Assembly Bill 468 proposes significant changes to Wisconsin's unemployment insurance and workers' compensation laws. Notably, it repeals the current definition of "substantial fault" that renders claimants ineligible for unemployment benefits if their work is terminated due to their own substantial fault. The bill also repeals provisions related to misconduct, including excessive tardiness, and modifies how absenteeism is evaluated, ensuring that employers cannot impose their own standards for determining the reasonableness of absenteeism or tardiness. Additionally, the bill clarifies the definition of misconduct to align with common law standards and includes specific provisions regarding absenteeism and tardiness.

Furthermore, the bill eliminates the requirement for a drug testing program for unemployment insurance claimants and repeals related preemployment drug testing provisions. It also makes adjustments to the workers' compensation law by aligning the definition of misconduct with the changes made in the unemployment insurance law. The bill aims to streamline the administration of unemployment insurance by replacing specific appropriations with a general appropriation for the Department of Workforce Development. Overall, these changes are intended to simplify the eligibility criteria for unemployment benefits and modify the responsibilities of employers regarding employee conduct.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 49.791(4)(f)(intro.), 49.791, 102.43(9)(e), 102.43, 108.04(5g), 108.04, 108.04(8)(a), 108.04(8)(b), 108.133, 108.14(8n)(e), 108.14, 108.141(7)(a), 108.141