49.826 Administration of child care provider services in certain counties.

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “County" means a county having a population of 750,000 or more.

(b) “Department" means the department of children and families.

(c) “Secretary" means the secretary of children and families.

(d) “Unit" means the child care provider services unit.

(2) Establishment of unit.

(a) The department may establish a child care provider services unit under s. 15.02 (3) (c) 3. to perform any of the following administrative functions under the program under s. 49.155 in a county:

1. Certify child care providers under s. 48.651.

2. Provide child care program integrity services under s. 49.197 (2).

4. Assist individuals who are eligible for child care subsidies under s. 49.155 to identify available child care providers and select appropriate child care arrangements.

(b) The department may enter into a contract with a county that provides for the performance by the county of any of the administrative functions under this subsection in the county.

(c) The department shall reimburse a county for all approved, allowable costs that are incurred by the county under a contract with the department under par. (b).

(3) Division of employment-related functions.

(a) Supervisory personnel in the unit shall be state employees. Nonsupervisory staff performing services under this section for the unit in a county may be a combination of state employees and employees of the county. For the performance of services under this section for the unit, a county shall maintain no fewer represented authorized full-time employee positions than the number of represented full-time employee positions that were authorized on February 1, 2009, for performance of the same types of services.

(b)

1. The department shall have the authority to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, discipline, and adjust grievances with respect to, and state supervisory employees may supervise, county employees performing services under this section for the unit.

2. For the purposes under subd. 1., the department shall use the same process and procedures under ch. 230 that are used for the classified service of the state civil service system, including specifically the use of probationary periods under s. 230.28.

3. County employees performing services under this section for the unit in a county shall be subject to the residency requirements that apply to other county employees under the county's civil service rules.

(c) A county shall perform all administrative tasks related to payroll and benefits for the county employees performing services under this section in the county for the unit.

(4) Treatment of former county employees appointed to state employee positions in the unit. All of the following shall apply to an employee who is appointed to a state employee position in the unit after July 1, 2009, and who, immediately prior to his or her appointment, was a county employee:

(a) The employee shall serve any applicable probationary period under s. 230.28, but shall have his or her seniority with the state computed by treating the employee's total service with the county as state service.

(b) Annual leave for the employee shall accrue at the rate provided in s. 230.35 using the employee's state service computed under par. (a).

(c)

1. The employee may remain a participating employee in the retirement system established under chapter 201, laws of 1937. To remain under the retirement system established under chapter 201, laws of 1937, the employee must exercise this option in writing, on a form provided by the department, at the time the employee is appointed to a state employee position. The employee shall exercise this option, in writing, no later than 10 days after the employee is appointed to a state employee position. An employee's decision to remain a participating employee in the retirement system established under chapter 201, laws of 1937, is irrevocable during the period that the employee is holding a state employee position in the unit.

2. The secretary shall pay, on behalf of the employee, all required employer contributions under the retirement system established under chapter 201, laws of 1937.

(d) The employee shall have his or her sick leave accrued with the state computed by treating the employee's unused balance of sick leave accrued with the county as sick leave accrued in state service, but not to exceed the amount of sick leave the employee would have accrued in state service for the same period, if the employee is able to provide adequate documentation in accounting for sick leave used during the accrual period with the county. Sick leave that transfers under this paragraph is not subject to a right of conversion, under s. 40.05 (4) or otherwise, upon death or termination of creditable service for payment of health insurance benefits on behalf of the employee or the employee's dependents.

History: 2009 a. 28, 185; 2011 a. 10; 2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 172.