Skip main navigation

Outdated or Unsupported Browser Detected
DWD's website uses the latest technology. This makes our site faster and easier to use across all devices. Unfortunatley, your browser is out of date and is not supported. An update is not required, but it is strongly recommended to improve your browsing experience. To update Internet Explorer to Microsoft Edge visit their website.

  2. Equal Rights
  3. Civil Rights
  4. Retaliation Protection
  5. Retaliation Protection for Health Care Workers

Retaliation Protection for Health Care Workers

Overview

These laws protect you if you work in certain healthcare facilities and report various instances of abuse or law violations. There are five different statutes that may apply. The statute of limitations for filing a complaint under these laws is 300 days from the date the action was taken, or you were made aware the action was taken.

The Law(s)

Health Care Worker Protection Law

The Health Care Worker Protection Law protects you if you work for a health care facility or provider and report violations of a law or quality-of-care standards of a patient or resident, or potential risks to public health or safety to the:

The law also protects you from retaliation and discharge if you initiate, participate, or testify in this type of proceeding.

Elder Abuse Reporting Law

The Elder Abuse Law protects you if you report abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, or self-neglect of someone over 60 who is subject to the "infirmities of ageing." A report of elder abuse may be made to a county department, elder-adult-at-risk agency, state or local law enforcement agency, or Department or Board on Ageing and Long-Term Care.

This law also protects you from retaliation and discharge if you initiate or participate in this type of proceeding.

The Law Regarding Retaliation for Reporting to Board on Aging and Long-Term Care

The law regarding retaliation for reporting to any member of the Board on Aging and Long-Term Care protects you if you make a report or provide information regarding aged or disabled persons in:

This law also protects you from retaliation and discharge if you initiate or participate in this type of proceeding.

The Law Regarding Reporting Residential Care Facilities

This law protects you if you contact, provide information, participate or testify to any state official about short or long-term care residents of:

This law also protects you from retaliation and discharge if you initiate or participate in this type of proceeding.

Adult-At-Risk Reporting Law

The Adult-at-Risk Reporting Law protects social workers, professional counselors, marriage, and family therapists (certified under chap. 457), and employees of any entity that is licensed, certified, or approved by or registered with the department, and health care providers (as defined in sec. 155.01) from retaliation or discharge for reporting to a county department, adult-at-risk agency, state or local law enforcement agency, the department, or the Board on Aging and Long-Term Care that an adult who is unable to make an informed judgement about whether to report the risk is at imminent risk of serious bodily harm, death, sexual assault, or significant property loss inflicted by a suspected perpetrator.

This law also protects you from retaliation and discharge if you initiate or participate in this type of proceeding.

For more information