Wisconsin Law Now Prohibits Two More Types Of Discrimination, Based On Political And Religious Communications

On behalf of Peterson, Berk & Cross, S.C.

Oct 01, 2010
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The Wisconsin Legislature has added two forms of prohibited discrimination to Wisconsin employment law, which concern religious and political communications.

Now, a Wisconsin employer must not discriminate against an employee for:

  • declining to attend a meeting about religious matters
  • declining to participate in any communication about religious matters
  • declining to attend a meeting about political matters; or
  • declining to participate in any communication about political matters.

Under Section 111.321of the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act (WFEA) (see p. 11 of the .pdf version of WFEA), titled “Prohibited bases of discrimination,” a WI employer is now prohibited from discriminating against an employee for “declining to attend a meeting or to participate in any communication about religious matters or political matters.”

This new phrase/amendment to WFEA was completed by an Act of the Wisconsin legislature, and took effect on May 27, 2010.

An employer’s discriminating actions on or after May 27, 2010, that are based on political and religious issues above, are potentially actionable as discrimination law claims.