Wis. Stat. § 102.18 — WI Code / Chapter 102 / Section 102.18
Findings, orders and awards.
Status: in_force

(1)

(a) All parties shall be afforded opportunity for full, fair, public hearing after reasonable notice, but disposition of application may be made by compromise, stipulation, agreement, or default without hearing. When the department issues an order under sub. (2) approving a compromise agreement, the department shall include in the order a dismissal of the pending application for hearing in the claim subject to compromise and shall close the case.

(b)

1. Within 90 days after the final hearing and close of the record, the department shall make and file its findings upon the ultimate facts involved in the controversy, and its order, which shall state the department’s determination as to the rights of the parties. Pending the final determination of any controversy before it, the department, after any hearing, may, in its discretion, make interlocutory findings, orders, and awards, which may be enforced in the same manner as final awards.

1d. If an application has been filed under s. 102.17 (1) (a) 1. for a claim for compensation, after the department issues an order on the merits of the case of the claim under subd. 1. , or an order under sub. (2) , if there is no pending action for review by a court, the department shall conduct further administrative activities, including closing the case of the claim.

1h. The department has exclusive authority to close a case of a claim for compensation.

1p. If the department determines it is necessary, the department shall notify the parties when it closes a case of a claim for compensation.

2. The department may include in any interlocutory or final award or order an order directing the employer or insurer to pay for any future treatment that may be necessary to cure and relieve the employee from the effects of the injury or to pay for a future course of instruction or other rehabilitation training services provided under a rehabilitation training program developed under s. 102.61 (1) or (1m) .

3. If the department finds that the employer or insurer has not paid any amount that the employer or insurer was directed to pay in any interlocutory order or award and that the nonpayment was not in good faith, the department may include in its final award a penalty not exceeding 25 percent of each amount that was not paid as directed.

4. When there is a finding that the employee is in fact suffering from an occupational disease caused by the employment of the employer against whom the application is filed, a final award dismissing the application upon the ground that the applicant has suffered no disability from the disease shall not bar any claim the employee may have for disability sustained after the date of the award.

(bg)

1. If the department finds under par. (b) that an insurer or self-insured employer is liable under this chapter for any health services provided to an injured employee by a health service provider, but that the fee charged by the health service provider is in dispute, the department may include in its order under par. (b) a determination made by the department under s. 102.16 (2) as to the fee or, if such a determination has not yet been made, the department may notify, or direct the insurer or self-insured employer to notify, the health service provider under s. 102.16 (2) (b) that the fee is in dispute.

2. If the department finds under par. (b) that an employer or insurance carrier is liable under this chapter for any treatment provided to an injured employee by a health service provider, but that the necessity of the treatment is in dispute, the department may include in its order under par. (b) a determination made by the department under s. 102.16 (2m) as to the necessity of the treatment or, if such a determination has not yet been made, the department may notify, or direct the employer or insurance carrier to notify, the health service provider under s. 102.16 (2m) (b) that the necessity of the treatment is in dispute.

3. If the department finds under par. (b) that an insurer or self-insured employer is liable under this chapter for the cost of a prescription drug dispensed under s. 102.425 (2) for outpatient use by an injured employee, but that the reasonableness of the amount charged for that prescription drug is in dispute, the department may include in its order under par. (b) a determination made by the department under s. 102.425 (4m) as to the reasonableness of the prescription drug charge or, if such a determination has not yet been made, the department may notify, or direct the insurer or self-insured employer to notify, the pharmacist or practitioner dispensing the prescription drug under s. 102.425 (4m) (b) that the reasonableness of the prescription drug charge is in dispute.

(bp) If the department determines that the employer or insurance carrier suspended, terminated, or failed to make payments or failed to report an injury as a result of malice or bad faith, the department may include a penalty in an award to an employee for each event or occurrence of malice or bad faith. That penalty is the exclusive remedy against an employer or insurance carrier for malice or bad faith. If the penalty is imposed for an event or occurrence of malice or bad faith that causes a payment that is due an injured employee to be delayed in violation of s. 102.22 (1) or overdue in violation of s. 628.46 (1) , the department may not also order an increased payment under s. 102.22 (1) or the payment of interest under s. 628.46 (1) . The department may award an amount that the department considers just, not to exceed the lesser of 200 percent of total compensation due or $30,000 for each event or occurrence of malice or bad faith. The department may assess the penalty against the employer, the insurance carrier, or both. Neither the employer nor the insurance carrier is liable to reimburse the other for the penalty amount. The department may, by rule, define actions that demonstrate malice or bad faith.

(bw) If an insurer, a self-insured employer, or, if applicable, the uninsured employers fund pays compensation to an employee in excess of its liability and another insurer or self-insured employer is liable for all or part of the excess payment, the department may order the insurer or self-insured employer that is liable for that excess payment to reimburse the insurer or self-insured employer that made the excess payment or, if applicable, the uninsured employers fund.

(c) If 2 or more examiners have conducted a formal hearing on a claim and are unable to agree on the order or award to be issued, the decision shall be the decision of the majority. If the examiners are equally divided on the decision, the department may appoint an additional examiner who shall review the record and consult with the other examiners concerning their impressions of the credibility of the evidence. Findings of fact and an order or award may then be issued by a majority of the examiners.

(d) Any award which falls within a range of 5 percent of the highest or lowest estimate of permanent partial disability made by a practitioner which is in evidence is presumed to be a reasonable award, provided it is not higher than the highest or lower than the lowest estimate in evidence.

(e) Except as provided in s. 102.21 , if the department orders a party to pay an award of compensation, the party shall pay the award no later than 21 days after the date on which the order is mailed to the last-known address of the party, unless the party files a petition for review under sub. (3) . This paragraph applies to all awards of compensation ordered by the department, whether the award results from a hearing, the default of a party, or a compromise or stipulation confirmed by the department.

(2) The department shall have and maintain on its staff such examiners as are necessary to hear and decide claims and to assist in the effective administration of this chapter. The examiners shall be attorneys and may be designated as administrative law judges. The examiners may make findings and orders and may approve, review, set aside, modify, or confirm stipulations of settlement or compromises of claims for compensation.

(3) A party in interest may petition the commission for review of an examiner’s decision awarding or denying compensation if the department or the commission receives the petition within 21 days after the department mailed a copy of the examiner’s findings and order to the last-known addresses of the parties in interest. The commission shall dismiss a petition that is not filed within those 21 days unless the petitioner shows that the petition was filed late for a reason that was beyond the petitioner’s control. If no petition is filed within those 21 days, the findings or order shall be considered final unless set aside, reversed, or modified by the examiner within that time. If the findings or order are set aside by the examiner, the status shall be the same as prior to the findings or order that were set aside. If the findings or order are reversed or modified by the examiner, the time for filing a petition commences on the date on which notice of the reversal or modification is mailed to the last-known addresses of the parties in interest. The commission shall either affirm, reverse, set aside, or modify the findings or order, in whole or in part, or direct the taking of additional evidence. The commission’s action shall be based on a review of the evidence submitted.

(4)

(a) Unless the liability under s. 102.35 (3) , 102.43 (5) , 102.49 , 102.57 , 102.58 , 102.59 , 102.60 or 102.61 is specifically mentioned, the order, findings or award are deemed not to affect such liability.

(b) Within 28 days after the date of a decision of the commission, the commission may, on its own motion, set aside the decision for further consideration.

(c) On its own motion, for reasons it deems sufficient, the commission may set aside any final order or award of the commission or examiner within one year after the date of the order or award, upon grounds of mistake or newly discovered evidence, and, after further consideration, do any of the following:

1. Affirm, reverse or modify, in whole or in part, the order or award.

2. Reinstate the previous order or award.

3. Remand the case to the department for further proceedings.

(d) While a petition for review by the commission is pending or after entry of an order or award by the commission but before commencement of an action for judicial review or expiration of the period in which to commence an action for judicial review, the commission shall remand any compromise presented to it to the department for consideration and setting aside, modification, or confirmation under s. 102.16 (1) . Presentation of a compromise does not affect the period in which to commence an action for judicial review.

(5) If it appears to the department that a mistake may have been made as to cause of injury in the findings, order, or award upon an alleged injury based on accident, when in fact the employee was suffering from an occupational disease, within 3 years after the date of the findings, order, or award the department may, upon its own motion, with or without hearing, set aside the findings, order or award, or the department may take that action upon application made within those 3 years. After an opportunity for hearing, the department may, if in fact the employee is suffering from disease arising out of the employment, make new findings, and a new order or award, or the department may reinstate the previous findings, order, or award.

(6) In case of disease arising out of employment, the department may from time to time review its findings, order, or award, and make new findings, or a new order or award, based on the facts regarding disability or otherwise as those facts may appear at the time of the review. This subsection shall not affect the application of the limitation in s. 102.17 (4) .

History: 1971 c. 148 ; 1973 c. 150 ; 1975 c. 147 ; 1977 c. 29 , 195 ; 1979 c. 89 , 278 , 355 ; 1981 c. 92 ; 1983 a. 98 ; 1985 a. 83 ; 1987 a. 179 ; 1989 a. 64 ; 1997 a. 38 ; 1999 a. 14 ; 2001 a. 37 ; 2003 a. 144 ; 2005 a. 172 ; 2007 a. 185 ; 2015 a. 55 , 180 ; 2021 a. 232 ; 2023 a. 213 ; 2025 a. 15 , 33 , 128 , 129 , 145 .