Chapter 108

108.14(15) (15) The department may make, and may cooperate with other appropriate agencies in making, studies as to the practicality and probable cost of possible new state-administered social security programs, and the relative desirability of state, rather than national, action in any such field.

108.14(16) (16) The department shall have duplicated or printed, and shall distribute without charge, such employment security reports, studies and other materials, including the text of this chapter and instructional or explanatory pamphlets for employers or workers, as it deems necessary for public information or for the proper administration of this chapter; but the department may collect a reasonable charge, which shall be credited to the administrative account, for any such item the cost of which is not fully covered by federal administrative grants.

108.14(17) (17) To help provide suitable quarters for the administration of this chapter at the lowest practicable long-run cost, the department may, with the governor’s approval and subject to all relevant statutory requirements, use part of the moneys available for such administration under s. 20.445 (1) (n) to buy suitable real property, or to help construct suitable quarters on any state-owned land, or for the long-term rental or rental-purchase of suitable land and quarters. In each such case full and proper use shall be made of any federal grants available for the administration of this chapter.

108.14(18) (18) No later than the end of the month following each quarter in which the department expends moneys derived from assessments levied under s. 108.19 (1e), the department shall submit a report to the council on unemployment insurance describing the use of the moneys expended and the status at the end of the quarter of any project for which moneys were expended.

108.14(19) (19) No later than March 15 annually, the department shall prepare and furnish to the council on unemployment insurance a report summarizing the department’s activities related to detection and prosecution of unemployment insurance fraud in the preceding year. The department shall include in the report information about audits conducted by the department under sub. (20), including the number and results of audits performed, in the previous year.

108.14(20) (20) The department shall conduct random audits on claimants for benefits under this chapter to assess compliance with the work search requirements under s. 108.04 (2) (a) 3.

108.14(21) (21) The department shall maintain a portal on the Internet that allows employers to log in and file with the department complaints related to the administration of this chapter.

108.14(22) (22) The commission shall maintain a searchable, electronic database of significant decisions made by the commission on matters under this chapter for the use of attorneys employed by the department and the commission and other individuals employed by the department and the commission whose duties necessitate use of the database.

108.14(23) (23) 

108.14(23)(a) (a) The department shall create and periodically update a handbook for the purpose of informing employers that are or may be subject to this chapter about the provisions and requirements of this chapter.

108.14(23)(b) (b) The department shall include all of the following in the handbook:

108.14(23)(b)1. 1. Information about the function and purpose of unemployment insurance under this chapter.

108.14(23)(b)2. 2. A description of the rights and responsibilities of employers under this chapter, including the rights and responsibilities associated with hearings to determine whether claimants are eligible for benefits under this chapter.

108.14(23)(b)3. 3. A description of the circumstances under which workers are generally eligible and ineligible for benefits under this chapter.

108.14(23)(b)4. 4. Disclaimers explaining that the contents of the handbook may not be relied upon as legally enforceable and that adherence to the content does not guarantee a particular result for a decision under this chapter.

108.14(23)(b)5. 5. A line to allow an individual employed by an employer to sign to acknowledge that the individual is aware of the contents of the handbook.

108.14(23)(c) (c) The department shall make the handbook available on the Internet.

108.14(23)(d) (d) The department shall distribute printed copies of the handbook to persons who request a copy and may charge a fee as provided in s. 20.908 for the costs of printing and distribution.

108.14(24) (24) The department shall provide information to employers concerning the financing of the unemployment insurance system, including the computation of reserve percentages and their effect upon the contribution and solvency rates of employers, and shall post this information on the Internet. If the department provided a statement of account to any employer, the department shall include the same information on the statement. In addition, the department shall provide the same information in writing to each employer who becomes newly subject to a requirement to pay contributions or reimbursements under this chapter.

108.14(25) (25) 

108.14(25)(a) (a) In this section, “appeal tribunal” includes appeal tribunals under s. 108.09 (3) (a) 1., 2., and 3.

108.14(25)(b) (b) The department shall conduct an initial training for all individuals who serve as appeal tribunals to prepare them to be able to perform the duties of appeal tribunals established under this chapter.

108.14(25)(c) (c) The department shall require each individual who serves as an appeal tribunal to satisfy continuing education requirements, as prescribed by the department.

108.14(26) (26) The department shall prescribe by rule a standard affidavit form that may be used by parties to appeals under ss. 108.09, 108.095, 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.

108.14(27) (27) 

108.14(27)(a) (a)

108.14(27)(a)1. 1. The department of workforce development shall, in cooperation with the department of administration as required under subch. VII of ch. 16, undertake a project to update its information technology systems used for processing and paying claims for benefits. The department shall seek and exhaust any federal funding available to use for the project, including any funding made available by federal COVID-19 relief legislation.

108.14(27)(a)2. 2. The project under this paragraph shall be undertaken no later than June 30, 2021, except that if the departments are unable to undertake the project by that date, the department may request from the joint committee on finance an extension not to exceed 90 days in a written submission that includes a report on the progress on the project and the reason an extension is needed. If the cochairpersons of the joint committee on finance do not notify the department within 14 working days after the date of the request for an extension under this subdivision that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the extension request, the extension is considered granted. If, within 14 working days after the date of the request for an extension under this subdivision, the cochairpersons of the committee notify the department that the committee has scheduled a meeting for the purpose of reviewing the extension request, the department may consider the extension granted only upon approval by the committee.

108.14(27)(b) (b) A request for proposals for the project under par. (a) shall be issued no later than March 29, 2021. The department of workforce development and the department of administration shall report to the joint committee on finance and the joint committee on information policy and technology on the results of the request for proposals.

108.14(27)(c) (c) The department may submit to the joint committee on finance one or more requests to make supplementations or transfers under s. 13.101 (3) or (4) for the purpose of obtaining funding for the project under par. (a). If the joint committee on finance approves a request in whole or in part, the committee may transfer moneys without making any of the findings required under s. 13.101 (3) or (4).

108.14(27)(d) (d) The department may finance the project under par. (a) under a master lease entered into as provided in s. 16.76 (4).

108.14(27)(e) (e)

108.14(27)(e)1. 1. The department of workforce development and the department of administration shall report to the joint committee on finance and the joint committee on information policy and technology on the project under par. (a) as provided in subd. 2. Each report prepared under this paragraph shall include all of the following:

108.14(27)(e)1.a. a. An overview of the project.

108.14(27)(e)1.b. b. The status of the project, including targeted implementation dates.

108.14(27)(e)1.c. c. An analysis of the cost of the project, how the project is being funded, and all resources being used to implement the project.

108.14(27)(e)2. 2. The department shall submit an initial report under subd. 1. no later than April 28, 2021. The department shall make additional reports each quarter, which shall be submitted no later than the end of the month following each such quarter, for each succeeding quarter ending after the date of the initial report.

108.14(27)(e)3. 3. Subdivision 1. does not apply beginning on the date that the project is considered complete, as determined by the joint committee on finance.

108.14 History History: 1971 c. 53; 1973 c. 90 s. 559; 1973 c. 247; 1975 c. 343; 1977 c. 29, 133; 1977 c. 196 s. 131; 1977 c. 272 s. 98; 1979 c. 34 s. 2102 (25) (a); 1979 c. 110 s. 60 (11); 1979 c. 221; 1981 c. 36 ss. 18, 45; 1983 a. 8 s. 54; 1983 a. 189 s. 329 (28); 1983 a. 388; 1985 a. 17; 1985 a. 29 ss. 1664 to 1668, 3202 (29); 1985 a. 332; 1987 a. 38, 255; 1989 a. 77, 139, 303, 359; 1991 a. 89; 1993 a. 373, 490, 492; 1995 a. 27, 118, 225; 1997 a. 39; 1999 a. 83; 2001 a. 35, 105; 2003 a. 197; 2009 a. 11; 2011 a. 234; 2013 a. 20, 36, 105, 173; 2015 a. 55, 334; 2019 a. 185; 2021 a. 4, 231.

108.14 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. DWD 100 to ch. DWD 150, Wis. adm. code.

108.14 Annotation Provisions for aggregation of multi-jurisdictional employment and wages do not affect eligibility except when the state’s disqualification of a claimant is based on a change in jurisdiction. Wisconsin Vocational, Technical & Adult Educational Services District Consortium v. LIRC, 125 Wis. 2d 285, 371 N.W.2d 811 (Ct. App. 1985).

108.141 108.141 Extended benefits.

108.141(1) (1) Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

108.141(1)(a) (a) “Eligibility period” of an individual means the period consisting of each week in the individual’s benefit year which begins in an extended benefit period and, if the individual’s benefit year ends within that extended benefit period, each week thereafter which begins in such a period. For weeks of unemployment beginning on or after February 17, 2009, and ending before June 1, 2010, or the last week for which federal sharing is authorized by section 2005 (a) of P.L. 111-5 and any amendments thereto, whichever is later, “eligibility period” also means the period consisting of each week during which an individual is eligible for emergency unemployment compensation under P.L. 110-252 and P.L. 110-449, or any amendments thereto, and if that week begins in an extended benefit period or if an individual’s eligibility for benefits under P.L. 110-252 and P.L. 110-449, or any amendment thereto, ends within an extended benefit period, each week thereafter which begins in that extended benefit period.

108.141(1)(b) (b) “Exhaustee” means an individual who, with respect to any week of unemployment in the individual’s eligibility period:

108.141(1)(b)1. 1. Has received, prior to that week, all of the regular benefits that were available to the individual under this chapter or any other state law, including dependents’ allowances and benefits payable to federal civilian employees and former military personnel under 5 USC ch. 85, in the individual’s current benefit year that includes that week or is precluded from receiving regular benefits by reason of the law of another state which meets the requirement of section 3304 (a) (7) of the internal revenue code or is precluded from receiving regular benefits by reason of a seasonal limitation in the law of another state. An individual is considered to have received all of the regular benefits that were available to the individual although as a result of a pending appeal under s. 108.09 or 108.10 the individual may subsequently be determined to be entitled to added regular benefits; or

108.141(1)(b)2. 2. His or her benefit year having expired in the extended benefit period and prior to such week, lacks base period wages on the basis of which he or she could establish a benefit year under s. 108.06; or

108.141(1)(b)2m. 2m. For weeks of unemployment beginning after February 17, 2009, and ending before June 1, 2010, or with the last week for which federal sharing is authorized by section 2005 (a) of P.L. 111-5 and any amendments thereto, whichever is later, has exhausted federal emergency unemployment compensation under P.L. 110-252 and P.L. 110-449, and any amendments thereto, within an extended benefit period that began in a week during or before which the individual has exhausted that emergency unemployment compensation; and

108.141(1)(b)3. 3. Has no right to unemployment benefits or allowances, as the case may be, under the railroad unemployment insurance act or such other federal laws as are specified in regulations issued by the U.S. secretary of labor, and has not received and is not seeking unemployment benefits under the unemployment insurance law of Canada, but if the individual is seeking such benefits and the appropriate agency finally determines that he or she is not entitled to benefits under such law he or she is an exhaustee.

108.141(1)(c) (c) “Extended benefit period” means a period which:

108.141(1)(c)1. 1. Begins with the 3rd week after whichever of the following weeks occurs first:

108.141(1)(c)1.a. a. A week for which there is a national “on” indicator; or

108.141(1)(c)1.b. b. A week for which there is a Wisconsin “on” indicator, provided that no extended benefit period may begin by reason of a Wisconsin “on” indicator before the 14th week following the end of a prior extended benefit period which was in effect with respect to Wisconsin; and

108.141(1)(c)2. 2. Ends with either of the following weeks, whichever occurs later:

108.141(1)(c)2.a. a. The 3rd week after the first week for which there is both a national “off” indicator and a Wisconsin “off” indicator; or

108.141(1)(c)2.b. b. The 13th consecutive week of such period.

108.141(1)(d) (d) “Extended benefits” means benefits, including benefits payable to federal civilian employees and former military personnel under 5 USC ch. 85, payable to an individual under this section for weeks of unemployment in that individual’s eligibility period.

108.141(1)(dm) (dm) “High unemployment period” means a period during which an extended benefit period would be in effect if par. (f) 3. a. were applied by substituting an average rate of total unemployment that equals or exceeds 8 percent.

108.141(1)(e) (e) There is a Wisconsin “off” indicator for a week if, for the period consisting of that week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks, there is not a Wisconsin “on” indicator.

108.141(1)(f) (f) There is a Wisconsin “on” indicator for a week if:

108.141(1)(f)1. 1. The rate of insured unemployment for the period consisting of that week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks equaled or exceeded 120 percent of the average of such rates for the corresponding 13-week period ending in each of the preceding 2 calendar years, and equaled or exceeded 5 percent; or

108.141(1)(f)2. 2. The rate of insured unemployment for the period consisting of that week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks equaled or exceeded 6 percent, regardless of the rate of insured unemployment in the 2 preceding calendar years; or

108.141(1)(f)3. 3. With respect to weeks of unemployment beginning on or after February 17, 2009, and ending with the week ending 3 weeks prior to the last week in which federal sharing is authorized by section 2005 (a) of P.L. 111-5 and any amendments thereto:

108.141(1)(f)3.a. a. The average rate of total unemployment, seasonally adjusted, as determined by the U.S. secretary of labor, for the period consisting of the most recent 3 months for which data for all states are published before the close of that week equals or exceeds 6.5 percent; and

108.141(1)(f)3.b. b. The average rate of total unemployment in this state, seasonally adjusted, as determined by the U.S. secretary of labor for the period consisting of the most recent 3 months for which data for all states are published before the close of that week equals or exceeds 110 percent of the average for either or both of the corresponding 3-month periods ending in the 2 preceding calendar years; or

108.141(1)(f)4. 4. With respect to weeks of unemployment beginning on or after the date of enactment of P.L. 111-312 and ending on or before the earlier of the latest date permitted under federal law or the end of the 4th week prior to the last week in which federal sharing is provided as authorized by section 2005 (a) of P.L. 111-5 and any amendments to such federal laws:

108.141(1)(f)4.a. a. The rate of insured unemployment for the period consisting of that week and the immediately preceding 12 weeks equaled or exceeded 120 percent of the average of such rates for the corresponding 13-week periods ending in each of the preceding 3 calendar years, and equaled or exceeded 5 percent; or

108.141(1)(f)4.b. b. The average rate of total unemployment, seasonally adjusted, as determined by the U.S. secretary of labor, for the period consisting of the most recent 3 months for which data for all states are published before the close of that week equals or exceeds 6.5 percent and equals or exceeds 110 percent of the average for any of the corresponding 3-month periods ending in the preceding 3 calendar years.

108.141(1)(g) (g) “Regular benefits” means benefits payable to an individual under this chapter or under any other state law, including benefits payable to federal civilian employees and to former military personnel pursuant to 5 USC ch. 85, other than extended benefits and additional benefits as defined in P.L. 91-373.

108.141(1)(h) (h) “State law” means the unemployment insurance law of any state that has been approved by the U.S. secretary of labor under 26 USC 3304.

108.141(1)(i) (i) “Wisconsin rate of insured unemployment” means the percentage determined by the department on the basis of its reports to the U.S. secretary of labor and according to the method or methods prescribed by applicable federal law or regulation.

108.141(1m) (1m) Suspension of extended benefits. Notwithstanding sub. (1), no extended benefits may be paid for any week of unemployment ending after January 27, 2009, unless benefits are payable for that week under P.L. 91-373, as amended, in this state. The governor may, by executive order, suspend the application of this subsection in order to allow for the payment of extended benefits as provided in this section during a period specified in the order. Any such suspension shall be effective at the beginning of the week specified by the governor in the order and may be rescinded by similar order, which shall be effective at the beginning of the week specified by the governor in that order.

108.141(2) (2) Effect of other provisions of this chapter. Except when the result would be inconsistent with the other provisions of this section, the provisions of this chapter which apply to claims for, or the payment of, regular benefits shall apply to claims for, and the payment of, extended benefits.

108.141(3) (3) Eligibility requirements for extended benefits. An individual shall be eligible to receive extended benefits with respect to any week of unemployment in his or her eligibility period only if:

108.141(3)(a) (a) The individual had base period wages equaling at least 40 times the individual’s most recent weekly benefit rate;

108.141(3)(b) (b) The individual is an “exhaustee”; and

108.141(3)(c) (c) The individual is not disqualified and has satisfied those other requirements of this chapter for the payment of regular benefits that apply to individuals claiming extended benefits.

108.141(3g) (3g) Additional requirements for extended benefits.

108.141(3g)(a) (a)

108.141(3g)(a)1. 1. If a claimant fails to provide sufficient evidence that his or her prospects for obtaining work in his or her customary occupation within a period of time not exceeding 4 weeks, beginning with the first week of eligibility for extended benefits, are good, this paragraph, rather than s. 108.04 (8), applies.

108.141(3g)(a)2. 2. A claimant who, during or after the first week following the week that the department notifies the claimant in writing of the requirements to apply for and accept suitable work, fails either to apply for suitable work when notified by a public employment office or to accept suitable work when offered is ineligible to receive extended benefits for the week in which the failure occurs and for each week thereafter until the claimant has again been employed during at least 4 subsequent weeks in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government and earned wages for such work equal to at least 4 times his or her extended weekly benefit rate.

108.141(3g)(a)3. 3. Work is suitable within the meaning of subd. 2. if:

108.141(3g)(a)3.a. a. It is any work within the claimant’s capabilities;

108.141(3g)(a)3.b. b. The gross average weekly remuneration for the work exceeds the claimant’s weekly benefit rate plus any supplemental unemployment benefits, as defined in 26 USC 501 (c) (17) (D), then payable to the claimant;

108.141(3g)(a)3.c. c. Wages for the work equal or exceed the higher of either the minimum wage provided by 29 USC 206, without regard to any exemption, or any state or local minimum wage; and

108.141(3g)(a)3.d. d. The offer of work to the claimant was in writing or the position was listed with a public employment office.

108.141(3g)(b) (b) The department’s public employment offices shall refer extended benefit claimants to suitable work meeting the conditions prescribed in par. (a).

108.141(3g)(c) (c) A claimant shall make a systematic and sustained effort to obtain work and provide tangible evidence thereof to the department for each week for which the claimant files a claim for extended benefits. If a claimant fails to make the required effort to obtain work or to provide tangible evidence thereof, on a weekly basis, he or she is ineligible to receive extended benefits for the week in which the failure occurs and for each week thereafter until he or she has again been employed during at least 4 subsequent weeks in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government and has earned wages for such work equal to at least 4 times his or her weekly extended benefit rate.

108.141(3g)(d) (d) Notwithstanding s. 108.04 (6) and (7), a claimant who was disqualified from receipt of benefits because of voluntarily terminating employment or incurring a disciplinary suspension for good cause is ineligible to receive extended benefits for the week in which the termination occurs or the suspension begins and for each week thereafter until he or she has again been employed during at least 4 subsequent weeks in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government and earned wages for such work equal to at least 4 times his or her weekly extended benefit rate.