WisconsinWisconsin job programs allow participation without four weeks of unemployment
People who meet other requirements can join Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs without a four-week unemployment wait, including those who have not applied for unemployment benefits.
What it does
Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs allow participation without four weeks of unemployment. People must not have applied for unemployment benefits or must have applied but be ineligible. Other program requirements still apply.
Argument forPeople who meet the other requirements could start subsidized jobs sooner because they do not need four weeks of unemployment.
Argument againstAllowing people who have not applied for unemployment benefits could direct wage subsidies to people who qualify for that separate support.
More detail
The law allows participation without four weeks of unemployment. People must not have applied for unemployment benefits or must have applied but be ineligible. Transform Milwaukee Jobs and Transitional Jobs serve people age 18 or older. Those older than 25 must be a parent or primary relative caregiver of a child under 18. Household income must be below 150 percent of the poverty line. Participants cannot hold a Wisconsin Works employment position and must meet applicable drug screening, testing, and treatment requirements.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 2Published 4-3-2026Latest
- Apr 2Report approved by the Governor Tony Evers on 4-2-2026. 2025 Wisconsin Act 176Became Law
- Apr 1Presented to the Governor on 4-1-2026To Governor
- Mar 23Report correctly enrolled on 3-23-2026Minor
- Mar 18Received from Senate concurred inMinor
- Mar 17Ordered immediately messaged
- Mar 17Senator Drake added as a cosponsor
- Mar 17Read a third time and concurred inPassed Senate
- Mar 17Rules suspended to give bill its third reading
- Mar 17Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Mar 17Read a second timeMinor
- Mar 16Placed on calendar 3-17-2026 pursuant to Senate Rule 18(1)
- Vote recorded Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 16Public hearing requirement waived by committee on Senate Organization, pursuant to Senate Rule 18 (1m), Ayes 3, Noes 2
- Mar 3Available for scheduling
- Vote recorded Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 5, Noes 0. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 3Report concurrence recommended by Committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic Development, Ayes 5, Noes 0Minor
- Feb 27Executive action taken
- Feb 11Read first time and referred to committee on Government Operations, Labor and Economic DevelopmentMinor
- Feb 10Received from AssemblyMinor
- Feb 10Ordered immediately messaged
- Feb 10Read a third time and passedPassed Assembly
- Feb 10Rules suspended
- Feb 10Ordered to a third readingMinor
- Feb 10Read a second timeMinor
- Feb 5Placed on calendar 2-10-2026 by Committee on Rules
- Jan 23Senator Carpenter added as a cosponsor
- Jan 15Referred to committee on RulesMinor
- Vote recorded Report passage recommended by Committee on Workforce Development, Labor, and Integrated Employment, Ayes 9, Noes 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 15Report passage recommended by Committee on Workforce Development, Labor, and Integrated Employment, Ayes 9, Noes 0Minor
- Jan 14Executive action taken
- Jan 8Fiscal estimate receivedMinor
- Jan 6Public hearing held
- 2025
- Dec 22Representative Knodl added as a coauthor
- Dec 17Read first time and referred to Committee on Workforce Development, Labor, and Integrated EmploymentMinor
- Dec 17Introduced by Representatives Rodriguez, Donovan, Ortiz-Velez, Allen, Behnke, Dittrich, Goodwin, Gundrum, Kaufert, Melotik, Mursau, O'Connor, Penterman, Piwowarczyk, Prado and Steffen; cosponsored by Senator WanggaardIntroduced
Economy & Jobs