DWD Launches Campaign to Combat Worker Misclassification

The Wisconsin Department of Workforce (DWD) this week launched an educational campaign to build awareness of and help combat worker misclassification, a practice in which employees are incorrectly and illegally treated as independent contractors. Under the law, workers are presumed to be employees unless an employer demonstrates the workers meet the legal criteria to be independent contractors.

"Worker classification is important because it determines an employer's legal obligations for unemployment insurance, worker's compensation insurance, and other protections that employees have earned," DWD Secretary Amy Pechacek said. "Building greater awareness was one of the recommendations of Gov. Evers' Joint Enforcement Task Force on Payroll Fraud and Worker Misclassification. We hope to educate the public and encourage workers to report suspected misclassification so that they can receive the rights and protections they've earned and DWD can help level the playing field for employers who do follow the rules."

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