108.04(7m)
(7m) Voluntary reduction in hours of employment. An employee whose employer grants the employee's voluntary request to reduce indefinitely the number of hours of employment usually worked by the employee voluntarily terminates his or her employment within the meaning of
sub. (7). The wages earned by the employee from that employer for any week in which the reduction requested by the employee 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 employee 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 employee that are otherwise chargeable to the account of an employer that grants an employee'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 employee fails, without good cause, to accept suitable work when offered, the employee is ineligible to receive benefits until the employee earns wages after the week in which the failure occurs equal to at least 6 times the employee'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 employee's weekly benefit rate shall be that rate which would have been paid had the failure not occurred. This paragraph does not preclude an employee from establishing a benefit year during a period in which the employee is ineligible to receive benefits under this paragraph if the employee 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 employee of that employer fails, without good cause, to accept suitable work offered by that employer.
108.04(8)(c)
(c) If an employee fails, without good cause, to return to work with a former employer that recalls the employee within 52 weeks after the employee last worked for that employer, the employee is ineligible to receive benefits until the employee earns wages after the week in which the failure occurs equal to at least 6 times the employee'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 employee's weekly benefit rate shall be that rate which would have been paid had the failure not occurred. This paragraph does not preclude an employee from establishing a benefit year during a period in which the employee is ineligible to receive benefits under this paragraph if the employee 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 any employer that is subject to the contribution requirements under
ss. 108.17 and
108.18 whenever an employee of that employer fails, without good cause, to return to work with that employer. If an employee receives actual notice of a recall to work,
par. (a) applies in lieu of this paragraph.
108.04(8)(d)
(d) An employee shall have good cause under
par. (a) or
(c), regardless of the reason articulated by the employee 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 employee on one or more recent jobs, and that the employee had not yet had a reasonable opportunity, in view of labor market conditions and the employee's degree of skill, but not to exceed 6 weeks after the employee became unemployed, to seek a new job substantially in line with the employee'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 employee is unable to work or unavailable for work, the employee 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 employee 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 employee is or was employed, except as provided in
par. (b).
108.04(10)(b)
(b) An employee who did not establish a benefit year prior to commencement of a strike or other bona fide labor dispute, other than a lockout, may establish a benefit year after commencement of the dispute if the employee qualifies to establish a benefit year under
s. 108.06 (2) (a), but the wages paid to the employee for employment prior to commencement of the dispute shall be excluded from the employee's base period wages under
sub. (4) (a) and
ss. 108.05 (1) and
108.06 (1) for any week in which the dispute is in active progress in the establishment in which the employee is or was employed.
108.04(10)(c)
(c) For purposes of this subsection, if the active progress of a strike or other bona fide labor dispute ends on a Sunday, it is not in "active progress" in the calendar week beginning on that Sunday as to any employee who did not normally work on Sundays in the establishment in which the labor dispute occurs.
108.04(10)(d)
(d) In this subsection, "lockout" means the barring of one or more employees from their employment in an establishment by an employer as a part of a labor dispute, which is not directly subsequent to a strike or other job action of a labor union or group of employees of the employer, or which continues or occurs after the termination of a strike or other job action of a labor union or group of employees of the employer.
108.04(11)(a)(a) If a claimant, in filing his or her application for benefits or claim for any week, conceals any material fact relating to his or her eligibility for benefits, the claimant is ineligible for benefits as provided in
par. (be).
108.04(11)(b)
(b) If a claimant, in filing a claim for any week, conceals any of his or her wages earned or paid or payable or hours worked in that week, the claimant is ineligible for benefits as provided in
par. (be).
108.04(11)(be)
(be) A claimant is ineligible for benefits for acts of concealment described in
pars. (a) and
(b) as follows:
108.04(11)(be)1.
1. For each single act of concealment occurring before the date of the first determination of concealment under
par. (a) or
(b), the claimant is ineligible for benefits for which he or she would otherwise be eligible in an amount equivalent to 2 times the claimant's weekly benefit rate under
s. 108.05 (1) for the week in which the claim is made.
108.04(11)(be)2.
2. For each single act of concealment occurring after the date of the first determination of concealment under
par. (a) or
(b), the claimant is ineligible for benefits for which he or she would otherwise be eligible in an amount equivalent to 4 times the claimant's weekly benefit rate under
s. 108.05 (1) for the week in which the claim is made.
108.04(11)(be)3.
3. For each single act of concealment occurring after the date of a 2nd or subsequent determination of concealment under
par. (a) or
(b), the claimant is ineligible for benefits for which he or she would otherwise be eligible in an amount equivalent to 8 times the claimant's weekly benefit rate under
s. 108.05 (1) for the week in which the claim is made.
108.04(11)(bh)
(bh) In addition to ineligibility for benefits resulting from concealment as provided in
par. (be), the department shall assess a penalty against the claimant in an amount equal to 15 percent of the benefit payments erroneously paid to the claimant as a result of one or more acts of concealment described in
pars. (a) and
(b).
108.04(11)(bm)
(bm) The department shall apply any ineligibility under
par. (be) against benefits and weeks of eligibility for which the claimant would otherwise be eligible after the week of concealment and within 6 years after the date of an initial determination issued under
s. 108.09 finding that a concealment occurred. The claimant shall not receive waiting period credit under
s. 108.04 (3) for the period of ineligibility applied under
par. (be). If no benefit rate applies to the week for which the claim is made, the department shall use the claimant's benefit rate for the claimant's next benefit year beginning after the week of concealment to determine the amount of the benefit reduction.
108.04(11)(c)
(c) Any employing unit that aids and abets a claimant in committing or attempts to aid and abet a claimant in committing an act of concealment described in
par. (a) or
(b) may, by a determination issued under
s. 108.10, be required, as to each act of concealment the employing unit aids and abets or attempts to aid and abet, to forfeit an amount equal to the amount of the benefits the claimant improperly received as a result of the concealment. In addition, the employing unit shall be penalized as follows:
108.04(11)(c)1.
1. The employing unit shall forfeit $500 for each single act of concealment that the employing unit aids and abets or attempts to aid and abet a claimant to commit occurring before the date of the first determination that the employing unit has so acted.
108.04(11)(c)2.
2. The employing unit shall forfeit $1,000 for each single act of concealment that the employing unit aids and abets or attempts to aid and abet a claimant to commit occurring after the date of the first determination that the employing unit has so acted in which a penalty is applied under
subd. 1. but on or before the date of the first determination that the employing unit has so acted in which a penalty is applied under this subdivision.
108.04(11)(c)3.
3. The employing unit shall forfeit $1,500 for each single act of concealment that the employing unit aids and abets or attempts to aid and abet a claimant to commit occurring after the date of the first determination that the employing unit has so acted in which a penalty is applied under
subd. 2.
108.04(11)(cm)
(cm) If any person makes a false statement or representation in order to obtain benefits in the name of another person, the benefits received by that person constitute a benefit overpayment. Such person may, by a determination or decision issued under
s. 108.095, be required to repay the amount of the benefits obtained and be assessed an administrative assessment in an additional amount equal to the amount of benefits obtained.
108.04(11)(d)
(d) In addition to other remedies, the department may, by civil action, recover any benefits obtained by means of any false statement or representation or any administrative assessment imposed under
par. (cm).
Chapter 778 does not apply to collection of any benefits or assessment under this paragraph.
108.04(11)(e)
(e) This subsection may be applied even when other provisions, including penalty provisions, of this chapter are applied.
108.04(11)(f)
(f) All amounts forfeited under
par. (c) and all collections from administrative assessments under
par. (cm) shall be credited to the administrative account.
108.04(11)(g)
(g) For purposes of this subsection, "conceal" means to intentionally mislead or defraud the department by withholding or hiding information or making a false statement or misrepresentation.
108.04(12)(b)(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).
108.04(12)(c)
(c) Any individual who receives unemployment insurance for a given week under any federal law through any federal agency shall be ineligible for benefits paid or payable for that same week under this chapter.
108.04(12)(d)
(d) Any individual who receives unemployment insurance for a given week under the law of any other state, with no use of benefit credits earned under this chapter, shall be ineligible for benefits paid or payable for that same week under this chapter.
108.04(12)(e)
(e) Any individual who receives a temporary total disability payment for a whole week under
ch. 102 or under any federal law which provides for payments on account of a work-related injury or illness analogous to those provided under
ch. 102 shall be ineligible for benefits paid or payable for that same week under this chapter unless otherwise provided by federal law. A temporary total disability payment or a temporary partial disability payment under those provisions received by an individual for part of a week shall be treated as wages for purposes of eligibility for benefits for partial unemployment under
s. 108.05 (3).
108.04(12)(f)1.1. Any individual who actually receives social security disability insurance benefits under
42 USC ch. 7 subch. II in a given week is ineligible for benefits paid or payable in that same week under this chapter.
108.04(12)(f)2.
2. Information that the department receives or acquires from the federal social security administration that an individual is receiving social security disability insurance benefits under
42 USC ch. 7 subch. II in a given week is considered conclusive, absent clear and convincing evidence that the information was erroneous.
108.04(13)(a)(a) The department shall apply any provision of this chapter which may disqualify a claimant from receiving benefits whether or not the claimant's employing unit questions the claimant's eligibility or files the report required under
s. 108.09 (1).
108.04(13)(b)
(b) If an employer fails to file the required wage report under
s. 108.205 for an employee who has claimed benefits from the employer's account, the department may compute and proceed to pay the benefits thus claimed, based on the claimant's statements and any other information then available.
108.04(13)(c)
(c) If an employer, after notice of a benefit claim, fails to file an objection to the claim under
s. 108.09 (1), any benefits allowable under any resulting benefit computation shall, unless the department applies a provision of this chapter to disqualify the claimant, be promptly paid. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, any eligibility question in objection to the claim raised by the employer after benefit payments to the claimant are commenced does not affect benefits paid prior to the end of the week in which a determination is issued as to the eligibility question unless the benefits are erroneously paid without fault on the part of the employer. Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, if an employer fails to provide correct and complete information requested by the department during a fact-finding investigation, but later provides the requested information, benefits paid prior to the end of the week in which a redetermination is issued regarding the matter or, if no redetermination is issued, prior to the end of the week in which an appeal tribunal decision is issued regarding the matter, are not affected by the redetermination or decision, unless the benefits are erroneously paid without fault on the part of the employer as provided in
par. (f). If benefits are erroneously paid because the employer and the employee are at fault, the department shall charge the employer for the benefits and proceed to create an overpayment under
s. 108.22 (8) (a). If benefits are erroneously paid without fault on the part of the employer, regardless of whether the employee is at fault, the department shall charge the benefits as provided in
par. (d), unless
par. (e) applies, and proceed to create an overpayment under
s. 108.22 (8) (a). If benefits are erroneously paid because an employer is at fault and the department recovers the benefits erroneously paid under
s. 108.22 (8), the recovery does not affect benefit charges made under this paragraph.
108.04(13)(d)1.1. If the department finds that any benefits charged to an employer's account have been erroneously paid to an employee without fault by the employer, the department shall notify the employee and the employer of the erroneous payment.
108.04(13)(d)2.
2. If recovery of an overpayment is permitted under
s. 108.22 (8) (c) and benefits are currently payable to the employee from the employer's account, the department may correct the error by adjusting the benefits accordingly.
108.04(13)(d)3.
3. To correct any erroneous payment not so adjusted that was charged to the account of an employer that is subject to the contribution requirements of
ss. 108.17 and
108.18, the department shall:
108.04(13)(d)3.a.
a. If recovery of an overpayment is permitted under
s. 108.22 (8) (c), restore the proper amount to the employer's account and charge that amount to the fund's balancing account, and shall thereafter reimburse the balancing account by crediting to it benefits which would otherwise be payable to, or cash recovered from, the employee; or
108.04(13)(d)3.b.
b. If recovery of an overpayment is not permitted under
s. 108.22 (8) (c), restore the proper amount to the employer's account and charge that amount to the fund's balancing account unless
s. 108.07 (5) (c) applies.
108.04(13)(d)4.
4. To correct any erroneous payment not so adjusted from the account of an employer which is a government unit, an Indian tribe, or a nonprofit organization and which has elected reimbursement financing, the department shall:
108.04(13)(d)4.a.
a. If recovery of an overpayment is permitted under
s. 108.22 (8) (c), credit to the account benefits which would otherwise be payable to, or cash received from, the employee; or
108.04(13)(e)
(e) If the department erroneously pays benefits from one employer's account and a 2nd employer is at fault, the department shall credit the benefits paid to the first employer's account and charge the benefits paid to the 2nd employer's account. Filing of a tardy or corrected report or objection does not affect the 2nd employer's liability for benefits paid prior to the end of the week in which the department makes a recomputation of the benefits allowable or prior to the end of the week in which the department issues a determination concerning any eligibility question raised by the report or by the 2nd employer. If the 2nd employer fails to
provide correct and complete information requested by the department during a fact-finding investigation, but later provides the requested information, the department shall charge to the account of the 2nd employer the cost of benefits paid prior to the end of the week in which a redetermination is issued regarding the matter or, if no redetermination is issued, prior to the end of the week in which an appeal tribunal decision is issued regarding the matter, unless the benefits erroneously are paid without fault on the part of the employer as provided in
par. (f). If the department recovers the benefits erroneously paid under
s. 108.22 (8), the recovery does not affect benefit charges made under this paragraph.
108.04(13)(f)
(f) If benefits are erroneously paid because the employer fails to file a report required by this chapter, the employer fails to provide correct and complete information on the report, the employer fails to object to the benefit claim under
s. 108.09 (1), the employer fails to provide correct and complete information requested by the department during a fact-finding investigation, unless an appeal tribunal, the commission, or a court of competent jurisdiction finds that the employer had good cause for the failure to provide the information, or the employer aids and abets the claimant in an act of concealment as provided in
sub. (11), the employer is at fault. If benefits are erroneously paid because an employee commits an act of concealment as provided in
sub. (11) or fails to provide correct and complete information to the department, the employee is at fault.
108.04 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ch.
DWD 123, Wis. adm. code.
108.04(14)
(14) War-time application of subsection (7) or (8). If the department finds that the official war-time manpower policies of the United States are or may be materially hampered, in any clearly definable class of cases, by any application of
sub. (7) or
(8), so as to interfere with the effective war-time use of civilian manpower in Wisconsin, the department may by general rule, after public hearing, modify or suspend such application accordingly.
108.04(15)
(15) Department powers to assist claimants. 108.04(15)(a)(a) Except as provided in
par. (b), the department may do any of the following for the purpose of assisting claimants to find or obtain work:
108.04(15)(a)1.
1. Use the information or materials provided under
sub. (2) (a) 4. to assess a claimant's efforts, skills, and ability to find or obtain work and to develop a list of potential opportunities for a claimant to obtain suitable work. A claimant who otherwise satisfies the requirement under
sub. (2) (a) 3. is not required to apply for any specific positions on the list in order to satisfy that requirement.
108.04(15)(a)2.
2. Require a claimant to participate in a public employment office workshop or training program or in similar reemployment services that do not charge the claimant a participation fee and that offer instruction to improve the claimant's ability to obtain suitable work.
108.04(15)(b)
(b) This subsection does not apply with respect to a claimant who is exempt from any of the requirements in
sub. (2) (a) 2. or
3. in a given week.
108.04(16)(a)1.
1. A course of vocational training or basic education which is a prerequisite to such training in which an individual is enrolled if:
108.04(16)(a)1.a.
a. The course is expected to increase the individual's opportunities to obtain employment;
108.04(16)(a)1.b.
b. The course is given by a school established under
s. 38.02 or another training institution approved by the department;
108.04(16)(a)1.c.
c. The individual is enrolled full time as determined by the training institution;
108.04(16)(a)1.d.
d. The course does not grant substantial credit leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; and
108.04(16)(a)1.e.
e. The individual is attending regularly and making satisfactory progress in the course.
108.04(16)(a)2.
2. A program administered by the department for the training of unemployed workers, other than the youth apprenticeship program under
s. 106.13;
108.04(16)(am)
(am) The department shall not apply any benefit reduction or disqualification under
sub. (1) (a),
(2) (a), or
(8), or
s. 108.141 (3g) (a) or
(c) to any otherwise eligible individual for any week as a result of the individual's enrollment in approved training.
108.04(16)(d)1.
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
108.04(16)(d)2.
2. The requalifying requirements under
subs. (7) and
(8) do not apply while the individual is enrolled in approved training specified in
par. (a) 3. or
4.
108.04(16)(e)
(e) The department shall charge to the fund's balancing account the cost of benefits paid to an individual 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 individual receives benefits based on the application of
par. (am),
(b), or
(d).
108.04(16)(f)
(f) As a condition to qualification of a course as approved training for an individual under this subsection, the department may require a certification from the training institution showing the individual's attendance and progress in the course.
108.04(17)(a)(a) A school year employee of an educational institution who performs services in an instructional, research or principal administrative capacity is ineligible for benefits based on such services for any week of unemployment which occurs:
108.04(17)(a)1.
1. During the period between 2 successive academic years or terms, if the school year employee performed such services for any educational institution in the first such year or term and if there is reasonable assurance that he or she will perform such services for any educational institution in the 2nd such year or term; or
108.04(17)(a)2.
2. During the period between 2 regular but not successive academic terms, when an agreement between an employer and a school year employee provides for such a period, if the school year employee performed such services for any educational institution in the first such term and if there is reasonable assurance that he or she will perform such services for any educational institution in the 2nd such term.
108.04(17)(b)
(b) A school year employee of a government unit, Indian tribe, or nonprofit organization which provides services to or on behalf of an educational institution who performs services in an instructional, research, or principal administrative capacity is ineligible for benefits based on such services for any week of unemployment which occurs:
108.04(17)(b)1.
1. During the period between 2 successive academic years or terms, if the school year employee performed such services for any such government unit, Indian tribe, or nonprofit organization in the first such year or term and if there is reasonable assurance that he or she will perform such services for any such government unit, Indian tribe, or nonprofit organization in the 2nd such year or term; or
108.04(17)(b)2.
2. During the period between 2 regular but not successive academic terms, when an agreement between an employer and a school year employee provides for such a period, if the school year employee performed such services for any such government unit, Indian tribe, or nonprofit organization in the first such term and if there is reasonable assurance that he or she will perform such services for any such government unit, Indian tribe, or nonprofit organization in the 2nd such term.
