CHAPTER 104
MINIMUM WAGE LAW
104.001 Statewide concern; uniformity.
104.02 Living wage prescribed.
104.04 Classifications; department's authority.
104.045 Tipped employees.
104.05 Complaints; investigation.
104.06 Wage council; determination.
104.07 Rules; license to employ; student learners; sheltered workshops.
104.10 Penalty for intimidating witness.
104.11 Definition of violation.
Ch. 104 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See definitions in s.
103.001.
Ch. 104 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
DWD 272, Wis. adm. code.
104.001
104.001
Statewide concern; uniformity. 104.001(1)
(1) The legislature finds that the provision of a living wage that is uniform throughout the state is a matter of statewide concern and that the enactment of a living wage ordinance by a city, village, town, or county would be logically inconsistent with, would defeat the purpose of, and would go against the spirit of this chapter. Therefore, this chapter shall be construed as an enactment of statewide concern for the purpose of providing a living wage that is uniform throughout the state.
104.001(2)
(2) A city, village, town, or county may not enact and administer an ordinance establishing a living wage. Any city, village, town, or county living wage ordinance that is in effect on June 16, 2005, is void.
104.001(3)
(3) This section does not affect any of the following:
104.001(3)(a)
(a) The requirement that employees employed on a public works project contracted for by a city, village, town, or county be paid at the prevailing wage rate, as defined in
s. 66.0903 (1) (g), as required under
s. 66.0903.
104.001(3)(b)
(b) An ordinance that requires an employee of a county, city, village, or town, an employee who performs work under a contract for the provision of services to a county, city, village, or town, or an employee who performs work that is funded by financial assistance from a county, city, village, or town, to be paid at a minimum wage rate specified in the ordinance.
104.001 History
History: 2005 a. 12.
104.01
104.01
Definitions. The following terms as used in this chapter shall be construed as follows:
104.01(1)
(1) "Department" means the department of workforce development.
104.01(2)(a)(a) "Employee" means every individual who is in receipt of or is entitled to any compensation for labor performed for any employer.
104.01(2)(b)1.
1. Any individual engaged in the house to house delivery of newspapers to the consumer or engaged in direct retail sale to the consumer.
104.01(2)(b)2.
2. Any individual engaged in performing services for a person as a real estate agent or as a real estate salesperson, if all of those services are performed for remuneration solely by commission.
104.01(2)(b)3.
3. Any individual engaged in performing services for an employer described in
sub. (3) (b) if that individual is not considered under
29 USC 203 (e) (4), as amended to April 15, 1986, to be an employee for the purposes of the fair labor standards act,
29 USC 201 to
219, or if that individual is exempt under
29 USC 213, as amended to April 1, 1990, from being paid at least the federal minimum hourly wage under
29 USC 206 (a) (1).
104.01(2)(b)4.
4. Any individual engaged in performing services for an employer described in
sub. (3) (b) if that individual is not subject to the civil service laws of the employer and if that individual is an elective officer; is on the personal staff of an elective officer, other than a member of the legislature; is appointed by an elective officer to serve on a policymaking level; or is an immediate adviser to an elective officer with respect to the constitutional or legal powers of the elective officer's office.
104.01(3)(a)(a) The term "employer" shall mean and include every person, firm or corporation, agent, manager, representative, contractor, subcontractor or principal, or other person having control or direction of any person employed at any labor or responsible directly or indirectly for the wages of another.
104.01(3)(b)
(b) "Employer" includes the state, its political subdivisions and any office, department, independent agency, authority, institution, association, society or other body in state or local government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, including the legislature and the courts.
104.01(5)
(5) "Living wage" means compensation for labor paid, whether by time, piecework, or otherwise, sufficient to enable the employee receiving the compensation to maintain himself or herself under conditions consistent with his or her welfare.
104.01(6)
(6) "Sheltered workshop" means a charitable organization or institution conducted not for profit, but for the purpose of carrying out a recognized program of rehabilitation for workers with disabilities and of providing workers with disabilities with remunerative employment or other occupational rehabilitating activity of an educational or therapeutic nature.
104.01(7)
(7) "Student learner" means a student who is receiving instruction in an accredited school and who is employed on a part-time basis, pursuant to a bona fide school training program. A "bona fide school training program" means a program authorized and approved by the department of public instruction or the technical college system board, or other recognized educational body, and provided for part-time employment training which may be scheduled for a part of the workday or workweek, supplemented by and integrated with, a definitely organized plan of instruction and where proper scholastic credit is given by the accredited school.
104.01(8)
(8) The term "wage" and the term "wages" shall each mean any compensation for labor measured by time, piece or otherwise.
104.01(9)
(9) The term "welfare" shall mean and include reasonable comfort, reasonable physical well-being, decency, and moral well-being.
104.01(10)
(10) "Worker with a disability" means a worker whose earning capacity is impaired by age or physical or mental deficiency or injury and who is being served in accordance with the recognized rehabilitation program of a sheltered workshop within the facilities of such agency or in or about the home of the worker.
104.01 Annotation
Sections 104.01 to 104.12 do not apply to the state or its political subdivisions as employers. 62 Atty. Gen. 47.
104.02
104.02
Living wage prescribed. Every wage paid or agreed to be paid by any employer to any employee, except as otherwise provided in
s. 104.07, shall be not less than a living wage.
104.02 History
History: 1975 c. 94;
2005 a. 12.
104.03
104.03
Unlawful wages. Any employer paying, offering to pay, or agreeing to pay any employee a wage lower or less in value than a living wage is guilty of a violation of this chapter.
104.03 History
History: 1975 c. 94;
2005 a. 12.
104.04
104.04
Classifications; department's authority. The department shall investigate, ascertain, determine, and fix such reasonable classifications, and shall impose general or special orders, determining the living wage, and shall carry out the purposes of this chapter. Such investigations, classifications, and orders shall be made as provided under
s. 103.005, and the penalties specified in
s. 103.005 (12) shall apply to and be imposed for any violation of this chapter. In determining the living wage, the department may consider the effect that an increase in the living wage might have on the economy of the state, including the effect of a living wage increase on job creation, retention, and expansion, on the availability of entry-level jobs, and on regional economic conditions within the state. The department may not establish a different minimum wage for men and women. Said orders shall be subject to review in the manner provided in
ch. 227.
104.04 Cross-reference
Cross Reference: See also ch.
DWD 272, Wis. adm. code.
104.045
104.045
Tipped employees. The department shall by rule determine what amount of tips or similar gratuities may be counted toward fulfillment of the employer's obligation under this chapter.
104.045 History
History: 1977 c. 179.
104.05
104.05
Complaints; investigation. The department shall, within 20 days after the filing of a verified complaint of any person setting forth that the wages paid to any employee in any occupation are not sufficient to enable the employee to maintain himself or herself under conditions consistent with his or her welfare, investigate and determine whether there is reasonable cause to believe that the wage paid to any employee is not a living wage.
104.05 History
History: 1975 c. 94;
2005 a. 12.
104.06
104.06
Wage council; determination. If, upon investigation, the department finds that there is reasonable cause to believe that the wages paid to any employee are not a living wage, the department shall appoint a wage council, selected so as fairly to represent employers, employees, and the public, to assist in its investigations and determinations. The living wage so determined upon shall be the living wage for all employees within the same class as established by the classification of the department.
104.06 History
History: 1975 c. 94;
2005 a. 12.
