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Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce Building
501 E. Washington Ave.
Madison, WI
Management: James Buchen, Bob Oyler, Daniel Petersen, Ed Lump and Earl Gustafson
Labor: Phillip Nuenfeldt, Dennis Penkalski, Robert Lyons and Red Platz
Chair: Greg Frigo
Department staff present: Hal Bergan, Bob Whitaker, Dan LaRocque, Andrea Reid, Lutfi Shahrani, Ben Peirce, Tom Smith, Dick Tillema, Terese Wojick, Ruth Tucker, Tom McHugh, Barbara Bohringer and Gail Kibartas
Others present: John Metcalf, Bob Anderson and Mike Mikalsen
The meeting was opened with a review of the minutes of the June 30, 2005 meeting. The minutes were approved with the correction that Mr. Gustafson was present.
D05-64 and D05-65
D05-64: Use Reed Act funds for IT projects in 2006 and 2007, D05-65: Use Reed Act funds for general UI administration in 2006 and 2007: Request is to appropriate funds for the two projects for the years 2006 & 2007. There must be legislation approving the appropriation of the funds in order for funds from the Reed Act to be used. At this time finances look solid and it is anticipated that funds will not be needed for 2006 but possibly will be needed for 2007. The anticipated amounts for the IT projects is $2 million for each year and $1 million each year for general UI administration. The IT projects include redoing the benefits/legal system (EnABLES), which is still in the early stages of completion and the tax system (SUITES) which is approximately 2/3 completed.
Management is concerned regarding the use of Reed Act funds and would like assurances that the fund would not be used to fund other projects. They would also like the Council to be notified when funds are being used and for what purpose. The Council was assured that when funds are going to be used they would be given a heads up. The Council was also assured that when other projects come up, other funding will be explored prior to using Reed Act funds. Further discussion and a decision were tabled until a later date.
Motion was made to go into separate, closed caucuses for the purpose of deliberating proposed changes to Wisconsin’s UI Law. Motion approved unanimously, will reconvene in public session when Melissa Borsheim of Borton Construction arrives.
Council reconvened at 10:35 a.m. Melissa Gilbert, Legislative Aide to Sen. Dan Kapanke and Melissa Borsheim of Borton Construction, LaCrosse, addressed the Council. Ms. Borsheim presented two situations where employees had violated union rules so were ineligible to work for union employers. Borton Construction is a union employer and by contract with the union is unable to employ anyone who is ineligible to work through the union. The problem is that when an employee is unable to work because of union violations, as in these two instances, Borton has to let the employee go. Each employee filed for UI benefits and received them. Borton’s unemployment account was charged for the benefits paid. Ms. Borsheim asked the Council to consider a law change to prevent this situation in the future.
The Council further discussed the situation (after Ms. Borsheim and Ms. Gilbert left) to consider what could be done. The Council would like more information on cases such as these, including discharge for misconduct involving the failing of drug tests by employees. Frigo promised that Ms. Gilbert and Ms. Borsheim would be notified of the action, if any, taken by the Council on this issue.
The Council set the next meeting for September 1, 2005 at 9:00 a.m. An agreement was made that if it didn’t look like any progress could be made at that meeting, it would be cancelled.
Motion was made to again go into separate closed caucus and not reconvene in public session until the September 1st meeting. Motion passed unanimously.
Meeting adjourned.
Updated August 24, 2009