Wisconsin Worker Rights
Wisconsin follows the federal minimum wage but has its own family and medical leave law, and one agency handles both wage and discrimination complaints.
- Wisconsin
Pay
- Minimum wage: $7.25, the same as federal.
- Overtime: 1.5x over 40 hours a week.
- Final pay: by the next regular payday.
- Prevailing wage: repealed for state projects in 2017; Davis-Bacon applies on federal projects.
Breaks and leave
- Wisconsin FMLA: at employers with 50 or more employees, unpaid job-protected leave for your own serious health condition, a family member’s, or a new child, alongside the federal FMLA.
- No state law requiring meal or rest breaks for adults, though breaks of under 30 minutes must be paid.
Unions and right-to-work
Wisconsin is a right-to-work state: a union contract can’t require you to join a union or pay dues or fees to keep your job. You still have the right to organize and act together with coworkers under federal law. See Right-to-Work States.
Where to file
- Unpaid wages and overtime: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Equal Rights Division (Labor Standards).
- Discrimination and harassment: Wisconsin Equal Rights Division, or the U.S. EEOC.
- Safety: Federal OSHA covers private employers. See Federal OSHA States.
- Work injuries: report the injury to your employer right away, in writing, and follow up with Wisconsin’s workers’ compensation agency. See Workers’ Compensation.
Check current rules: this is a summary. Wage rates and labor laws change often, usually on January 1 or July 1, and cities and counties can add their own rules. Confirm details with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development before acting. Federal protections apply too. See Where to Get Help.
Standards & references
Last updated: