Assembly Bill 482 seeks to amend current Wisconsin law regarding family and medical leave by allowing local governments, such as cities, counties, towns, and villages, to enact and administer their own ordinances requiring employers to provide family or medical leave to employees. The bill repeals several provisions that previously prohibited such local ordinances, specifically targeting the sections of law that restricted local authority in this area. Notably, it repeals the entirety of section 103.10 (1m) and renumbers a related provision, thereby removing the barriers that prevented local governments from establishing their own leave policies.

In addition to the repeal, the bill makes amendments to definitions within the law, clarifying the terms "employee" and "employer." The definition of "employer" is expanded to include various entities within state government and specifies that it applies to those employing at least 50 individuals on a permanent basis. The bill also modifies existing statutes to ensure that local governments can now create ordinances that provide for employment benefits, including family and medical leave, thereby enhancing the rights of employees at the local level.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 103.10(1)(b), 103.10, 103.10(1)(c), 103.12(3)(a), 103.12, 103.12(3)(b), 165.68(1)(a)3, 165.68