LRB-1596/1
GMM:jld:jf
2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE
March 12, 2007 - Introduced by Representatives Cullen, Zepnick, Sheridan,
Boyle, Black, Young, Turner, Berceau, Mason
and Sinicki, cosponsored by
Senators Lassa, Lehman, Risser and Plale. Referred to Committee on Labor
and Industry.
AB160,1,3 1An Act to create 103.12 and 106.54 (8) of the statutes; relating to: requiring
2an employer to reasonably accommodate an employee who is pregnant or who
3is breast-feeding her child.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Current law prohibits certain bases of employment discrimination including
discrimination based on an employee's sex or handicap. Under current law,
discrimination based on sex includes discriminating against any woman on the basis
of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions and discrimination based on
handicap includes refusing to reasonably accommodate an employee's handicap
unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would pose a hardship
on the employer's program, enterprise, or business. Currently, the Department of
Workforce Development (DWD) may order an employer that has discriminated
against an employee to take such action as will effectuate the purpose of the fair
employment law, including the payment of back pay, reinstatement of the employee,
or the payment of compensation in lieu of reinstatement.
This bill permits an employee who is pregnant or who is breast-feeding her
child to request her employer to reasonably accommodate her condition, if the
employee believes that the duties or environment of her employment pose a
substantial hazard to the present or future health of the employee or of her child or
unborn child. The bill requires an employer that receives such a request to
reasonably accommodate the employee's condition unless the employer can
demonstrate that the accommodation would pose an undue hardship on the

employer's program, enterprise, or business. Under the bill, an employer may not
discharge or otherwise discriminate against an employee who requests a reasonable
accommodation under the bill, opposes a practice prohibited under the bill, files a
complaint or attempts to enforce any right granted under the bill, or testifies or
assists in any action or proceeding to enforce any right under the bill. Finally, under
the bill, an employee whose request for a reasonable accommodation under the bill
is denied (unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would pose
an undue hardship) or who is discharged or discriminated against in violation of the
bill may file a complaint with DWD and DWD must process the complaint in the same
manner as employment discrimination complaints are processed under current law,
which processing may include the ordering of back pay, reinstatement, or
compensation in lieu of reinstatement.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB160, s. 1 1Section 1. 103.12 of the statutes is created to read:
AB160,2,6 2103.12 Reasonable accommodation of pregnant or breast-feeding
3employees.
(1) Any employee who is pregnant or who is breast-feeding her child
4may request her employer to reasonably accommodate her condition, if the employee
5believes that the duties or environment of her employment pose a substantial hazard
6to the present or future health of the employee or of her child or unborn child.
AB160,2,10 7(2) An employer that receives a request under sub. (1) shall reasonably
8accommodate the employee's condition unless the employer can demonstrate that
9the accommodation would pose an undue hardship on the employer's program,
10enterprise, or business.
AB160,3,2 11(3) No employer may discharge or otherwise discriminate against any person
12for requesting a reasonable accommodation under sub. (1), opposing a practice
13prohibited under this section, filing a complaint or attempting to enforce any right

1under this section, or testifying or assisting in any action or proceeding to enforce any
2right under this section.
AB160,3,7 3(4) An employee whose request for a reasonable accommodation under sub. (1)
4is denied in violation of sub. (2) or who is discharged or otherwise discriminated
5against in violation of sub. (3) may file a complaint with the department, and the
6department shall process the complaint in the same manner as employment
7discrimination complaints are processed under s. 111.39.
AB160, s. 2 8Section 2. 106.54 (8) of the statutes is created to read:
AB160,3,119 106.54 (8) The division shall receive complaints under s. 103.12 (4) and shall
10process the complaints in the same manner as employment discrimination
11complaints are processed under s. 111.39.
AB160, s. 3 12Section 3. Initial applicability.
AB160,3,1713 (1) This act first applies to an employee who, on the day before the effective date
14of this subsection, is covered by a collective bargaining agreement that contains
15provisions inconsistent with section 103.12 of the statutes, as created by this act, on
16the day on which the collective bargaining agreement expires or is extended,
17modified, or renewed, whichever occurs first.
AB160,3,1818 (End)
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