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Access to Public Records - SEC-6895-P

(Reference DWD Policy 702 - Access to Public Records)

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) makes Unemployment Insurance payments, operates employment and training programs at state Job Centers, provides vocational rehabilitation services to persons with disabilities, decides discrimination cases in housing and employment, secures the payment of wages that are due, administers the Worker's Compensation law, and enforces other state labor laws. The Department has designated a legal custodian of public records for the entire department as indicated below.

Members of the public may obtain information and access to the Department's public records, or obtain copies of these records, by contacting the Department's public records email address at OpenRecords@dwd.wisconsin.gov, or the Department's legal custodian: Jennifer Wakerhauser, Chief Legal Counsel, 201 East Washington Avenue, Room A400, P.O. Box 7946, Madison, WI 53707, telephone (608) 261-6216.

Please make your request, orally or in writing, for the specific record(s) you seek to the legal custodian.

Requestors may be charged for:

  • the cost of locating records, billed at the hourly rate and salary and benefits for the lowest-paid employee capable of performing the task (but in no event more than $30.00 per hour), and then only if the total cost of locating records is $50.00 or more
  • photocopies and photographic reproduction of $.15 per page, provided that reproduction costs will not be charged on a per page basis if the department provides electronic copies of records that already existed in electronic format
  • transcription fees
  • mailing and shipping costs

The costs of separating or redacting the confidential parts of records from the public parts may not be charged to requestors. Some requests may require prepayment.

Requestors appearing in person may be asked to make their own copies, or the Department will make copies for requestors at its option.

Record Custodian

Office of the Secretary
Contact - Jennifer Wakerhauser - Chief Legal Counsel

SEC-6895-P (R. 01/2024)