Department of Workforce Development Secretary?s Office 201 E. Washington Avenue - Madison, WI 53707 Telephone: (608) 266_3131 Department of Workforce Development Fax: (608) 266-1784 Email: sec@dwd.wisconsin.gov Scott Walker, Governor Raymond Allen, Secretary February 15, 2017 The Honorable Jeffrey Renk Chief Clerk of the Wisconsin Senate B20 SE Capitol 0 Box 7882 Madison, WI 53707-7882 Dear Mr. Renk: Pursuant to Wis. Stat. I respectfully submit the Department of Workforce Development's biennial report for the calendar years 2015?2016, regarding the administration and enforcement ofWis. Stat. 230.80 also known as the Whistleblower Law. The report contains an attached spreadsheet which outlines the number of Whistleblower complaints filed, accepted, resolved, and that went to hearing. Current status of each complaint is indicated. Additionally, the Equal Rights Division (ERD), which is responsible for enforcing this section, is required by the statute to report the dollar amounts of monetary settlements or final monetary awards. This report includes settlements reached during the time period covered, along with monetary terms identified in the settlements. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please don't hesitate to contact me at 608?267?1410 with questions regarding the information contained in this report. Attachments (R. 01 /2016) WHISTLEBL OWER COMPLAINTS CY 2015-2016 Case Number Complainant Respondent Status Monetary Terms of Settlements CR200703230 Leaverton, Catherine WI Dept. of Veterans Affairs Initial Determination (ID), No Probable Cause sent 1/30/08. Reversed at hearing, found probable cause, 3/10/10. Unsuccessful mediation, then a hearing on the merits held. Decision issued ?nding No Discrimination, 4/3 0/14. Appealed to Court, 5 29 14. Remanded. Second hearing decision issued, 12 22 14. Circuit Court found no discrimination, 2 015. CR200802196 Schigur, Joell WI Dept. of Iustice Closed as of Dec 2015. Probable Cause found 9/26/08; Discrimination found after hearing, 4/30/12. Appealed to court. Circuit Court reverses, ?nds no discrimination. Appealed to Supreme Court, which af?rmed No Discrimination ?nding, 12/30/15. WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINTS - CY 2015?2016 Case Number Complainant Respondent Status Monetary Terms of Settlement CR200902498 Smith, Iames WI Dept. of Corrections Closed as of Sept 2015. Probable cause ID issued 3/29/10. Hearing on the merits postponed for settlement discussions. Dismissed, 9/18/15 private settlement [$20,000 minus $2,593.05 overdrawn leave balance]. CR201104351 Blum, Peter WI Dept. of Military Affairs PC ID, issued 10/18/12. Resolved at hearing. Dism? Settled, 6/22/15. ~$3,000 payment of liquidated damages- $14,812.85 Attorney fees. CR201201027 Hemmerling, Candice UW Colleges Dismissed Settled. Closed. (Dism-Settled); settled 05/24/16 -$50,000 payment CR201201731 Smith, Julie WI Dept. of Corrections Initial Determination, No Probable Cause NPC). Not appealed. Closed 2/25/15. CR201202916 Merhemic, Phil UW Whitewater 4/19/13; appealed. NPC affirmed after hearing, 2/24/15. Appealed to Circuit Court, 3/30/15. Circuit Court remanded 6/13/16. Decision once again af?rmed NPC, 10/31/16. No appeal received. Closed 12/20/16. CR201300273 Teasley, Nicole Wl Dept. of Health Services Dism Settled. Closed. Settled 10/6/15. ~$12,500 pay WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINTS CY 2015-2016 Case Number Complainant Respondent Status Monetary Terms of Settlement CR201300903 Bethards, Daniel WI Dept. of Justice PC ID issued, 10/1/13. No discrimination found at hearing, 12/26/14. Appealed to Circuit Court, 4/14/16. Circuit Court reversed and remanded for hearing. and DWD appealed this decision to Court of App eals. Briefed as of June 2016, awaiting opinion. CR201302058 Bethards, Daniel WI Dept. of Justice See CR201300903 CR201303023 Bethards, Daniel WI Dept. oflustice See CR201300903 CR201303185 Megonigle, Shane Ethan Allen School for Boys NPC ID issued 4/15/2015; not appealed. Closed. CR201400829 Roberts, Kimberly WI Dept. of Corrections NPC ID issued 7/31/14. App ealed. Dismissed due to lack of jurisdiction, 3/6/15. Not appealed to Circuit Court. Closed. CR201400862 Teasley, Nicole Wl Dept. of Health Services Dism Settled. Closed. Settled 10/6/15. ~$12,500 pay CR201401278 Schneider, Jody UW Claire NPC ID issued 8/21/15. Not appealed. Closed. CR201402732 Ruotsinoja, Edwin UW Madison NPC ID issued 2/4/15. Not appealed. WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINTS CY 2015-2016 Case Number Complainant Respondent Status Monetary Terms of Settlement CR201403673 Sweeney, Jerome Wl Dept. of Corrections Preliminary Determination issued, 4 7 15 complaint filed untimely. Not appealed. Closed. CR201500201 Docimo, Frank WI Dept. of Military Affairs Case was in mediation until April 2016, when impasse reached. Currently under investigation. CR201500431 Dietz, Kurt Charles WI Dept. ofAdministration Dismissed - Settled. Closed. [Dism-Settled] -Paid Admin Leave up to date of resignation CR201500497 Adamietz, Rebecca WI Dept. of Health Services Dismissed Not taken CR201500883 Ruotsinoja, Edwin UW-Madison Investigation CR201501284 Kraemer, George WI Dept. of Corrections Initial Determination, No Probable Cause (ID NPC). Not appealed. Closed. CR201501765 Weber, Suzanne WI Dept. of Workforce Development ID-NPC issued, 10/23/15. Appealed to hearing on issue of probable cause. Hearing postponed at complainant request. Held 9/7/16. Awaiting decision. CR201501855 Mauk, Chad WI Dept. of Corrections Dismissed Withdrawn (Dism CR201502119 Gleason, James Wl Dept. of Corrections Preliminary Determination (PD) - No Jurisdiction WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINTS CY 2015-2016 Case Number Complainant Respondent Status Monetary Terms of Settlement CR201502124 Yadranji Aghdam, UW-Madison Saeed CR201502333 King, Veronica Dept. of Corrections Dism-Settled CR201502781 Pierce, Fred Crosse Jurisdiction CR201503266 Peetz, Jonathan WI Dept. of Corrections Jurisdiction CR201503424 Pasha James, WI Dept. of Health Services Dism?Set?ded -$20,000 pay Deborah CR201503632 Harris, Anthony WI Dept. of Health Services Timely, 10/5/16. Appealed. Currently at Hearing. CR201600218 Yadranji Aghdam, . UW?Madison issued 6/29/16. Saeed Awaiting hearing on the issue of probable cause. CR20 1600 289 Pritchard, David UW-Milwaukee Dism?W/D CR201600330 Potts, Jennifer WI Dept. of Health Services ID-NPC issued 5/ 24/16. Appealed. Currently awaiting Mediation. CR201600411 Bava, Dominic UW?Madison Dism?Settled ?$4,500 pay CR201600677 Harris, Anthony WI Dept. of Health Services issued 10/4/16. - App ealed. Awaiting hearing on the issue of probable cause. CR2 0 160 078 21. Reynolds, Brian WI State Fair Park Dism?W/ CR201600792 Breese, Gregory WI Dept. of Natural Dism-Settled _$19,000 pay Resources -$11,00 0 Attorney fees CRZO 160 170 6 Wall, Edward WI Dept. of Justice Under investigation WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINTS CY 2015-2016 Case Number Complainant Respondent Status Monetary Terms of Settlement CR2 01 60 19 5 1 King, Veronica WI Dept. of Corrections Dismissed - Not Taken CR2 01 60 240 1 Gilboe, Andrew UW?Madis on Timely CR201602603 Weber, Suzanne WI Dept. of Workforce Timely, issued Development 10/12/16- Appealed- Currently awaiting desk review decision CR20 160 2 66 6 Strauss, Gary UW?Green Bay Dism Failed to C00perate. CR2 0160415 5 Gilbo e, Andrew UW-Madison Under investigation CR2 0 1 604284 Weber, Suzanne WI Dept. of Workforce Under investigation Development CR201604294 Kloth, Karen WI Dept. of Corrections Under investigation CR20 160449 5 Frey, Keith Wisconsin Resource Center Under investigation CRZO 160468 1 King, Veronica WI Dept. of Corrections Under investigation CRZO 160478 3 Quednau, Veronica UW HOSpitals Clinics Under investigation - CR2 016049 1 1 King, Veronica WI Dept. of Corrections Under investigation