On April 22nd Republicans in the state Assembly approved a series of changes to Wisconsin’s unemployment insurance program, including renaming it “reemployment assistance” and adding requirements for eligibility.  Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, said the proposals were aimed at addressing Wisconsin’s worker shortage.

A version of one of the unemployment bills passed last session was vetoed by Gov. Tony Evers, who argued that they create barriers to receiving help.   

The changes to unemployment insurance would require a person to make direct contact with potential employers while they collect unemployment insurance. That’s an expansion of a current requirement that a person regularly look for work while receiving payments.  The bill would also allow people to be removed from eligibility for unemployment if they don’t follow job recommendations from the state Department of Workforce Development.

A second bill would tighten the definition of workplace misconduct. People fired for misconduct cannot receive unemployment benefits. Currently, knowingly stealing from an employer or being intentionally negligent on the job constitute misconduct. This new definition would include unintentional misconduct, absenteeism and violating an employer’s social media policy.

That bill would also require the Department of Workforce Development, which administers unemployment, to audit half of reported work searches and give the Legislature’s budget committee oversight of any federal money earmarked to expand unemployment payments.

A third bill would extend the statute of limitations for prosecuting people alleged to have committed unemployment fraud and require further audits of recipients. A fourth would allow employers to report people to the state if they’re receiving unemployment and turn down job interviews or offers.

The proposals head to the Wisconsin Senate next. 

WPR.com (4/22/25) Wagtendonk

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