Chapter 230 — STATE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS

230.01 Statement of policy. (1) It is the purpose of this chapter to provide state agencies with competent personnel who will furnish state services to citizens as fairly, efficiently and effectively as possible. (2) (a) It is the policy of the state and the responsibility of the…

230.02 Liberal construction of statutes. Statutes applicable to the division and bureau shall be construed liberally in aid of the purposes declared in s. 230.01. History: 1977 c. 196; 2003 a. 33; 2015 a. 55.

230.03 Definitions. In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 5-22-26) 230.03 STATE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS (1) “Administrator” means the administrator of the division. (2) “Affirmative action” means specific actions in…

230.04 Powers and duties of the administrator. (1) The administrator is charged with the effective administration of this chapter. All powers and duties, necessary to that end, which are not exclusively vested by statute in the commission, the division of equal rights, the direct…

230.042 Wisconsin veterans employment initiative. (1) In this section, an “agency” includes the board of regents of the University of Wisconsin System. (2) In consultation with the council on veterans employment, the administrator shall develop and administer a human resources st…

230.046 Training programs. (1) DECLARATION OF POLICY. In order to promote efficiency and economy in the operation of the state government, to provide means for the development of maximum proficiency by employees thereof, to establish and maintain the highest standards of performa…

230.047 Temporary interchange of employees. (1) DECLARATION OF POLICY. Intergovernmental cooperation, including that specified in the intergovernmental personnel act of 1970, P.L. 91-648, 84 Stat. 1909, is an essential factor in resolving problems affecting this state. The interc…

230.05 Powers and duties of the director. (1) All powers necessary for the effective administration of the duties specified for the director under this subchapter are reserved to the director. (2) (a) Except as provided under par. (b), the director may delegate, in writing, any o…

230.06 Powers and duties of appointing authorities. (1) An appointing authority shall: (a) Conform to, comply with, and aid in all proper ways in carrying into effect this subchapter and the rules prescribed thereunder. (b) Appoint persons to or remove persons from the classified…

230.08 Classification of civil service. (1) CLASSES. The civil service is divided into the unclassified service and the classified service. (2) UNCLASSIFIED SERVICE. The unclassified service comprises positions held by: (a) All state officers elected by the people. (b) All office…

230.09 Classification. (1) The administrator shall ascertain and record the duties, responsibilities and authorities of, and establish grade levels and classifications for, all positions in the classified service. Each classification so established shall include all positions whi…

230.10 Compensation plan coverage. (1) Except as provided under sub. (2), the compensation plan provisions of s.

230.12 apply to all employees of the classified service. If an employee is covered under a collective bargaining agreement under subch. V of ch. 111, the compensation plan provisions of s. 230.12 apply to that employee, except for those provisions relating to matters that are sub…

230.125 Cash payment for compensatory time off prohibited. Except as prohibited by federal law, accrued compensatory time cannot be paid in cash. History: 2025 a. 15.

230.13 Closed records. (1) Except as provided in sub. (3) and ss. 19.36 (10) and (11) and 103.13, the director and the administrator may keep records of the following personnel matters closed to the public: (a) Evaluations of applicants, including any examination scores and ranki…

230.14 Recruitment. (1) Recruitment for classified positions shall be an active continuous process conducted in a manner May 22, 2026, are designated by NOTES. (Published 5-22-26) 230.14 Updated 23-24 Wis. Stats. STATE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS that assures a diverse, highly qualified…

230.143 Appointment; selective service registration. A person who is required to register with the selective service system under 50 USC, Appendix, sections 451 to 473, but has not registered, may not receive an original appointment to a position in the classified service during …

230.147 (1) to ensure compliance with the standards established under par. (a). (c) Monitor, evaluate and make recommendations to agencies to improve progress toward meeting the goal in s. 230.147 (1). (e) On or before September 30 annually beginning in 1989, prepare and submit t…

230.148 Unclassified service reappointments. No person may be reappointed to a position in the unclassified service in any executive branch agency except the office of the governor, within one year after the person vacated the position, at a salary in excess of the salary which t…

230.15 Appointments, promotions, changes in classified service. (1) Subject to the restriction under s. 230.143, appointments to, and promotions in, the classified service shall be made only according to merit and fitness, which shall be ascertained so far as practicable by compe…

230.16 Applications and selection processes. (1) (a) The director shall require persons applying for a position in the classified service to file an application and resume with the bureau. (am) The director may require in connection with the application such supplementary work hi…

230.17 Applicants and eligibles may be barred; bonds may be required. (1) The director shall provide by rule, the conditions, not otherwise provided by law, under which an eligible may be refused certification. These conditions shall be based on sufficient reason and shall reflec…

230.18 Discrimination prohibited. No question in any form of application or in any evaluation used in the hiring process may be so framed as to elicit information concerning the partisan political or religious opinions or affiliations of any applicant nor may any inquiry be made …

230.19 Promotion. The director shall provide employees with reasonable opportunities for career advancement, within a classified service structure designed to achieve and maintain a highly competent work force, with due consideration given to affirmative action. History: 1971 c. …

230.20 Recommendations. (1) Selection of classified state employees shall be based solely on merit and no employment recommendation shall be based on political or religious affiliations or on membership in associations not primarily related to merit in employment. (2) An appointi…

230.21 Unskilled labor and critical recruitment selection. (1) Subject to s. 230.275, the director may, to meet the needs of the service, establish separate recruitment and certification procedures for filling positions in unskilled labor and service classes. (1m) (a) If the dire…

230.212 Veterans homes recruiting. (1) The director shall use techniques and procedures designed to certify eligible applicants to any vacant permanent position at a veterans home, as defined in s. 45.01 (12m), within 7 business days after the filing of an appropriate request fro…

230.213 Affirmative action procedures for corrections positions. The director may, to meet affirmative action objectives, establish such recruitment and certification procedures for positions in the department of corrections as will enable the department of corrections to increas…

230.215 Part-time employment and flexible-time schedules. (1) DECLARATION OF POLICY. The legislature finds and declares: (a) That employment practices which provide flexibility in scheduling hours of work often result in increased worker productivity, reduced absenteeism, improve…

230.22 Entry professional selection. (1) The administrator may establish by rule an entry professional class program for use in a wide range of entry professional positions. (2) In connection with this program the administrator may establish separate classifications and correspon…

230.24 Career executive selection. (1) The administrator may by rule develop a career executive program that emphasizes excellence in administrative skills in order to provide agencies with a pool of highly qualified executive candidates, to provide outstanding administrative emp…

230.25 Certification, appointments and registers. (1) Appointing authorities shall give written notice to the director of any vacancy to be filled in any position in the classified service. The director shall certify, under this subchapter and the rules of the director, from the …

230.26 Limited term appointments. (1) The director may provide by rule for selection and appointment for limited term appointments, which are provisional appointments or appointments for less than 1,040 hours per year. (1m) An appointing authority may not appoint a person who is …

230.27 (2k). (9r) (a) In this subsection: 1. “Independent” means the extent to which persons with disabilities exert control and choice over their own lives. 2. “Severely disabled employee” means an employee in the STATE EMPLOYMENT RELATIONS 230.04 classified service with a chron…

230.275 Noncompetitive appointment of certain disabled veterans. (1) Whenever a vacancy occurs in a position in the classified service, the appointing authority may appoint a disabled veteran on a noncompetitive basis if all of the following occur: (a) The disabled veteran has se…

230.28 (1) (bm). (2) An appointing authority shall fill a vacancy in a career executive position using an open competitive process, with due consideration given to affirmative action. (3) No rule may be adopted after September 15, 1979 which provides for an open enrollment period…

230.29 Transfers. A transfer may be made from one position to another only if specifically authorized by the director. History: 1971 c. 270; 1977 c. 196 ss. 54, 130 (5); Stats. 1977 s. 230.29; 1995 a. 27; 2011 a. 10; 2015 a. 55. Cross-reference: See also ch. ER-MRS 15, Wis. adm. …

230.30 Employing units; establishment and revision. (1) Each agency shall constitute an employing unit for purposes of personnel transactions, except where appropriate functional, organizational or geographic breakdowns exist within the agency and except as provided in sub. (2). …

230.31 Restoration of employment and reinstatement privileges. (1) Any person who has held a position and obtained permanent status in a class under the civil service law and rules and who has separated from the service before July 1, 2016, without any delinquency or misconduct o…

230.315 Differential pay, sick leave, and annual leave for state employees activated into certain federal service. (1) Subject to sub. (3), a state employee who is activated to serve on military duty in the U.S. armed forces shall be paid his or her state salary, less any militar…

230.32 Restoration after military leave. (1) Any classified employee of this state, except a limited term employee, who enlists, is ordered or is inducted into active service in the armed forces of the United States or who is requested to work for the federal government during a …

230.33 Leave of absence and pay while serving in unclassified position. Employees who have completed an original appointment probationary period in the classified service and are appointed to a position in the unclassified service shall be subject to the following provisions rela…

230.335 Rights of unclassified division administrators. If any employee in a classified position of division administrator is made unclassified under chapter 196, laws of 1977, and if the incumbent division administrator is not thereafter appointed to such position, or if the inc…

230.337 Rights of employees: corrections or parole. If any incumbent member of the parole board in the office of the secretary of health services on January 1, 1990, in a classified position is not appointed to the parole commission created by 1989 Wisconsin Act 31, or if the inc…

230.339 Rights of certain employees of the department of safety and professional services. (1) If any of the following employees who hold the position of bureau director in the classified service at the department of commerce on the day before July 1, 2011, and who have achieved …

230.34 (1) (a) 9. History: 1971 c. 125, 270; 1977 c. 196 ss. 26, 105, 130 (5); 1977 c. 273; 1981 c. 20; 1983 a. 27; 1989 a. 31; 1997 a. 216, 237; 2003 a. 33; 2009 a. 28; 2015 a. 55, 150; 2023 a. 206. Cross-reference: See also ER-MRS, Wis. adm. code. The Division of Merit Recruitm…

230.35 State office hours; standard workweek; leaves of absence; holidays. (1) (a) Except as provided in subs. (1m), (1r), and (1s) and the compensation plan under s. 230.12, appointing authorities shall grant to each person in their employ, except employees excluded from coverag…

230.36 Hazardous employment, injuries, pay continued. (1m) In this section: (a) “Injury” means physical harm to an employee caused by accident or disease. (b) “Performance of duties” means duties performed in the line of duty by any of the following: 1. A forest ranger or field e…

230.37 Standards of performance and ratings. (1) In cooperation with appointing authorities the administrator shall establish an employee performance evaluation program to provide a continuing record of employee development and, when applicable, to serve as a basis for pertinent …

230.40 Political activities; public office. (1) No person holding a position in the classified civil service may directly or indirectly solicit or receive subscriptions or contributions for any partisan political party or any political purpose while on state time or engaged in of…