108.03(1)(1) Benefits shall be paid to each unemployed and eligible employe from his or her employer's account, under the conditions and in the amounts stated in (or approved by the department pursuant to) this chapter, and at such times, at such places, and in such manner as the department may from time to time approve or prescribe.
108.03(2)
(2) The benefit liability of each employer's account shall begin to accrue under
s. 108.07 in the first week completed on or after the first day of that calendar year within which the employer's contributions first began to accrue under this chapter.
108.04
108.04
Eligibility for benefits. 108.04(1)
(1)
General disqualifications and limitations. 108.04(1)(a)(a) An employe's eligibility for benefits shall be reduced for any week in which the employe is with due notice called on by his or her current employing unit to report for work actually available within such week and is unavailable for, or unable to perform, some or all of such available work. For purposes of this paragraph, the department shall treat the amount that the employe would have earned as wages for that week in such available work as wages earned by the employe and shall apply the method specified in
s. 108.05 (3) (a) to compute the benefits payable to the employe. The department shall estimate wages that an employe would have earned if it is not possible to compute the exact amount of wages that would have been earned by the employe.
108.04(1)(b)1.
1. While the employe is unable to work, or unavailable for work, if his or her employment with an employer was suspended by the employe or by the employer or was terminated by the employer because the employe was unable to do, or unavailable for, suitable work otherwise available with the employer;
108.04(1)(b)2.
2. While the employe is on a voluntary leave of absence granted for a definite period, until the period ends or until the employe returns to work, whichever occurs first; or
108.04(1)(b)3.
3. While the employe is on family or medical leave under the federal family and medical leave act of 1993 (
P.L. 103-3) or
s. 103.10, until whichever of the following occurs first:
108.04(1)(e)
(e) An individual who is self-employed shall not be eligible for benefits for any week in which the individual has worked at the self-employment, unless the individual establishes to the satisfaction of the department that in view of labor market conditions the individual has made an active and bona fide search for employment. The department shall, by rule, define self-employment for purposes of this paragraph.
108.04(1)(f)
(f) If an employe is required by law to have a license issued by a governmental agency to perform his or her customary work for an employer, and the employe's employment is suspended or terminated because the employe's license has been suspended, revoked or not renewed due to the employe's fault, the employe is not eligible to receive benefits until 5 weeks have elapsed since the end of the week in which the suspension or termination occurs or until the license is reinstated or renewed, whichever occurs first. The wages paid by the employer with which an employe's employment is suspended or terminated shall be excluded from the employe's base period wages under
s. 108.06 (1) for purposes of benefit entitlement while the suspension, revocation or nonrenewal of the license is in effect. This paragraph does not preclude an employe from establishing a benefit year using the wages excluded under this paragraph if the employe qualifies to establish a benefit year under
s. 108.06 (2) (a). The department shall charge to the fund's balancing account any benefits otherwise chargeable to the account of an employer that is subject to the contribution requirements of
ss. 108.17 and
108.18 from which base period wages are excluded under this paragraph.
108.04(1)(g)
(g) Except as provided in
par. (gm), the base period wages utilized to compute total benefits payable to an individual under
s. 108.06 (1) as a result of the following employment shall not exceed 10 times the individual's weekly benefit rate based solely on that employment under
s. 108.05 (1):
108.04(1)(g)1.
1. Employment by a partnership, if a one-half or greater ownership interest in the partnership is or during such employment was owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the individual's spouse or child, or by the individual's parent if the individual is under age 18, or by a combination of 2 or more of them.
108.04(1)(g)1L.
1L. Employment by a limited liability company, if a one-half or greater ownership interest in the limited liability company is or during such employment was owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the individual's spouse or child, or by the individual's parent if the individual is under age 18, or by a combination of 2 or more of them.
108.04(1)(g)2.
2. Employment by a corporation, if one-half or more of the ownership interest, however designated or evidenced, in the corporation is or during such employment was owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the individual or by the individual's spouse or child, or by the individual's parent if the individual is under age 18, or by a combination of 2 or more of them.
108.04(1)(g)3.
3. Except where
subd. 2. applies, employment by a corporation, if one-fourth or more of the ownership interest, however designated or evidenced, in the corporation is or during such employment was owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by the individual.
108.04(1)(gm)
(gm) Paragraph (g) does not apply if the department determines that the individual whose base period wages are being computed was employed by an employer which is a family corporation and the individual's employment was terminated by the employer because of involuntary cessation of business of the family corporation under one or more of the following circumstances:
108.04(1)(gm)1.
1. Dissolution of the corporation, due to economic inviability, under
ch. 180 or the analogous applicable laws of the jurisdiction in which the corporation is incorporated;
108.04(1)(gm)3.
3. Filing for personal bankruptcy by all owners who are personally liable for any of the debts of the corporation; or
108.04(1)(gm)4.
4. Disposition of a total of 75% or more of the assets of the corporation using one or more of the following methods:
108.04(1)(gm)4.c.
c. Sale, due to economic inviability, if the sale does not result in ownership or control by substantially the same interests that owned or controlled the family corporation. It is presumed unless shown to the contrary that a sale, in whole or in part, to a spouse, parent or child of an individual who owned or controlled the family corporation, or to any combination of 2 or more of them, is a sale to substantially the same interests that owned or controlled the family corporation.
108.04(1)(h)
(h) Each employer shall inform the department in its report under
s. 108.09 (1) whenever an individual claims benefits based on employment to which
par. (g) applies. Each employe who claims benefits based on employment to which
par. (g) applies shall so inform the department when claiming benefits.
108.04(1)(hm)
(hm) The department may require any claimant to appear before it and to answer truthfully, orally or in writing, any questions relating to the claimant's eligibility for benefits and to provide such demographic information as may be necessary to permit the department to conduct a statistically valid sample audit of compliance with this chapter. A claimant is not eligible to receive benefits for any week in which the claimant fails to comply with a request by the department to provide the information required under this paragraph, or any subsequent week, until the claimant complies or satisfies the department that he or she had good cause for failure to comply with a request of the department under this paragraph. If a claimant later complies with a request by the department or satisfies the department that he or she had good cause for failure to comply with a request, the claimant is eligible to receive benefits as of the week in which the failure occurred, if otherwise qualified.
108.04(1)(i)
(i) A claimant who does not provide information sufficient for the department to determine whether the claimant has been discharged for misconduct connected with his or her employment, has voluntarily terminated his or her work, has failed without good cause to accept suitable work when offered, or has failed to return to work with a former employer that recalls the employe within 52 weeks after the employe last worked for that employer is not eligible to receive benefits for the week in which the discharge, termination or failure occurs or any subsequent week. If a claimant later provides the information and has good cause for the initial failure to provide the information, he or she is eligible to receive benefits as of the week in which the discharge, termination or failure occurred, if otherwise qualified. If a claimant later provides the information but does not have good cause for the initial failure to provide the information, he or she is eligible to receive benefits as of the week in which the information is provided, if otherwise qualified.
108.04(2)
(2) General qualifying requirements. 108.04(2)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b) and as otherwise expressly provided, a claimant is eligible for benefits as to any given week for which he or she earns no wages only if:
108.04(2)(a)1.
1. The individual is able to work and available for work and is seeking suitable work during that week; and
108.04(2)(a)2.
2. As of that week, the individual has registered for work.
108.04(2)(b)
(b) The requirements for registration for work and search for work shall be prescribed by rule of the department, and the department may by general rule waive these requirements under certain stated conditions.
108.04(2)(c)
(c) Each employer shall inform his or her employes of the requirements of this subsection in such reasonable manner as the department may prescribe by rule.
108.04(2)(d)
(d) A claimant who earns or receives wages for one or more weeks of unemployment may be required, by rule of the department, to comply with the requirements of this subsection in order to be or remain eligible for benefits for any such week.
108.04(2)(e)
(e) Each claimant shall furnish to the department his or her social security number. If a claimant fails, without good cause, to provide his or her social security number, the claimant is not eligible to receive benefits for the week in which the failure occurs or any subsequent week until the week in which he or she provides the social security number. If the claimant has good cause, he or she is eligible to receive benefits as of the week in which the claimant first files a claim for benefits or first requests the department to reactivate an existing benefit claim.
108.04(2)(f)
(f) A claimant is ineligible to receive benefits for any week for which benefits are paid or payable because the claimant knowingly provided the department with a false social security number.
108.04(4)(a)(a) A claimant is not eligible to start a benefit year unless the claimant has combined base period wages equal to at least 30 times the claimant's weekly benefit rate under
s. 108.05 (1), including combined base period wages equal to at least 4 times the claimant's weekly benefit rate under
s. 108.05 (1) in one or more quarters outside of the quarter within the claimant's base period in which the claimant has the highest base period wages.
108.04(4)(b)
(b) There shall be counted toward the wages required by
par. (a) any federal service, within the relevant period, which is assigned to Wisconsin under an agreement pursuant to
5 USC 8501 to
8525.
108.04(4)(c)
(c) An employe is not eligible to start a new benefit year unless, subsequent to the start of the employe's most recent benefit year in which benefits were paid to the employe, the employe has performed services and earned wages for those services equal to at least 8 times the employe's latest weekly benefit rate under
s. 108.05 (1) that was payable to the employe in the employe's most recent benefit year in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government.
108.04(5)
(5) Discharge for misconduct. An employe whose work is terminated by an employing unit for misconduct connected with the employe's work is ineligible to receive benefits until 7 weeks have elapsed since the end of the week in which the discharge occurs and the employe earns wages after the week in which the discharge occurs equal to at least 14 times the employe's weekly benefit rate under
s. 108.05 (1) in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government. For purposes of requalification, the employe's weekly benefit rate shall be that rate which would have been paid had the discharge not occurred. The wages paid to an employe by an employer which terminates employment of the employe for misconduct connected with the employe's employment shall be excluded from the employe's base period wages under
s. 108.06 (1) for purposes of benefit entitlement. The department shall, by rule, prescribe the conditions under which an employe's possession, use or impairment due to use of a controlled substance, as defined in
s. 961.01 (4), or a controlled substance analog, as defined in
s. 961.01 (4m), or an employe's violation of a work rule relating to controlled substances testing constitutes misconduct. This subsection does not preclude an employe who has employment with an employer other than the employer which terminated the employe for misconduct from establishing a benefit year using the base period wages excluded under this subsection if the employe qualifies to establish a benefit year under
s. 108.06 (2) (a). The department shall charge to the fund's balancing account any benefits otherwise chargeable to the account of an employer that is subject to the contribution requirements under
ss. 108.17 and
108.18 from which base period wages are excluded under this subsection.
108.04(6)
(6) Disciplinary suspension. An employe whose work is suspended by an employing unit for good cause connected with the employe's work is ineligible to receive benefits until 3 weeks have elapsed since the end of the week in which the suspension occurs or until the suspension is terminated, whichever occurs first. The department shall, by rule, prescribe the conditions under which an employe's possession, use or impairment due to use of a controlled substance, as defined in
s. 961.01 (4), or a controlled substance analog, as defined in
s. 961.01 (4m), or an employe's violation of a work rule relating to controlled substances testing constitutes good cause for suspension. This subsection does not preclude an employe from establishing a benefit year during a period in which the employe is ineligible to receive benefits under this subsection if the employe qualifies to establish a benefit year under
s. 108.06 (2) (a).
108.04(7)
(7) Voluntary termination of employment. 108.04(7)(a)(a) If an employe terminates work with an employing unit, the employe is ineligible to receive benefits until 4 weeks have elapsed since the end of the week in which the termination occurs and the employe earns wages after the week in which the termination occurs equal to at least 4 times the employe's weekly benefit rate under
s. 108.05 (1) in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government. For purposes of requalification, the employe's weekly benefit rate shall be that rate which would have been paid had the termination not occurred. This paragraph does not preclude an employe from establishing a benefit year by using the base period wages paid by the employer from which the employe voluntarily terminated, if the employe is qualified to establish a benefit year under
s. 108.06 (2) (a).
108.04(7)(am)
(am) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that the suspension or termination of the claimant's work was in lieu of a suspension or termination by the employer of another employe's work. The claimant shall not be deemed unavailable for the claimant's work with the employer by reason of such suspension or termination.
108.04(7)(b)
(b) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that the employe terminated his or her work with good cause attributable to the employing unit. In this paragraph, "good cause" includes, but is not limited to, a request, suggestion or directive by the employing unit that the employe violate federal or Wisconsin law.
108.04(7)(c)
(c) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that the employe terminated his or her work but had no reasonable alternative because the employe was unable to do his or her work or because of the health of a member of his or her immediate family; but if the department determines that the employe is unable to work or unavailable for work, the employe is ineligible to receive benefits while such inability or unavailability continues.
108.04(7)(d)
(d) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that the employe terminated his or her work to accept a recall to work for a former employer within 52 weeks after having last worked for such employer.
108.04(7)(e)
(e) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that the employe accepted work which the employe could have failed to accept with good cause under
sub. (8) and terminated such work with the same good cause and within the first 10 weeks after starting the work, or that the employe accepted work which the employe could have refused under
sub. (9) and terminated such work within the first 10 weeks after starting the work. For purposes of this paragraph, an employe has the same good cause for voluntarily terminating work if the employe could have failed to accept the work under
sub. (8) (d) when it was offered, regardless of the reason articulated by the employe for the termination.
108.04(7)(f)
(f) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that the employe terminated his or her work because the employe was transferred by his or her employing unit to work paying less than two-thirds of his or her immediately preceding wage rate with the employing unit, except that the employe is ineligible to receive benefits for the week of termination and the 4 next following weeks.
108.04(7)(g)
(g) Paragraph (a) does not affect an employe's eligibility to receive benefits if the employe:
108.04(7)(g)1.
1. Maintained a temporary residence near the work terminated; and
108.04(7)(g)2.
2. Maintained a permanent residence in another locality; and
108.04(7)(g)3.
3. Terminated such work and returned to his or her permanent residence because the work available to the employe had been reduced to less than 20 hours per week in at least 2 consecutive weeks.
108.04(7)(h)
(h) The department shall charge to the fund's balancing account benefits paid to an employe that are otherwise chargeable to the account of an employer that is subject to the contribution requirements of
ss. 108.17 and
108.18 if the employe voluntarily terminates employment with that employer and
par. (a),
(c),
(d),
(e),
(k),
(L),
(o),
(p) or
(q) applies.
108.04(7)(i)
(i) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that the employe terminated his or her work because the employer made work, compensation, promotion or job assignments contingent upon the employe's consent to sexual contact or sexual intercourse as defined in
s. 940.225 (5).
108.04(7)(j)
(j) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that the employe left or lost his or her work because of reaching the compulsory retirement age used by the employe's employing unit.
108.04(7)(k)
(k) Paragraph (a) does not apply to an employe who terminates his or her part-time work consisting of not more than 30 hours per week if the employe is otherwise eligible to receive benefits because of the loss of the employe's full-time employment and the loss of the full-time employment makes it economically unfeasible for the employe to continue the part-time work.
108.04(7)(L)
(L) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that the employe terminated work to accept employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government, and earned wages in the subsequent work equal to at least 4 times the employe's weekly benefit rate under
s. 108.05 (1) if the work:
108.04(7)(L)1.
1. Offered average weekly wages at least equal to the average weekly wages that the employe earned in the terminated work;
108.04(7)(L)2.
2. Offered the same or a greater number of hours of work than those performed in the work terminated;
108.04(7)(L)3.
3. Offered the opportunity for significantly longer term work; or
108.04(7)(L)4.
4. Offered the opportunity to accept a position for which the duties were primarily discharged at a location significantly closer to the employe's domicile than the location of the terminated work.
108.04(7)(m)
(m) Paragraph (a) does not apply to an employe who terminates his or her work with a labor organization if the termination causes the employe to lose seniority rights granted under a collective bargaining agreement and if the termination results in the loss of the employe's employment with the employer which is a party to that collective bargaining agreement.
108.04(7)(n)1.
1. Terminated work in a position serving as a part-time elected or appointed member of a governmental body or representative of employes;
108.04(7)(n)2.
2. Was engaged in work for an employing unit other than the employing unit in which the employe served under
subd. 1. at the time that the employe terminated work under
subd. 1.; and
108.04(7)(n)3.
3. Was paid wages in the terminated work constituting not more than 5% of the employe's base period wages for purposes of benefit entitlement.
108.04(7)(o)
(o) Paragraph (a) does not apply to an employe who terminates his or her work in one of 2 or more concurrently held positions, at least one of which consists of more than 30 hours per week, if the employe terminates his or her work before receiving notice of termination from a position which consists of more than 30 hours per week.
108.04(7)(p)
(p) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that an employe, while claiming benefits for partial unemployment, terminated work to accept employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government, if that work offered an average weekly wage greater than the average weekly wage earned in the work terminated.
108.04(7)(q)
(q) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that an employe, while serving as a member of the U.S. armed forces, was engaged concurrently in other work and terminated that work as a result of the employe's honorable discharge or discharge under honorable conditions from active duty as a member of the U.S. armed forces for a reason that would qualify the employe to receive unemployment compensation under
5 USC 8521.
108.04(7)(r)
(r) Paragraph (a) does not apply if the department determines that the employe owns or controls, directly or indirectly, an ownership interest, however designated or evidenced, in a family corporation and the employe's employment was terminated by the employer because of an involuntary cessation of the business of the corporation under one or more of the conditions specified in
sub. (1) (gm). In this paragraph, "family corporation" has the meaning given in
s. 108.02 (15m) and also includes a corporation in which 50% or more of the ownership interest is or was owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by one or more brothers or sisters of a claimant, or by a combination of one or more brothers or sisters and one or more of the persons specified in
s. 108.02 (15m) (a).
108.04(7m)
(7m) Voluntary reduction in hours of employment. An employe whose employer grants the employe's voluntary request to reduce indefinitely the number of hours of employment usually worked by the employe voluntarily terminates his or her employment within the meaning of
sub. (7). The wages earned by the employe from that employer for any week in which the reduction requested by the employe is in effect may not be used to meet the requalification requirement provided in
sub. (7) (a) applicable to that termination if the employer has notified the employe in writing, prior to the time that the request is granted, of the effect of this subsection. The department shall charge to the fund's balancing account benefits paid to such an employe that are otherwise chargeable to the account of an employer that grants an employe's request under this subsection, for each week in which this subsection applies, if the employer is subject to the contribution requirements of
ss. 108.17 and
108.18.
108.04(8)(a)(a) If an employe fails, without good cause, to accept suitable work when offered, the employe is ineligible to receive benefits until 4 weeks have elapsed since the end of the week in which the failure occurs and the employe earns wages after the week in which the failure occurs equal to at least 4 times the employe's weekly benefit rate under
s. 108.05 (1) in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government. For purposes of requalification, the employe's weekly benefit rate shall be that rate which would have been paid had the failure not occurred. This paragraph does not preclude an employe from establishing a benefit year during a period in which the employe is ineligible to receive benefits under this paragraph if the employe qualifies to establish a benefit year under
s. 108.06 (2) (a). The department shall charge to the fund's balancing account any benefits otherwise chargeable to the account of an employer that is subject to the contribution requirements under
ss. 108.17 and
108.18 whenever an employe of that employer fails, without good cause, to accept suitable work offered by that employer.
108.04(8)(c)
(c) If an employe fails, without good cause, to return to work with a former employer that recalls the employe within 52 weeks after the employe last worked for that employer, the employe is ineligible to receive benefits until 4 weeks have elapsed since the end of the week in which the failure occurs and the employe earns wages after the week in which the failure occurs equal to at least 4 times the employe's weekly benefit rate under
s. 108.05 (1) in employment or other work covered by the unemployment insurance law of any state or the federal government. For purposes of requalification, the employe's weekly benefit rate shall be that rate which would have been paid had the failure not occurred. This paragraph does not preclude an employe from establishing a benefit year during a period in which the employe is ineligible to receive benefits under this paragraph if the employe qualifies to establish a benefit year under
s. 108.06 (2) (a). If an employe receives actual notice of a recall to work,
par. (a) applies in lieu of this paragraph.
108.04(8)(d)
(d) An employe shall have good cause under
par. (a) or
(c), regardless of the reason articulated by the employe for the failure, if the department determines that the failure involved work at a lower grade of skill or significantly lower rate of pay than applied to the employe on one or more recent jobs, and that the employe had not yet had a reasonable opportunity, in view of labor market conditions and the employe's degree of skill, but not to exceed 6 weeks after the employe became unemployed, to seek a new job substantially in line with the employe's prior job skill and rate of pay.
108.04(8)(e)
(e) If the department determines that a failure under this subsection has occurred with good cause, but that the employe is unable to work or unavailable for work, the employe shall be ineligible for the week in which such failure occurred and while such inability or unavailability continues.
108.04(8)(f)
(f) This subsection does not apply to an individual claiming extended benefits if the individual 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.
108.04(9)
(9) Protection of labor standards. Benefits shall not be denied under this chapter to any otherwise eligible individual for refusing to accept new work under any of the following conditions:
108.04(9)(a)
(a) If the position offered is vacant due directly to a strike, lockout or other labor dispute;
108.04(9)(b)
(b) If the wages, hours (including arrangement and number) or other conditions of the work offered are substantially less favorable to the individual than those prevailing for similar work in the locality;
108.04(9)(c)
(c) If as a condition of being employed the individual would be required to join a company union or to resign from or refrain from joining any bona fide labor organization.
108.04(10)(a)(a) An employe who has left or partially or totally lost his or her work with an employing unit because of a strike or other bona fide labor dispute, other than a lockout, is not eligible to receive benefits based on wages paid for employment prior to commencement of the dispute for any week in which the dispute is in active progress in the establishment in which the employe is or was employed, except as provided in
par. (b).
