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Plain Language Summary of 2011 UI Law Changes

A complete Plain Language Summary (PDF) of Wisconsin Act 198 and 236

Summary of Items in 2011 Wisconsin Act 198 and Act 236

Benefit Changes

  • Forfeiture for Concealment
  • Ineligibility of claimants for benefit year earnings
  • Repeal of suspension for failure or refusal to take a test for illegal drugs
  • Amend ineligibility for failure to perform work searches
  • Tighten benefit eligibility requirement of availability for work
  • Assess and collect a 15% penalty on benefit overpayments resulting from fraud

Tax Changes

  • Simplify rating of contributions for successor employers
  • Modify interest rate on delinquent tax payments

Other Changes

  • Offset Department of Treasury payments to recover benefit overpayments resulting from claimants’ erroneous wage reports
  • Create more explicit standards for determining “employer”; and limited exception
  • Create two separate nonlapsible trust funds: an unemployment interest payment fund, and an unemployment program integrity fund
  • Reduce restrictions on department’s hiring of temporary appeal tribunals
  • Require that appeal tribunal decisions be consistent with federal and state law