01/10DWD Recognizes Human Trafficking Awareness Day

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DWD Recognizes Human Trafficking Awareness Day

Releases Report on Key Milestones Achieved to Combat Worker Exploitation While Supporting Employers

MADISON - In recognition of Gov. Tony Evers' proclamation observing National Human Trafficking Awareness Day on Jan. 11, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) released a new report highlighting key milestones the department achieved in 2024 to combat worker exploitation while supporting employers who play by the rules.

The report, Working to End Exploitation, highlights DWD's collaborative efforts to combat worker exploitation while advancing Wisconsin's record-breaking economic performance, including seven consecutive months of record-high employment, and continued low unemployment rates that are well below national rates in 2024.

"DWD's mission includes advocating for the protection and economic advancement of all Wisconsin workers, employers, and job seekers to achieve a thriving economy where all workers are treated fairly, and with dignity and respect," said DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek. "When workers are exploited, everyone loses. That's why we work closely with partners from industry, labor, education, government, and the nonprofit sector to administer the law while educating workers, employers, and job seekers about their rights and responsibilities."

Worker exploitation can take many forms. Among the most common are failing to provide safe and sanitary working conditions, wage and hour violations, human trafficking, and depriving employees of the benefits they've earned through worker misclassification of employees as independent contractors.

DWD's efforts to combat worker exploitation delivered important results during 2024. According to the newly released report, recent milestones across the department's Equal Rights Division (ERD), Unemployment Insurance (UI) Division, Division of Employment and Training (DET), and Worker's Compensation (WC) Division include:

• Labor standards cases and back wages collected: From January through Dec. 1, 2024, ERD received 2,985 labor standards cases. During the same period, the division recovered $998,394.77 in wages and penalties owed to workers through ERD's administrative efforts.
• Number of child labor permits issued: From January through Dec. 1, 2024, ERD issued 29,719 work permits for youth aged 14 and 15, a process that supports safe and lawful employment conditions for young workers.
• Field investigations found misclassified workers: From January through early October 2024, Unemployment Insurance worker classification investigators have conducted 470 worker classification field investigations. These investigations resulted in 147 audit referrals to the division's tax auditors. Those referrals resulted in UI division tax auditors identifying 1,477 misclassified workers and the assessment of over $400,500 in UI taxes and interest. Worker misclassification occurs when employers treat employees as independent contractors, denying these workers the rights and benefits to which they are entitled and giving the employers an unfair competitive advantage.
• Migrant labor camps inspected: In 2024, DWD's Migrant and Seasonal Farm Worker Program inspected and certified 288 migrant labor camps that house migrant workers.
• Heat and housing rules developed: In 2024, DWD revised the health and safety protections for migrant labor camps and housing to include new heat protections, updated field sanitation requirements, and reporting requirements for certain diseases and symptoms. The protections were developed through a collaborative rulemaking process with input from members of the Migrant Labor Council, including employer and employee representatives, as well as other stakeholders.
• Penalties collected for Uninsured Employers Fund: The Wisconsin Worker's Compensation Uninsured Employers Fund is funded through penalties assessed against employers for illegally operating a business without worker's compensation insurance. The WC division conducts an average of more than 23,000 investigations each year. In 2023, the last year for which figures are available, the division issued more than 3,500 penalties and collected more than $7.6 million for the fund.

DWD's collaborative work to combat worker exploitation and create an even playing field for all workers, employers, and job seekers involves:

• Conducting outreach and education to help workers and employers understand their rights and responsibilities.
• Providing training and resources to combat human trafficking.
• Strengthening partnerships to identify and address challenges facing vulnerable workers, including youth, people with disabilities, veterans, migrant seasonal workers, immigrants, and low-skilled workers.
• Administering programs and associated rules that assure health and safety standards for vulnerable workers on the job and in housing.
• Enforcing minimum wage and overtime laws, discrimination laws, unemployment insurance laws, worker's compensation laws, and more.
• Conducting audits, investigations, and inspections to assure compliance.
• Issuing penalties and referring cases for prosecution.
• Working with stakeholders - including employers and worker representatives - to develop rules that enhance the safety and health of workers.

Workers, employers, job seekers, and community members with concerns about worker exploitation are encouraged to contact DWD at (608) 266-3131 or via contact form. Additionally, the DWD website has a list of county migrant and seasonal farm worker services contacts and worker classification information.

ABOUT DWD

Wisconsin's Department of Workforce Development efficiently delivers effective and inclusive services to meet Wisconsin's diverse workforce needs now and for the future. The department advocates for and invests in the protection and economic advancement of all Wisconsin workers, employers, and job seekers through six divisions - Employment and Training, Vocational Rehabilitation, Unemployment Insurance, Equal Rights, Worker's Compensation, and Administrative Services. To keep up with DWD announcements and information, sign up for news releases and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, and YouTube.