Wis. Stat. § 63.08 — WI Code / Chapter 63 / Section 63.08
Eligible lists.
Status: in_force

(1) Competitive examination.

(a) Any applicant for an examination under s. 63.05 , other than an applicant for a deputy sheriff position under s. 59.265 (2) , shall be a resident of this state before applying for an examination, but the commission may not require any period of residency in the county for entrance to an examination or employment in the county. The commission may require an applicant to file a written application form which bears upon the applicant’s fitness for a vacant position and which the commission deems necessary. For a position offering a skilled, technical, or professional service, upon a finding that a suitable number of qualified applicants cannot be obtained from within the state, the commission may open the examination to residents of other states. Residency in this state may be waived for an applicant for an examination for a position which requires a license in a health care field. No question pertaining to political affiliation or religious faith may be asked of any applicant for an examination.

(b) Every examination, including minimum training and experience requirements, to fill a vacant position under this section shall be job-related in compliance with appropriate validation standards. Any experience, whether paid or unpaid, which is relevant to the duties of the position shall be applied toward satisfaction of experience requirements. The names of the persons passing the examination shall be placed on an eligible list in the order of their final grades in the examination. The director of personnel shall certify the list under s. 63.05 .

(c) No otherwise qualified handicapped person shall be discriminated against in examination, reexamination, appointment, reappointment, promotion or demotion relating to a vacant position under s. 63.05 (1) unless the handicap is reasonably related to the individual’s ability to adequately undertake the job-related responsibilities of that individual’s employment.

(d) To ensure competitive equality in an examination under this section between a handicapped applicant and an applicant who is not handicapped, the handicapped applicant may request that the commission furnish a reader or an appropriate place to take the examination or other similar accommodations.

(e) Upon the request of a person who is applying or eligible for a position under this section and who is handicapped, the department of health services shall obtain from the commission a detailed description of the duties of the position, shall investigate the necessity of physical, sensory and mental abilities in the fulfillment of the duties and shall determine and report its findings to the commission as to the physical ability of the applicant or eligible person to perform the duties. The finding shall be conclusive as to the physical qualifications of any applicant or eligible person examined under this paragraph.

(f)

1. The commission may not impose any restriction as to age on any veteran who is applying or eligible for a position under this section. The commission shall give preference points to veterans and their spouses under par. (fm) , except as provided under subd. 2.

2. Notwithstanding par. (fm) , persons shall be certified from the eligible list under s. 63.05 (1) (b) without adding any preference points to any person’s grade.

3. After the certification under subd. 2. , any veteran or veteran’s spouse whose grade, plus the points to which the veteran or spouse is entitled under par. (fm) , is equal to or higher than the lowest grade on the list made under subd. 2. shall be added to the certification list under s. 63.05 (1) (b) . The number of persons added to a certification list under this subdivision may not exceed the number of persons initially certified under subd. 2.

(fm)

1. A preference shall be given to those veterans and to those spouses of veterans specified in subd. 1. a. to f. who gain eligibility on any competitive employment register and who do not currently hold a permanent appointment or have mandatory restoration rights to a permanent appointment to any position. A preference means the following:

a. For a veteran, that 10 points shall be added to his or her grade.

b. For a disabled veteran, that 15 points shall be added to his or her grade.

c. For a disabled veteran whose disability is at least 30 percent, that 20 points shall be added to his or her grade.

d. For the spouse of a disabled veteran whose disability is at least 70 percent, that 10 points shall be added to the spouse’s grade.

e. For the unremarried spouse of a veteran who was killed in action, that 10 points shall be added to the spouse’s grade.

f. For the unremarried spouse of a veteran who died of a service-connected disability, that 10 points shall be added to the spouse’s grade.

2. An applicant who is certified for a position after receiving a preference under subd. 1. d. , e. , or f. and who is appointed to that position may not obtain a preference under subd. 1. d. , e. , or f. for any other civil service position for which the applicant subsequently applies.

(g) The time and place of an examination under this section, the requirements of the position and other necessary information shall be sufficiently advertised to give notice of the examination.

(2) Noncompetitive examination.

(a) The director of personnel, with the approval of the commission, may hold a noncompetitive entrance examination or a noncompetitive promotional examination if it is impractical to hold a competitive examination and if the examination is for a position:

1. In an unskilled class of work which has no administrative or supervisory responsibilities and which requires no verbal or clerical skills for proper performance of the duties of the position; or

2. Requiring highly specialized or technical training which can be adequately demonstrated by possession of related certification or licensing.

(b) The names of the persons qualified under par. (a) shall be placed on the eligible list under the rules of the commission. The requirements of sub. (1) (a) shall apply to applicants for examination under this subsection.

History: 1971 c. 232 ; 1975 c. 94 ; 1983 a. 148 , 538 ; 1991 a. 39 , 101 ; 1995 a. 27 , s. 9126 (19) ; 2001 a. 9 ; 2007 a. 20 s. 9121 (6) (a) ; 2013 a. 20 ; 2015 a. 150 ss. 5 to 7 , 37 ; 2025 a. 196 .