16.48 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,6,24 16.48 (3) No Biennially, no later than June 15 January 31 of each odd-numbered even-numbered year, the secretary of workforce development, under the direction of shall submit to the governor, shall submit to each member of the legislature an updated speaker of the assembly, the minority leader of the assembly, the majority and minority leaders of the senate, and the council on unemployment insurance the statement of unemployment insurance financial outlook which shall contain the information specified in prepared under sub. (1) (a), together with the governor's recommendations and an explanation for such recommendations, and a copy of the a report required that summarizes the deliberations of the council and the position of the council regarding any proposed change to the unemployment insurance laws submitted under sub. (1) (b).

AB910,6 Section 6. 16.48 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

AB910,7,3 16.48 (4) The department shall post the most recent version of the statement prepared under sub. (1) and the most recent version of the report prepared under sub. (3) on the department's Internet site.

AB910,7 Section 7. 59.40 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,7,14 59.40 (4) Clerk of circuit court; debt collector contract. If authorized by the board under s. 59.52 (28), the clerk of circuit court may contract with a debt collector, as defined in s. 427.103 (3), or enter into an agreement with the department of revenue under s. 71.93 (8) for the collection of debt. Any contract entered into with a debt collector shall provide that the debt collector shall be paid from the proceeds recovered by the debt collector. Any contract entered into with the department shall provide that the department shall charge a collection fee, as provided under s. 71.93 (8) (b) 1 1m. The net proceeds received by the clerk of circuit court after the payment to the debt collector shall be considered the amount of debt collected for purposes of distribution to the state and county under sub. (2) (m).

AB910,8 Section 8. 71.93 (8) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,7,19 71.93 (8) (b) 1. Except as provided in subd. 2., a state agency and the department of revenue shall enter into a written agreement to have the department collect any amount owed to the state agency that is more than 90 days past due, unless negotiations any of the following applies:

AB910,7,20 a. Negotiations between the agency and debtor are actively ongoing, the.

AB910,7,21 b. The debt is the subject of legal action or administrative proceedings, or the.

AB910,7,23 c. The agency determines that the debtor is adhering to an acceptable payment arrangement.

AB910,8,6 1m. At least 30 days before the department pursues the collection of any debt referred by a state agency, either the department or the agency shall provide the debtor with a written notice that the debt will be referred to the department for collection. The department may collect amounts owed, pursuant to the written agreement, from the debtor in addition to offsetting the amounts as provided under sub. (3). The department shall charge each debtor whose debt is subject to collection under this paragraph a collection fee and that amount shall be credited to the appropriation under s. 20.566 (1) (h).

AB910,9 Section 9. 71.93 (8) (b) 1. d. of the statutes is created to read:

AB910,8,10 71.93 (8) (b) 1. d. The debt is an amount owed under ch. 108 or under a federal unemployment benefit program administered by the department of workforce development.

AB910,10 Section 10. 108.02 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,8,17 108.02 (2) (c) In connection with the production or harvesting of any commodity defined as an agricultural commodity in s. 15 (g) of the federal agricultural marketing act, as amended (46 Stat. 1550, s. 3; under 12 USC 1141j) or (f), in connection with the ginning of cotton, or in connection with the operation or maintenance of ditches, canals, reservoirs, or waterways, not owned or operated for profit, used exclusively for supplying and storing water for farming purposes.

AB910,11 Section 11. 108.02 (10e) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

AB910,8,20 108.02 (10e) (c) “Departmental error” does not include an error made by an appeal tribunal appointed under s. 108.09 (3).

AB910,12 Section 12. 108.02 (13) (c) 2. a. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,9,2 108.02 (13) (c) 2. a. Such crew leader holds a valid certificate of registration under the federal farm labor contractor registration act of 1963 29 USC 1801 to 1872; or substantially all the members of such crew operate or maintain tractors, mechanized harvesting or cropdusting equipment, or any other mechanized equipment which is provided by such crew leader; and

AB910,13 Section 13. 108.02 (13) (k) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,9,10 108.02 (13) (k) “Employer" Except as provided in s. 108.065 (3m), “employer” does not include a county department, an aging unit, or, under s. 46.2785, a private agency that serves as a fiscal agent or contracts with a fiscal intermediary to serve as a fiscal agent under s. 46.27 (5) (i), 46.272 (7) (e), or 47.035 as to any individual performing services for a person receiving long-term support services under s. 46.272 (7) (b), 46.275, 46.277, 46.278, 46.2785, 46.286, 46.495, 51.42, or 51.437 or personal assistance services under s. 47.02 (6) (c).

AB910,14 Section 14. 108.02 (14) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,9,15 108.02 (14) Employer's account. “ Employer's account" means a an employer's separate account in the fund, reflecting the employer's experience with respect to contribution credits and benefit charges under this chapter maintained as required under s. 108.16 (2) (a).

AB910,15 Section 15. 108.02 (15) (j) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,9,21 108.02 (15) (j) 5. In any quarter in the employ of any organization exempt from federal income tax under section 26 USC 501 (a) of the internal revenue code, other than an organization described in section 26 USC 401 (a) or 501 (c) (3) of such code, or under section 26 USC 521 of the internal revenue code, if the remuneration for such service is less than $50;

AB910,16 Section 16. 108.02 (15) (k) 5. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,9,25 108.02 (15) (k) 5. With respect to which unemployment insurance is payable under the federal railroad unemployment insurance act (52 Stat. 1094) 45 USC 351 to 369;

AB910,17 Section 17. 108.02 (15) (k) 21. of the statutes is created to read:

AB910,10,4 108.02 (15) (k) 21. Performed by a full-time student, as defined in 26 USC 3306 (q), for less than 13 calendar weeks in a calendar year in the employ of an organized camp, if one of the following applies:

AB910,10,6 a. The camp does not operate for more than 7 months in the calendar year and did not operate for more than 7 months in the preceding calendar year.

AB910,10,9 b. The camp had average gross receipts for any 6 months in the preceding calendar year that were not more than 33 1/3 percent of its average gross receipts for the other 6 months in the preceding calendar year.

AB910,18 Section 18. 108.02 (17m) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,10,13 108.02 (17m) Indian tribe. “Indian tribe" has the meaning given in 25 USC 450b 5304 (e), and includes any subdivision, subsidiary, or business enterprise that is wholly owned by such an entity.

AB910,19 Section 19. 108.02 (19) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,10,18 108.02 (19) Nonprofit organizations. “Nonprofit organization" means an organization described in section 26 USC 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code that is exempt from federal income tax under section 26 USC 501 (a) of the Internal Revenue Code.

AB910,20 Section 20. 108.02 (26) (c) 9. of the statutes is repealed.

AB910,21 Section 21. 108.02 (26) (c) 14. of the statutes is repealed.

AB910,22 Section 22 . 108.04 (7) (h) of the statutes is renumbered 108.04 (7) (u).

AB910,23 Section 23. 108.04 (12) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,11,2 108.04 (12) (b) Any individual who receives, through the department, any other type of unemployment benefit or allowance for a given week is ineligible for benefits for that same week under this chapter, except as specifically required for conformity with the federal trade act of 1974 (P.L. 93-618) 19 USC 2101 to 2497b.

AB910,24 Section 24. 108.04 (16) (d) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,11,10 108.04 (16) (d) 1. The department shall not deny benefits under sub. (7) as a result of the individual's leaving unsuitable work to enter or continue such training, as a result of the individual's leaving work that the individual engaged in on a temporary basis during a break in the training or a delay in the commencement of the training, or because the individual left on-the-job training not later than 30 days after commencing that training because the individual did not meet the requirements of the federal trade act under 19 USC 2296 (c) (1) (B); and

AB910,25 Section 25. 108.04 (18) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,11,23 108.04 (18) (a) The wages paid to an employee who performed services while the employee was an alien shall, if based on such services, be excluded from the employee's base period wages for purposes of sub. (4) (a) and ss. 108.05 (1) and 108.06 (1) unless the employee is an alien who was lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time such services were performed, was lawfully present for the purpose of performing such services, or was permanently residing in the United States under color of law at the time such services were performed, including an alien who was lawfully present in the United States as a result of the application of the provisions of section 212 (d) (5) of the federal immigration and nationality act (8 USC 1182 (d) (5)). All claimants shall be uniformly required to provide information as to whether they are citizens and, if they are not, any determination denying benefits under this subsection shall not be made except upon a preponderance of the evidence.

AB910,26 Section 26. 108.04 (18) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,12,6 108.04 (18) (b) Any amendment of s. 26 USC 3304 (a) (14) of the federal unemployment tax act specifying conditions other than as stated in par. (a) for denial of benefits based on services performed by aliens, or changing the effective date for required implementation of par. (a) or such other conditions, which that is a condition of approval of this chapter for full tax credit against the tax imposed by the federal unemployment tax act, shall be applicable to this subsection.

AB910,27 Section 27. 108.062 (1) (c) of the statutes is repealed.

AB910,28 Section 28. 108.062 (2) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB910,12,11 108.062 (2) (a) Specify the work unit in which the plan will be implemented, the affected positions, and the names of the employees filling those positions on the date of submittal.

AB910,29 Section 29. 108.062 (2) (b) of the statutes is repealed.

AB910,30 Section 30. 108.062 (2) (c) of the statutes is amended to read: