108.17(1)(1)
Contributions shall accrue and become payable by each employer then subject to this chapter on the first day of July, 1934, and shall be paid thenceforth in accordance with this chapter. Thereafter contributions shall accrue and become payable by any employer on and after the date on which the employer becomes newly subject to this chapter.
108.17(1m)
(1m) In the case of an employer who becomes newly subject to this chapter based on employment during a given year, contributions based on payrolls through the quarter which includes the date the employer became subject to this chapter shall not be considered as payable for the purposes of s.
108.22 until the close of the month next following the first full quarter occurring after the quarter during which the liability was incurred. In no case may such due date be later than January 31 of the succeeding year.
108.17(2)(a)(a) Except as provided in par.
(b), every employer that is subject to a contribution requirement shall file quarterly reports of contributions required under this chapter with the department, and pay contributions to the department, in such manner as the department prescribes. Each contribution report and payment is due at the close of the month next following the end of the applicable calendar quarter, except as authorized in sub.
(2c) or as the department may assign a later due date pursuant to sub.
(1m) or general department rules.
108.17(2)(b)
(b) The department may electronically provide a means whereby an employer that files its employment and wage reports electronically may determine the amount of contributions due for payment by the employer under s.
108.18 for each quarter. If an employer that is subject to a contribution requirement files its employment and wage reports under s.
108.205 (1) electronically, in the manner prescribed by the department for purposes of this paragraph, the department may require the employer to determine electronically the amount of contributions due for payment by the employer under s.
108.18 for each quarter. In such case, the employer is excused from filing contribution reports under par.
(a). The employer shall pay the amount due for each quarter by the due date specified in par.
(a).
108.17(2b)
(2b) The department shall prescribe a form and methodology for filing contribution reports under sub.
(2) electronically. Each employer of 25 or more employees, as determined under s.
108.22 (1) (ae), that does not use an employer agent to file its contribution reports under this section shall file its contribution reports electronically in the manner and form prescribed by the department. Each employer that becomes subject to an electronic reporting requirement under this subsection shall file its initial report under this subsection for the quarter during which the employer becomes subject to the reporting requirement. Once an employer becomes subject to a reporting requirement under this subsection, it shall continue to file its reports under this subsection unless that requirement is waived by the department.
108.17(2c)(a)(a) Except as provided in pars.
(d) and
(e), an employer that has a first quarter contribution liability of $1,000 or more may elect to defer payment to later due dates beyond the due date established under sub.
(1m) or
(2) of not more than 60 percent of its first quarter contribution liability, without payment of interest, as follows:
108.17(2c)(a)1.
1. The employer shall pay at least 30 percent of the first quarter contribution liability on or before July 31 of the year in which the liability accrues.
108.17(2c)(a)2.
2. The employer shall pay at least an additional 20 percent of the first quarter contribution liability on or before October 31 of the year in which the liability accrues.
108.17(2c)(a)3.
3. The employer shall pay any remaining balance of the first quarter contribution liability on or before January 31 of the year after the year in which the liability accrues.
108.17(2c)(b)
(b) An employer that elects to defer a payment under par.
(a) may pay more than the specified minimum deferred amount or all of the deferred amount at any time before the due date under par.
(a).
108.17(2c)(c)
(c) If an employer fails to pay at least the specified minimum deferred amount for the first quarter, together with the full amount of contributions payable for any subsequent quarter, or fails to file its employment and wage report in the format prescribed under par.
(f), by a specified due date, then all unpaid contribution liability of that employer for the first quarter is delinquent under s.
108.22 and interest thereon is payable from April 30 of the year in which the liability accrues.
108.17(2c)(d)
(d) If an employer fails to pay at least 40 percent of its first quarter contribution liability on or before April 30 of the year in which the liability accrues, the employer is not permitted to defer the balance of the liability under this subsection.
108.17(2c)(e)
(e) An employer is not permitted to defer its first quarter contribution liability under this subsection for any year unless the employer pays all delinquent contributions, together with any interest, penalties, and fees assessed under this chapter, prior to April 30 of the year in which the liability accrues.
108.17(2c)(f)
(f) An employer that elects to defer payment of its first quarter contributions under this subsection shall file the election electronically, shall file its contribution reports under sub.
(2) (a) unless excused from filing under sub.
(2) (b), and shall file its employment and wage reports under s.
108.205 electronically in the manner and form prescribed by the department.
108.17(2g)
(2g) An employer agent that prepares reports on behalf of employers under sub.
(2) shall file contribution reports electronically in the manner and form prescribed by the department under sub.
(2b) unless that requirement is waived by the department.
108.17(2m)
(2m) When a written statement of account is issued to an employer by the department, showing as duly credited a specified amount received from the employer under this chapter, no other form of state receipt therefor is required.
108.17(3)
(3) If an employing unit makes application to the department to adjust an alleged overpayment by the employer of contributions or interest under this chapter, and files such an application within 3 years after the close of the calendar year in which such payment was made, the department shall make a determination under s.
108.10 as to the existence and extent of any such overpayment, and said section shall apply to such determination. Except as provided in sub.
(3m), the department shall allow an employer a credit for any amount determined under s.
108.10 to have been erroneously paid by the employer, without interest, against its future contribution payments; or, if the department finds it impracticable to allow the employer such a credit, it shall refund such overpayment to the employer, without interest, from the fund or the administrative account, as the case may be.
108.17(3m)
(3m) If an appeal tribunal or the commission issues a decision under s.
108.10 (2), or a court issues a decision on review under s.
108.10 (4), in which it is determined that an amount has been erroneously paid by an employer, the department shall, from the administrative account, credit the employer with interest at the rate of 0.75 percent per month or fraction thereof on the amount of the erroneous payment. Interest shall accrue from the month which the erroneous payment was made until the month in which it is either used as a credit against future contributions or refunded to the employer.
108.17(4)
(4) An employer's contribution rate for any year, once determined by the department, shall not be redetermined after the last day of February in the year for which the rate was determined unless the rate was determined based on payroll which should have been reported under a different employer's account, in which case the department may redetermine the rates with respect to all affected employers' accounts.
108.17(5)
(5) Upon application of an employer, the department may permit employers which are component members of a controlled group of corporations under
26 USC 1563 to combine wages of a single employee for purposes of determining the employers' payroll under s.
108.02 (21) (b) if the employee is subject to transfer between the employers under the terms of a single collective bargaining agreement. The application shall specify the calendar year in which the combination is proposed to occur. This subsection does not apply to any employer for which the department has written off overdrafts under s.
108.16 (7) (c) within the 2 calendar years preceding the year in which the combination is proposed to occur, nor to any employer whose account is overdrawn by 6 percent or more on the computation date for the calendar year preceding the year in which the combination is proposed to occur. If the department approves the application, the department shall specify the calendar year in which the combination is effective and the method by which the component members will report the payroll of the employee to the department.
108.17(6)
(6) If the department determines that a trustee paying wage claims for an employer in a state or federal liquidation proceeding in which priority is given to specified wage claims has insufficient funds to pay all wage claims given priority, and contributions on the wage claims given priority, in full, the department may accept less than the full amount of contributions owed by the employer on those wage claims.
108.17(7)(a)(a) Each employer whose net total contributions paid or payable under this section for any 12-month period ending on June 30 are at least $10,000 shall pay all contributions under this section by means of electronic funds transfer beginning with the next calendar year. Once an employer becomes subject to an electronic payment requirement under this paragraph, the employer shall continue to make payment of all contributions by means of electronic funds transfer unless that requirement is waived by the department.
108.17(7)(b)
(b) Each employer agent shall pay all contributions under this section on behalf of each employer that is represented by the agent by means of electronic funds transfer.
108.17 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ss.
DWD 110.07 and
110.08, Wis. adm. code.
108.18
108.18
Contributions to the fund. 108.18(1)(a)(a) Unless a penalty applies under s.
108.16 (8) (m), each employer shall pay contributions to the fund for each calendar year at whatever rate on the employer's payroll for that year duly applies to the employer pursuant to this section.
108.18(1)(b)
(b) An employer's contributions shall be credited to the employer's account in the fund, but only after any solvency contribution or special contribution paid or payable by the employer under subs.
(8) to
(9m) has been credited to the fund's balancing account.
108.18(2)(a)
(a) Except as provided in pars.
(c) and
(d), an employer's contribution rate shall be 2.5 percent on its payroll for each of the first 3 calendar years with respect to which contributions are credited to its account, except as additional contributions apply under this section.
108.18(2)(c)
(c) An employer engaged in the construction of roads, bridges, highways, sewers, water mains, utilities, public buildings, factories, housing, or similar construction projects shall pay contributions for each of the first 3 calendar years at the average rate for construction industry employers as determined by the department on each computation date, rounded up to the next highest rate. This rate may in no case be more than the maximum rate specified in the schedule in effect for the year of the computation under sub.
(4).
108.18 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ch.
DWD 102, Wis. adm. code.
108.18(2)(d)
(d) No later than 90 days after the department issues an initial determination that a person is an employer, any employer other than an employer specified in par.
(c), having a payroll exceeding $10,000,000 in a calendar year may elect that its contribution rate shall be one percent on its payroll for the first 3 calendar years with respect to which contributions are credited to its account. In such case, the department shall credit the amount collected in excess of this amount against liability of the employer for future contributions after the close of each calendar year in which an election applies. If an employer qualifies for and makes an election under this paragraph, the employer shall, upon notification by the department, make a special contribution after the close of each quarter equivalent to the amount by which its account is overdrawn, if any, for the preceding quarter. The department shall credit any timely payment of contributions to the employer's account before making a determination of liability for a special contribution under this paragraph. An employer does not qualify for an alternate contribution rate under this paragraph at any time during which the employer's special contribution payment is delinquent. An employer that is the transferee of a business enterprise but does not qualify to be treated as a successor under s.
108.16 (8) (im) does not qualify for an alternate contribution rate under this paragraph.
108.18(3)
(3) Requirements for reduced rate. As to any calendar year, an employer shall be permitted to pay contributions to the fund at a rate lower than the standard rate on its payroll for that year only when, as of the applicable computation date:
108.18(3)(a)
(a) Benefits have been chargeable to the employer's account during the 18 months preceding such date; and
108.18(3)(b)
(b) Such lower rate applies under this section; and
108.18(3)(c)
(c) Permitting the employer to pay such lower rate is consistent with the relevant conditions then applicable to additional credit allowance for such year under section 3303 (a) of the federal unemployment tax act, any other provision to the contrary notwithstanding.
108.18(3m)(a)
(a) “Schedule A" is in effect for any calendar year whenever, as of the preceding June 30, the fund has a cash balance of less than $300,000,000.
108.18(3m)(b)
(b) “Schedule B" is in effect for any calendar year whenever, as of the preceding June 30, the fund has a cash balance of at least $300,000,000 but less than $900,000,000.
108.18(3m)(c)
(c) “Schedule C" is in effect for any calendar year whenever, as of the preceding June 30, the fund has a cash balance of at least $900,000,000 but less than $1,200,000,000.
108.18(3m)(d)
(d) “Schedule D" is in effect for any calendar year whenever, as of the preceding June 30, the fund has a cash balance of at least $1,200,000,000.
108.18(4)
(4) Experience rates. Except as otherwise specified in this section, an employer's contribution rate on the employer's payroll for a given calendar year shall be based on the reserve percentage of the employer's account as of the applicable computation date, as follows: [See Figure 108.18 (4) following]
-
See PDF for table 
-
See PDF for table -
See PDF for table 108.18(5)
(5) Limitation. Except as provided in subs.
(2) and
(8), the contribution rate for any calendar year of an employer whose reserve percentage equals or exceeds zero may in no case exceed by more than one percent on the employer's payroll the rate which applied to the employer at the close of the preceding calendar year, and the contribution rate for any calendar year of an employer whose reserve percentage is less than zero may in no case exceed by more than 2 percent on the employer's payroll the rate which applied to the employer at the close of the preceding calendar year.
108.18(5m)
(5m) Limitation, computation. The limitation of sub.
(5) shall be computed from the employer's experience rate assigned to it under subs.
(4),
(5) and
(6), rounded to the next highest rate.
108.18(6)
(6) Computation in special cases. If during the year ending on a computation date an employer has been liable for contributions but has had no payroll, the employer's reserve percentage as of that computation date shall be computed on the basis of the employer's most recent year (ending on a computation date which applied to the employer) of some payroll; but the employer's contribution rate for the calendar year following the computation date shall in no case be less than one percent.
108.18(7)(a)1.1. Except as provided in pars.
(b) to
(i), any employer may make payments to the fund during the month of November in excess of those required by this section and s.
108.19 (1),
(1e), and
(1f). Each payment shall be credited to the employer's account for the purpose of computing the employer's reserve percentage as of the immediately preceding computation date.
108.18(7)(a)2.
2. Each payment shall be treated as a contribution required and irrevocably paid under this chapter with respect to payrolls preceding the date it is credited except as a refund or credit is authorized under par.
(b),
(e),
(h), or
(i).
108.18(7)(b)
(b) Except as provided in par.
(i), no employer may, by means of a voluntary contribution under par.
(a), reduce the employer's contribution rate to a rate lower than the next lower rate which would have applied to the employer for the following calendar year. Any contributions in excess of the amount required to reduce an employer's rate to the extent permitted under this paragraph shall be applied against any outstanding liability of the employer, or if there is no such liability shall be refunded to the employer or established as a credit, without interest, against future contributions payable by the employer, at the employer's option.
108.18(7)(c)
(c) No employer whose overdrafts have been charged to the fund's balancing account under s.
108.16 (7) (c) may make a voluntary contribution under par.
(a) prior to the 5th calendar year commencing after the date of the most recent such charge. Any voluntary contribution made prior to that year shall be treated as an excess contribution under par.
(b).
108.18(7)(d)
(d) A payment under this subsection is timely if it is received by the department no later than November 30 following the computation date for the calendar year to which it applies.
108.18(7)(e)
(e) The department may refund a voluntary contribution made under par.
(a) if, due to an error of the department or an employer, the department makes an adjustment after the computation date or the November voluntary contribution period to the employer's account or payroll used to calculate the employer's reserve percentage that nullifies the rate reduction obtained by the voluntary payment. No refund may be authorized after the close of the calendar year for which the rate changed by the voluntary contribution applied.
108.18(7)(f)
(f) Notwithstanding par.
(a), the department shall authorize an employer to make a voluntary contribution for the purpose of computing the employer's reserve percentage as of the immediately preceding computation date after the month of November, but in no case later than 120 days after the beginning of the calendar year to which the reserve percentage applies, in an amount sufficient to obtain a contribution rate that was:
108.18(7)(f)1.
1. Nullified by an erroneous charge or credit to the employer's account made by the department; or
108.18(7)(f)2.
2. Increased to a higher contribution rate by an erroneous charge or credit to the employer's account made by the department.
108.18(7)(g)
(g) Any payment under par.
(f) must be received by the department within 30 days after the date of notice of the rate change caused by the adjustment and within 120 days after the beginning of the year to which the rate applies.
108.18(7)(h)
(h) The department shall establish contributions other than those required by this section and s.
108.19 (1),
(1e), and
(1f) and contributions other than those submitted during the month of November or authorized under par.
(f) or
(i) 2. as a credit, without interest, against future contributions payable by the employer or shall refund the contributions at the employer's option.
108.18(7)(i)1.1. An employer that suffers physical damage to its business caused by a catastrophic event for which the employer is not primarily responsible, and incurs benefit charges to its account for layoffs due to that damage may, by means of a voluntary contribution under par.
(a), increase the employer's reserve percentage to no greater than the reserve percentage that would have applied to the employer as of the next computation date had that damage not caused the employer to lay off its employees. An employer that makes a voluntary contribution under this subdivision shall notify the department of its election to have its contribution treated in the manner provided in this paragraph and shall submit proof, in the form and manner prescribed by the department, to establish that its employees were laid off due to the catastrophic event.
108.18(7)(i)2.
2. If an employer makes a payment under subd.
1. after November 30 and before November 1 of the succeeding year, the department shall establish the payment as a credit and apply the payment as a voluntary contribution to the employer's account when the next rate computation occurs. Any amount paid to the department in excess of the amount that may be applied under subd. 1 in any year may continue to be held as a credit, without interest, against future required or voluntary contributions for a calendar year or refunded to the employer, at the employer's option.
108.18(8)
(8) Solvency contributions. Each employer's solvency contribution for each calendar quarter of any year shall be figured by applying the solvency rate determined for that year under sub.
(9) to the employer's payroll for that quarter, and shall be payable to the fund's balancing account by the due date for payment of contributions by the employer for that quarter.
108.18(9)
(9) Solvency rates. Except as provided in subs.
(9c) and
(9e), an employer's solvency rate on its payroll for a given calendar year shall be based solely on the contribution rate of its account for the calendar year under this section. For purposes of rate determination under this subsection, an employer's payroll shall be calculated for the 12-month period ending with the computation date preceding the calendar year to which the rate applies. [See Figure 108.18 (9) following]
-
See PDF for table -
See PDF for table -
See PDF for table 108.18(9c)
(9c) Reduction of solvency rate. The department shall reduce the solvency rate payable under sub.
(9) by each employer for each year by the rates payable by that employer under s.
108.19 (1e) (a) and
(1f) (a) for that year.
108.18(9e)
(9e) Seasonal employer solvency rate. A seasonal employer shall pay an additional solvency contribution of 2 percent on its payroll for each calendar year unless that rate would result in the employer paying more than the maximum total contribution and solvency rate applicable to any employer in the same year in which the rate applies, in which case the employer shall pay that solvency rate which, when combined with its contribution rate, equals that maximum total rate.
108.18(9m)
(9m) Solvency contribution exemption. No solvency contribution is required of any employer which qualifies for and elects an alternate contribution rate under sub.
(2) (d).
108.18 History
History: 1971 c. 42,
53,
211;
1973 c. 247;
1975 c. 343;
1977 c. 133;
1979 c. 12,
52;
1983 a. 8,
27,
99;
1983 a. 189 s.
329 (28);
1983 a. 384;
1985 a. 17,
40,
332;
1987 a. 38 ss.
113 to
121,
134;
1989 a. 56 s.
259;
1989 a. 77,
359;
1991 a. 89;
1993 a. 373,
492;
1995 a. 118,
225,
417;
1997 a. 39;
1999 a. 15;
2001 a. 43;
2005 a. 86;
2007 a. 59;
2009 a. 287;
2011 a. 260;
2013 a. 20;
2015 a. 334.
108.19
108.19
Contributions to the administrative account and unemployment interest payment and program integrity funds. 108.19(1)(1)
Each employer subject to this chapter shall regularly contribute to the administrative account at the rate of two-tenths of one percent per year on its payroll, except that the department may prescribe at the close of any fiscal year such lower rates of contribution under this section, to apply to classes of employers throughout the ensuing fiscal year, as will in the department's judgment adequately finance the administration of this chapter, and as will in the department's judgment fairly represent the relative cost of the services rendered by the department to each such class.
108.19(1e)(a)(a) Except as provided in par.
(b), each employer, other than an employer that finances benefits by reimbursement in lieu of contributions under s.
108.15,
108.151, or
108.152 shall, in addition to other contributions payable under s.
108.18 and this section, pay an assessment to the administrative account for each year prior to the year 2010 equal to the lesser of 0.01 percent of its payroll for that year or the solvency contribution that would otherwise be payable by the employer under s.
108.18 (9) for that year.
108.19(1e)(b)
(b) The levy prescribed under par.
(a) is not effective for any year unless the department, no later than the November 30 preceding that year, publishes a class 1 notice under ch.
985 giving notice that the levy is in effect for the ensuing year.
108.19(1e)(c)
(c) Notwithstanding par.
(a), the department may, if it finds that the full amount of the levy is not required to effect the purposes specified in par.
(d) for any year, prescribe a reduced levy for that year and in such case shall publish in the notice under par.
(b) the rate of the reduced levy.
108.19(1e)(d)
(d) The department may expend the moneys received from assessments levied under this subsection in the amounts authorized under s.
20.445 (1) (gh) for the renovation and modernization of unemployment insurance information technology systems, specifically including development and implementation of a new system and reengineering of automated processes and manual business functions.
108.19(1f)(a)(a) Except as provided in par.
(b), each employer, other than an employer that finances benefits by reimbursement in lieu of contributions under s.
108.15,
108.151, or
108.152 shall, in addition to other contributions payable under s.
108.18 and this section, pay an assessment for each year equal to the lesser of 0.01 percent of its payroll for that year or the solvency contribution that would otherwise be payable by the employer under s.
108.18 (9) for that year. Assessments under this paragraph shall be deposited in the unemployment program integrity fund.
108.19(1f)(b)
(b) The levy prescribed under par.
(a) is not effective for any year unless the department, no later than the November 30 preceding that year, publishes a class 1 notice under ch.
985 giving notice that the levy is in effect for the ensuing year. The department shall consider the balance of the unemployment reserve fund before prescribing the levy under par.
(a). The secretary of workforce development shall consult with the council on unemployment insurance before the department prescribes the levy under par.
(a).
108.19(1f)(c)
(c) Notwithstanding par.
(a), the department may, if it finds that the full amount of the levy is not required to effect the purposes specified in sub.
(1s) (b) for any year, prescribe a reduced levy for that year and in such case shall publish in the notice under par.
(b) the rate of the reduced levy.
108.19(1m)
(1m) Each employer subject to this chapter as of the date a rate is established under this subsection shall pay an assessment to the unemployment interest payment fund at a rate established by the department sufficient to pay interest due on advances from the federal unemployment account under Title XII of the federal social security act,
42 USC 1321 to
1324. The rate established by the department for employers who finance benefits under s.
108.15 (2),
108.151 (2), or
108.152 (1) shall be 75 percent of the rate established for other employers. The amount of any employer's assessment shall be the product of the rate established for that employer multiplied by the employer's payroll of the previous calendar year as taken from quarterly employment and wage reports filed by the employer under s.
108.205 (1) or, in the absence of the filing of such reports, estimates made by the department. Each assessment made under this subsection is due within 30 days after the date the department issues the assessment. If the amounts collected from employers under this subsection exceed the amounts needed to pay interest due, the department shall use any excess to pay interest owed in subsequent years on advances from the federal unemployment account. If the department determines that additional interest obligations are unlikely, the department shall transfer the excess to the balancing account of the fund, the unemployment program integrity fund, or both in amounts determined by the department.
108.19(1n)
(1n) The department shall publish as a class 1 notice under ch.
985 any rate established under sub.
(1m) within 10 days of the date that the rate is established.
108.19(1p)
(1p) Notwithstanding sub.
(1m), an employer having a payroll of $25,000 or less for the preceding calendar year is exempt from any assessment under sub.
(1m).
108.19(1q)
(1q) There is created a separate, nonlapsible trust fund designated as the unemployment interest payment fund consisting of all amounts collected under sub.
(1m) and all interest and penalties on those amounts collected under s.
108.22.
108.19(1s)(a)(a) There is created a separate, nonlapsible trust fund designated as the unemployment program integrity fund consisting of all of the following:
