Wis. Stat. § 104.01 — WI Code / Chapter 104 / Section 104.01
Definitions.
Status: in_force

In this chapter:

(1d) “Agricultural employee” means an employee who is employed in the operation of farm premises, as described in s. 102.04 (3) .

(1m) “Department” means the department of workforce development.

(2)

(a) “Employee” means every individual who is in receipt of or is entitled to any compensation for labor performed for any employer.

(b) “Employee” does not mean:

1. Any individual engaged in the house to house delivery of newspapers to the consumer or engaged in direct retail sale to the consumer.

2. An individual excluded under s. 452.38 .

3. Any individual engaged in performing services for an employer described in sub. (3) (b) if that individual is not considered under 29 USC 203 (e) (4), as amended to April 15, 1986, to be an employee for the purposes of the fair labor standards act, 29 USC 201 to 219 , or if that individual is exempt under 29 USC 213 , as amended to April 1, 1990, from being paid at least the federal minimum hourly wage under 29 USC 206 (a) (1).

4. Any individual engaged in performing services for an employer described in sub. (3) (b) if that individual is not subject to the civil service laws of the employer and if that individual is an elective officer; is on the personal staff of an elective officer, other than a member of the legislature; is appointed by an elective officer to serve on a policymaking level; or is an immediate adviser to an elective officer with respect to the constitutional or legal powers of the elective officer’s office.

5. Any individual whose primary duty is making sales, as defined in 29 USC 203 (k), or obtaining orders or contracts for services or for the use of facilities for which a consideration will be paid by the client or customer and who is customarily and regularly engaged away from the employer’s place of business in performing that primary duty.

6. Any individual who has entered into a contract to play baseball at the minor league level and who is compensated pursuant to the terms of a collective bargaining agreement that expressly provides for wages and working conditions.

(3)

(a) The term “employer” shall mean and include every person, firm or corporation, agent, manager, representative, contractor, subcontractor or principal, or other person having control or direction of any person employed at any labor or responsible directly or indirectly for the wages of another.

(b) “Employer” includes the state, its political subdivisions and any office, department, independent agency, authority, institution, association, society or other body in state or local government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, including the legislature and the courts.

(5g) “Minor employee” means an employee who is under 18 years of age.

(5m) “Opportunity employee” means a person under 20 years of age who is in the first 90 consecutive days of employment with his or her employer.

(6) “Sheltered workshop” means a charitable organization or institution conducted not for profit, but for the purpose of carrying out a recognized program of rehabilitation for workers with disabilities and of providing workers with disabilities with remunerative employment or other occupational rehabilitating activity of an educational or therapeutic nature.

(7) “Student learner” means a student who is receiving instruction in an accredited school and who is employed on a part-time basis, pursuant to a bona fide school training program. A “bona fide school training program” means a program authorized and approved by the department of public instruction or the technical college system board, or other recognized educational body, and provided for part-time employment training which may be scheduled for a part of the workday or workweek, supplemented by and integrated with, a definitely organized plan of instruction and where proper scholastic credit is given by the accredited school.

(7m) “Tipped employee” means an employee who in the course of employment customarily and regularly receives money or other gratuities from persons other than the employee’s employer.

(8) “Wage” means any compensation for labor measured by time, piece, or otherwise.

(10) “Worker with a disability” means a worker whose earning capacity is impaired by age or physical or mental deficiency or injury and who is being served in accordance with the recognized rehabilitation program of a sheltered workshop within the facilities of such agency or in or about the home of the worker.

History: 1977 c. 29 ; 1983 a. 189 , 458 ; 1989 a. 225 ; 1993 a. 144 , 399 ; 1995 a. 27 ss. 9130 (4) , 9145 (1) ; 1997 a. 3 , 27 , 112 ; 2005 a. 12 ; 2013 a. 285 ; 2015 a. 55 , 258 ; 2017 a. 364 ; 2025 a. 77 .