A Wisconsin employment contract details the terms and conditions of employment. It covers elements such as the period of employment, the job responsibilities of the employee, the financial compensation the employer will pay, and the grounds for terminating the employment.
Wisconsin contracts follow general law in that they need to include an offer, acceptance, consideration, legality, and capacity [1] .
- Laws: Chapter 103
- Definition of Employee: According to § 103.001(5), an employee is any person who may be directed or required by an employer to engage in any employment or to go or work or be at any time in any place of employment.
By Type (4)
Independent Contractor Agreement
Establishes the guidelines for a relationship between a client and a contractor.
Subcontractor Agreement
Outlines the arrangement between a contractor and a subcontractor.
Non-Compete Agreement
Protects confidential company information.
Non-Disclosure Agreement
Maintains the privacy of valuable business information.
Hiring in Wisconsin
Before you start writing your Wisconsin employment contract, ensure you know the state labor laws and requirements.
At-Will Employment
Wisconsin is an at-will employment state. There are also exceptions to the at-will employment rules.
Exceptions
- Public Policy: Yes
- Implied Contract: Yes
- Good-Faith Exception: No
Minimum Wage ($/hr)
Wisconsin doesn’t have a state-specific minimum wage, so it abides by the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour [2] . Employees who receive tips are entitled to a wage of at least $2.33/hour from their employers.
Child Labor
Wisconsin requires employment certificates for minors under 16 [3] . The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development won’t issue employment certificates for minors aged 16 and 17.
Note that the minimum age for employment is 14. Children under 14 may be eligible to work in agriculture and domestic work.
Payday
Wisconsin requires most employers to pay workers on at least a monthly basis, with no longer than 31 days between pay periods. There are some exceptions [4] :
- Individuals engaged in farm labor (must be paid at least quarterly)
- Employees engaged in logging (must be paid at least quarterly)
- Unclassified employees of the UW system (left to the system)
- Part-time emergency medical and part-time firefighters
- Technicians (must be paid at regular intervals, at least annually).
Meal and Rest Breaks
Wisconsin does not require minimum paid rest or meal periods for adult employees. Employees under 18 must not work any longer than six consecutive hours without receiving a 30-minute lunch break free from their work duties [5] .
Recordkeeping Requirements
Wisconsin employers must maintain employee personnel and payroll records for at least three years [6] . They also must maintain the following records for the specified periods:
- Safety and Health/Workers’ Compensation: 30 years for hazardous materials.
- Child Labor: 3 years for all children under 18.
Sample
Download a Wisconsin employment contract template as a PDF or Word file below.
