Wis. Stat. § 20.923 — WI Code / Chapter 20 / Section 20.923
Statutory salaries.
Status: in_force

The purpose of this section is to establish a consistent and equitable salary setting mechanism for all elected officials, appointed state agency heads, division administrators and other executive-level unclassified positions. All such positions shall be subject to the same basic salary establishment, implementation, modification, administrative control and application procedures. The salary-setting mechanism contained in this section shall be directed to establishing salaries that are determined on a comprehensive systematic basis, bear equitable relationship to each other and to the salaries of classified service subordinates, and be reviewed and established with the same frequency as those of state employees in the classified service.

(1) Establishment of executive salary groups. To this end, a compensation plan consisting of 10 executive salary groups is established in schedule one of the state compensation plan for the classified service from ranges 18 through 27. No salary range established above salary range 23 may be utilized in the establishment and compensation of positions in the classified service without specific approval of the joint committee on employment relations. The dollar value of the salary range minimum and maximum for each executive salary group shall be reviewed and established in the same manner as that provided for positions in the classified service under s. 230.12 (3) . The salary-setting authority of individual boards, commissions, elective and appointive officials elsewhere provided by law is subject to and limited by this section, and the salary rate for these positions upon appointment and subsequent thereto shall be set by the appointing authority pursuant to this section, except as otherwise required by article IV, section 26 , of the constitution.

(2) Constitutional officers and other elected state officials.

(a) The annual salary for each elected state official position shall be set at the dollar value for the point of the assigned salary range for its respective executive salary group specified in this subsection in effect at the time of taking the oath of office, except as provided in par. (b) and s. 978.12 (1) (a) . No adjustment to the salary of an official enumerated in this subsection is effective until it is authorized under article IV, section 26 , of the constitution.

(b) The annual salary of each state senator, representative to the assembly, justice of the supreme court, court of appeals judge and circuit judge shall be reviewed and established in the same manner as provided for positions in the classified service under s. 230.12 (3) .

(c) The annual salary of the governor shall be set at 21.6 percent above the minimum of the salary range for executive salary group 10.

(e) The annual salary of the attorney general shall be set at 18 percent above the minimum of the salary range for executive salary group 10.

(f) The annual salary of the state superintendent of public instruction shall be set at 27.4 percent above the minimum of the salary range for executive salary group 7.

(g) The annual salary of the lieutenant governor shall be set at 1.9 percent above the minimum of the salary range for executive salary group 4.

(h) The annual salary of the secretary of state shall be set at 15.4 percent above the minimum of the salary range for executive salary group 1.

(i) The annual salary of the state treasurer shall be set at 15.4 percent above the minimum of the salary range for executive salary group 1.

(j) The annual salary of a district attorney shall be set under s. 978.12 .

(3) Justices and judges. The annual salary for any supreme court justice or judge of the court of appeals or circuit court shall be established under sub. (2) , except that any compensation adjustments granted under s. 230.12 shall not become effective until such time as any justice or judge takes the oath of office.

(4) State agency positions. State agency heads, the director of the bureau of merit recruitment and selection in the department of administration and commission chairpersons and members shall be identified and limited in number in accordance with the standardized nomenclature contained in this subsection, and shall be assigned to the executive salary groups listed in pars. (a) to (h) . Except for positions specified in pars. (c) 3m. and (g) 1e. and sub. (12) , all unclassified division administrator positions enumerated under s. 230.08 (2) (e) shall be assigned, when approved by the joint committee on employment relations, by the administrator of the division of personnel management in the department of administration to one of 10 executive salary groups. The joint committee on employment relations, by majority vote of the full committee, may amend recommendations for initial position assignments and changes in assignments to the executive salary groups submitted by the administrator of the division of personnel management in the department of administration. All division administrator assignments and amendments to assignments of administrator positions approved by the committee shall become part of the compensation plan. Whenever a new unclassified division administrator position is created, the appointing authority may set the salary for the position until the joint committee on employment relations approves assignment of the position to an executive salary group. If the committee approves assignment of the position to an executive salary group having a salary range minimum or maximum inconsistent with the salary paid to the incumbent at the time of such approval, the incumbent’s salary shall be adjusted by the appointing authority to conform with the committee’s action, effective on the date of that action. Positions are assigned as follows:

(a) Positions assigned to executive salary group 1:

2. Arts board: executive secretary.

2m. Corrections, department of: director of prison industries.

(b) Positions assigned to executive salary group 2:

4. Judicial commission: executive director.

6. Parole commission: chairperson.

(c) Positions assigned to executive salary group 3:

1. Administration, department of: director of federal-state relations office.

1m. Administration, department of: regional directors of intergovernmental affairs.

2. Administration, department of; office of business development: director.

3. Office of credit unions: director of.

3m. Administration, department of; division of personnel management; bureau of merit recruitment and selection: administrator.

4. Higher educational aids board: executive secretary.

5. Justice, department of: executive director of the office of crime victim services.

6. Justice, department of: director of the office of school safety.

6m. Public instruction, department of; office of literacy: director.

7. Revenue, department of; division of alcohol beverages: administrator.

(d) Positions assigned to executive salary group 4:

1. Administration, department of; tax appeals commission: chairperson and members. The chairperson of the commission and the governor, at the time a new member is appointed, shall jointly determine the salary of the new member within the range for this group.

(e) Positions assigned to executive salary group 5:

1e. Educational communications board: executive director.

2. Employment relations commission: chairperson.

3. Workforce development: employment and training: executive director.

4. Administration, department of: labor and industry review commission: member and chairperson.

11. Public service commission; office of the commissioner of railroads: commissioner.

12. State fair park board: state fair park director.

(f) Positions assigned to executive salary group 6:

1. Administration, department of; division of personnel management: administrator.

2. Agriculture, trade and consumer protection, department of: secretary.

2d. Children and families, department of: secretary.

2m. Commerce, department of: secretary.

3f. Financial institutions, department of: secretary.

6. Legislature; legislative council staff: director.

6f. Legislature; legislative human resources office: director.

6m. Legislature; legislative audit bureau: director.

6n. Legislature, legislative technology services bureau: director.

7. Veterans affairs, department of: secretary.

7m. Legislature; legislative reference bureau: chief.

7s. Legislature; legislative fiscal bureau: director.

7t. Office of the governor: executive secretary.

7v. Insurance, commissioner of.

7w. Public defender board: state public defender.

8e. Military affairs, department of: adjutant general.

8h. Public service commission: chairperson and commissioners.

8m. Safety and professional services, department of: secretary.

9. Tourism, department of: secretary.