Wisconsin-Report

consumer price index for the preceding 12-month period (year) and the consumer price index for the year before the
preceding year, adjusting the minimum wages then in effect by that percentage difference, and rounding that result to the
nearest multiple of five cents. For tipped employees, the bill requires DWD to increase the minimum wage by 95 cents each
year until the minimum wage for tipped employees equals 70 percent of the minimum wage for employees generally and then
in subsequent years to revise the minimum wage for tipped employees so that the minimum wage for tipped employees
remains equal to 70 percent of the minimum wage for employees generally, rounded to the nearest multiple of five cents.
DWD, however, is not required to revise the minimum wage if the consumer price index for the preceding year has not
increased over the consumer price index for the year before the preceding year.” [Assembly Bill 12 & Senate Bill 2, 1/27/15,
1/16/15]
Assembly Bill 140: Public Assistance Statements
Assembly Bill 140 Created A System That Would Identify Every Individual Or Family Who Received Public
Assistance Benefits And Send Them A Yearly Statement Detailing The Types And Monetary Value Of The
Assistance They Received. According to the State of Wisconsin Legislature 2015 Assembly Bill 140, “This bill directs the
Department of Administration (DOA), with the assistance of DHS, DCF, and DWD, to create a system that: 1) identifies
every individual or family in this state who receives any benefits, defined in the bill as public assistance benefits and UI
benefits; 2) tabulates the total amount of benefits received in a year by each such individual or family; and 3) generates a
detailed statement showing the types and monetary value of all benefits received by the individual or family in a year. By no
later than March 31 of each year, DOA must send the detailed statement for the preceding year to each individual or family
who received benefits.” [Assembly Bill 140, 5/27/15]
Assembly Bill 192: Requiring Those Seeking Unemployment Insurance To Submit To Drug Tests
Assembly Bill 192 Would Require Claimants Who Apply For Regular Unemployment Insurance Benefits To Submit
To Drug Tests And Make Assistance Contingent Upon Their Cooperation With The Procedures. According to the
State of Wisconsin Legislature 2015 Assembly Bill 192, “This bill requires the Department of Workforce Development
(DWD) to establish a program to require claimants who apply for regular UI benefits to submit to drug tests. The bill requires
DWD to determine, when a claimant applies for regular UI benefits, whether the claimant is an individual for whom suitable
work is only available in an occupation described in the federal regulations. If DWD determines that the claimant is such an
individual, DWD must conduct a screening on the claimant to determine whether there is a reasonable suspicion that the
claimant has engaged in the unlawful use of controlled substances. If the screening indicates such a reasonable suspicion,
DWD must require the claimant to submit to a drug test. The bill provides that, if the claimant declines to submit to such a
test, the claimant is ineligible for UI benefits for 52 weeks or until a subsequent claim for benefits, whichever is later. […] If
the claimant submits to the drug test and tests positive for one or more controlled substances without a valid prescription, the
bill provides that the claimant is ineligible for UI benefits for 52 weeks or until a subsequent claim for benefits, whichever is
later, except that following the positive test, the claimant may maintain his or her eligibility for UI benefits by enrolling in a
state-sponsored substance abuse treatment program and undergoing a state-sponsored job skills assessment. The claimant
remains eligible for benefits for each week the claimant is in full compliance with any requirements of the substance abuse
treatment program and job skills assessment.” [Assembly Bill 192, 4/24/15]
Assembly 274 Bill & Senate Bill 352: Required Paid Sick Leave
Assembly 274 Bill & Senate Bill 352 Required Paid Sick Leave. According to the State of Wisconsin Legislature 2015
Assembly 274 Bill and Senate Bill 352, “Paid sick leave. This bill requires an employer, including the state, that employs at least
one individual full-time or part-time on a permanent or temporary basis to provide an employee who has been employed by
the employer for at least 90 consecutive calendar days with paid sick leave at the employee's regular rate of pay that the
employee may use for any of the following reasons[.]” [Assembly Bill 474 & Senate Bill 352, 11/3/15, 10/29/15]
Assembly Bill 116 & Senate Bill 84: Eliminated The State Estate Tax
Assembly Bill 116 & Senate Bill 84 Eliminated The State Estate Tax. According to the State of Wisconsin Legislature
2013 Assembly Bill 116 and Senate Bill 84, “This bill eliminates the state estate tax beginning with deaths occurring on January
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