Wis. Stat. § 40.22 — WI Code / Chapter 40 / Section 40.22
Participating employees.
Status: in_force

(1) Except as otherwise provided in sub. (2) and s. 40.26 (6) , each employee currently in the service of, and receiving earnings from, a state agency or other participating employer shall be included within the provisions of the Wisconsin retirement system as a participating employee of that state agency or participating employer.

(2) No person may be included within, or receive benefits from, the Wisconsin retirement system for any service if any of the following conditions apply:

(a) Except as provided in sub. (2m) , the employee was a participating employee before July 1, 2011, and is not expected to work at least one-third of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined by rule.

(am) Except as provided in sub. (2r) , the employee was not a participating employee before July 1, 2011, and is not expected to work at least two-thirds of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined by rule.

(b) The employee’s expected duration of employment is less than one year.

(c) The employee is excluded from participation by s. 40.21 (3) or (4) .

(cm) The employee is excluded from participation by s. 40.21 (7) .

(d) The employee is subject to s. 40.19 (4) provided that contributions and benefits shall be paid as provided by that subsection.

(e) The employee is subject to a contract involving the furnishing by the person of more than the person’s personal services.

(f) The employee is a member of a retirement system of a 1st class city and was an employee of a technical college district created under ch. 38 on the date the district was created.

(g) The employee is appointed by the university under s. 36.19 , or by the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority, as a student assistant or employee in training or is appointed by a school or other education system in which the person is regularly enrolled as a student and is attending classes to perform services incidental to the person’s course of study at that school or education system.

(gm) The employee is initially employed by a participating employer on or after April 23, 1992, is under the age of 20 and is regularly enrolled, or is expected to be regularly enrolled, as a full-time student in a school, as defined in s. 118.257 (1) (d) .

(h) The employee is teaching while on leave from an educational institution not a part of the University of Wisconsin System, if the person is a visiting professor, visiting associate professor, visiting assistant professor or visiting lecturer at the university and if the employment at the university is all within 12 consecutive calendar months. If the employment at the university is continued beyond the 12-month period the person shall, at the start of the 13th consecutive calendar month of employment, come under the system for future service.

(i) The employee contributes to the employee retirement system of the county of Milwaukee if the person was contributing to that system on September 10, 1959.

(j) The employee is employed by a transportation system in a position that is excluded from the Wisconsin retirement system and is included in another retirement system under s. 66.1023 .

(k) The employee is eligible to receive similar benefits from any other state covering the same service and earnings.

(L) The employee is employed by a participating employer after the person becomes an annuitant, unless the service is after the annuity is suspended under s. 40.26 .

(m) Notwithstanding sub. (3m) , the employee was formerly employed by Milwaukee County, is a state employee described in s. 49.825 (4) or (5) or 49.826 (4) , and is a covered employee under the retirement system established under chapter 201, laws of 1937 , pursuant to s. 49.825 (4) (c) or (5) (c) or 49.826 (4) (c) .

(2m) Except as otherwise provided in s. 40.26 (6) , an employee who was a participating employee before July 1, 2011, who is not expected to work at least one-third of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined by rule, and who is not otherwise excluded under sub. (2) from becoming a participating employee shall become a participating employee if he or she is subsequently employed by the state agency or other participating employer for either of the following periods:

(a) At least one year for at least one-third of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined by rule, or, for an educational support personnel employee, at least one year for at least one-third of what is considered full-time employment for a teacher.

(b) At least 600 hours in the immediately preceding 12-month period.

(2r) Except as otherwise provided in s. 40.26 (6) , an employee who was not a participating employee before July 1, 2011, who is not expected to work at least two-thirds of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined by rule, and who is not otherwise excluded under sub. (2) from becoming a participating employee shall become a participating employee if he or she is subsequently employed by the state agency or other participating employer for either of the following periods:

(a) At least one year for at least two-thirds of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined by rule, or, for an educational support personnel employee, at least one year for at least two-thirds of what is considered full-time employment for a teacher.

(b) At least 1,200 hours in the immediately preceding 12-month period.

(3) Except as otherwise provided in s. 40.26 (6) , a person who qualifies as a participating employee shall be included within, and shall be subject to, the Wisconsin retirement system effective on one of the following dates:

(a) The employer’s effective date of participation if the person is an employee of that employer on the employer’s effective date and has met all requirements for inclusion on or prior to that effective date.

(b)

1. The first day after completion of one year of employment for at least one-third of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined by rule, if the person becomes a participating employee under sub. (2m) after the employer’s effective date of participation.

2. The first day after completion of one year of employment for at least two-thirds of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined by rule, if the person becomes a participating employee under sub. (2r) after the employer’s effective date of participation.

(c) The first day of employment if the person is a participating employee not covered under par. (a) or (b) .

(3m) Any employee who becomes a participating employee shall continue to be a participating employee notwithstanding sub. (2) (a) or (b) for periods of subsequent employment with that state agency or other participating employer unless the employment with the state agency or other participating employer is terminated for 12 or more consecutive calendar months or unless the employee receives a benefit under s. 40.23 , 40.25 (1) or (2) or 40.63 .

(4) For purposes of s. 40.02 (25) , a person who is employed by a state agency shall be deemed to have become a state employee on the date the person becomes a participating state employee. No participating employee may be included under s. 40.52 (3) .

(5) A determination as to whether an employee has met or will meet the actual or anticipated performance of duty or other requirements of this section shall be made by the employer in accordance with rules of the department. The department may by rule identify circumstances and establish procedures under which eligibility for participation shall be based on combined employment when a person is employed by 2 or more employers.

(6) Notwithstanding subs. (1) , (2) , (3) , (4) and (5) , if an employee’s employment with an employer terminates after a period of service of less than 30 calendar days, the employee is not eligible for retirement coverage for that period of service. This subsection shall not apply to employment covered under sub. (3m) and shall not affect an employee’s eligibility for insurance coverage for that period of service.

History: 1981 c. 96 , 386 ; 1989 a. 13 ; 1991 a. 152 ; 1993 a. 399 ; 1995 a. 216 ; 1997 a. 69 , 110 ; 1999 a. 150 s. 672 ; 2001 a. 104 ; 2009 a. 15 , 28 ; 2011 a. 32 ; 2013 a. 20 ; 2015 a. 174 ; 2017 a. 362 ; 2019 a. 185 .