560.15(5) (5) Each employee of the department, and each member of the community response committee, and each chief executive officer of a village, town or city and employees of his or her office shall keep secret all facts and information obtained in the course of performing their responsibilities under this section. This subsection does not prohibit the public inspection of records to the extent permitted under sub. (4) nor meetings in open session to the extent permitted under s. 19.85 (1) (i).

560.15 History History: 1983 a. 84; 1983 a. 192 s. 304; 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 27; 1989 a. 44; 1993 a. 399; 1995 a. 27 s. 9130 (4); 1997 a. 3; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 87.

560.155 560.155  Business employees' skills training grant program.

560.155(1) (1) Subject to sub. (2), the department may award a grant to a business if all of the following apply:

560.155(1)(a) (a) The business is located in this state and satisfies any of the following criteria:

560.155(1)(a)1. 1. The business has no more than 25 full-time employees.

560.155(1)(a)2. 2. The business had no more than $2,500,000 in gross annual income in the year preceding the year in which the business receives the grant.

560.155(1)(b) (b) The business has been in compliance with s. 77.58 for at least 6 months before applying for the grant.

560.155(1)(c) (c) The business agrees in writing to use the grant only to provide skills training or other education related to the needs of the business to current or prospective employees of the business.

560.155(1)(d) (d) The business agrees in writing to comply with sub. (2) (d).

560.155(1)(e) (e) The business submits a plan to the department detailing the proposed use of the grant, and the secretary approves the plan.

560.155(1)(f) (f) The business enters into a written agreement with the department that specifies the conditions for the use of the grant, including reporting and auditing requirements.

560.155(1)(g) (g) The business agrees in writing to submit to the department the report required under sub. (3) by the time required under sub. (3).

560.155(2) (2) 

560.155(2)(a) (a) The department may not award a business more than $10,000 in grants under this section.

560.155(2)(b) (b) In awarding grants under this section, the department shall give preference to all of the following:

560.155(2)(b)1. 1. Businesses in industries with especially severe labor shortages.

560.155(2)(b)2. 2. Businesses in industries that the department determines are especially adversely affected by any federal requirements or policies.

560.155(2)(c) (c) The department may not award more than $500,000 in grants under this section in fiscal year 2000-01.

560.155(2)(d) (d)

560.155(2)(d)1. 1. A grant under this section may not be used to pay more than 80% of the cost of any skills training or other education related to the needs of the recipient business that is provided to the owner of the business, the owner's spouse or a child of the owner.

560.155(2)(d)2. 2. A grant under this section may not be used to pay wages or compensate for lost revenue, if any, in connection with providing the training or other education, or otherwise.

560.155(3) (3) A business that receives a grant under this section shall submit to the department, within 6 months after spending the full amount of the grant proceeds, a report detailing how the grant proceeds were used.

560.155(5) (5) In deciding whether to award a grant under this section, the department may not consider any factor or characteristic of the business other than the criteria established under subs. (1) and (2).

560.155 History History: 1999 a. 177; 2007 a. 125.

560.157 560.157  Entrepreneurial assistance grants.

560.157(1) (1) In this section, "new business" means a business organized in this state on a date not more than 12 months before the date on which the business applies for a grant under this section.

560.157(2) (2) 

560.157(2)(a) (a) The department may award a grant of up to $3,000 to a new business from the appropriation under s. 20.143 (1) (gv) for the business's expenses in hiring a student of a college or university in this state as a paid intern for the business to assist in conducting research, marketing, business plan development, or other functions relating to the creation of a new business. Grants under this subsection may be used only for the recipient's expenses in hiring students in the fields of business, engineering, information technology, or in a similar field, as determined by the department.