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Administrative Services Division > DWD Timeline History for
1940-1959
Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development
Timeline History: 1940-1959
In
1941, the federal Fair Employment Practices
Commission was established to hear complaints of
racial discrimination in war related industries.
|
1941 |
 |
On
January 1, 1942 the Wisconsin Employment Service
was federalized as part of the war effort. This
moved oversight and administration to a federal
level.
|
1942 |
|
|
In
1943, the Wisconsin Industrial Commission was
moved from the Capital Building to 1 West Wilson
St., the new state office building in Madison. In
1943, the commission had 370 employees. The
minimum wage was 16 to 22 cents. During
World War II, women became a vital labor resource
for war materials production. |
1943 |
Governor:
Walter Samuel Goodland
(1943-1947)
Women
in Ammunition Plant
|
|
Wisconsin
became one of first three states to prohibit
discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color,
national origin or ancestry in employment. This
law became known as the Fair Employment Law.
Protections
were subsequently added for: age 40 and over
(1959); gender (1961); handicap/disability (1965);
arrest or conviction record (1977); marital status
(1982); sexual orientation (1982); membership in
the national guard, state defense force or any
other reserve component of the military forces
(1987); and use or nonuse of lawful products, such
as tobacco, off the employer's premises during
nonworking hours, i.e., smoker's rights
legislation (1991). The prohibition against
discrimination based on sexual orientation was the
first so-called "gay rights" law in
the nation.
|
1945 |
The
Apprenticeship Division became the state approval
agency for veterans enrolled in apprenticeship or
on-the-job training under the GI Bill. |
| |
1947 |
Governors:
Oscar Rennebohm (1947-1951)
Walter Jodok Kohler, Jr.
(1951-1957) |
|
Wisconsin
administers the Social Security Disability program
through the vocational rehabilitation agency. |
1952
-
1955 |
Governor:
Vernon Wallace Thomson
(1957-1959)Additional
Commissioners:
R.G. Knutson (1952-63)
Arthur Enright (1953-59)
John H. Rouse (1955-61)
|
|
Legislation
makes it illegal in Wisconsin to discriminate on
the basis of age in employment. Legislation
to prohibit discrimination for organizations
having contracts with the state.
In
1959, the legislature granted bargaining rights to
local government workers.
|
1959 |
Governor:
Gaylord Anton Nelson
(1959-1963)Additional
Commissioner:
Mathlas F. Schlmenz (1959-65)
|
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Development
Updated
October 15, 2008
DWD Communications Office
Content Contact:
Chris Marschman
wisconsin.gov
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