Contact:
Logan Vidal
logan.vidal@legis.wisconsin.gov
(608) 266-8570
Fitchburg – Yesterday, the Joint Finance Committee voted to disregard Governor Walker’s recommendation to eliminate the Labor and Industry Review Commission. Rep. Anderson released the following statement.
“The Labor and Industry Review Commission (LIRC) is a vital, independent agency that protects employers, employees and the state from fraudulent legal claims and potential abuses. LIRC saves the state of Wisconsin thousands of dollars by diverting unnecessary cases from our court system each year. Those savings will be put to better use in our schools and for our roads.”
“Beyond the financial incentives, LIRC is an important part of our state’s employment law jurisprudence. The recommendation of the Governor to eliminate this commission without providing an alternative shows a deep misunderstanding of how employment cases are handled in Wisconsin. Suffice it to say, LIRC saves everyone from our litigants to our court system to our taxpayers considerable time and money.”
“I would be remiss if I did not critique JFC for eliminating six positions from the commission but I am ultimately relieved that LIRC will continue in its mission. Preserving LIRC is just common sense and I thank the members of JFC for doing just that despite efforts from Governor Walker to strip it from the budget.”
