Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Madison, Wis. – Judy Norman Nunnery has been appointed head of the division which administers Wisconsin’s job-injury compensation law.

Linda Stewart, Secretary of the State Department of Workforce Development (DWD), said the Worker’s Compensation Division appointment is effective April 12.

Norman Nunnery replaces Robin Gates, who resigned earlier this year to accept a position in the private sector.

Her new assignment puts her in charge of the division which administers the payment by insurance companies of job-injury benefits to Wisconsin workers, the nation’s first such program. The division has an annual budget of $14.1 million and a staff of 115.

This is the second DWD division Norman Nunnery has headed.  She served as administrator of the Vocational Rehabilitation Division for 12 years, until her appointment in January of this year as Special Assistant to the DWD Secretary.  Her salary in the new position will be $83,098 a year.

Stewart noted that, in her former position, Norman Nunnery supervised a program that provided vocational rehabilitation services to eligible persons with disabilities so that they can obtain and maintain employment.

"I’m thus particularly pleased that Judy has accepted this appointment because the valuable experience she gained at DVR means she already has substantial expertise in helping people with disabilities.  The relationship between these two divisions can only be strengthened by her service."

DWD has an annual budget of $1.3 billion and about 2,400 staff.  It was established in mid-1996 as part of a reorganization of state government. Many of its programs previously were assigned to the Department of Industry, Labor and Human Relations, which was abolished.