The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is a State agency that investigates and handles not only unemployment claims, but also claims for underpayment or unpayment of wages by an employer.

Once an employee files a claim, the DWD states that there is statutory for protection against retaliation by the employer for filing the claim. An investigator will be assigned. If multiple complaints are filed against a certain employer, claims may be consolidated with one investigator for handling.

You will need:

  1. Create a new (or utilize your existing) “MyWisconsin ID”  login for state services. This is one login for many State services, so you may already have a login or need to create another one. Link to create a login: https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/mywisconsinid/registration.htm

    State of Wisconsin IT help for creating or resetting a login: 608-471-6667.

  2. Go to the DWD website for wage claims (this is not the unemployment portal): https://dwd.wisconsin.gov/LSISComplaint/Complaint/Index

  3. Enter your personal information, using your personal email and phone.

  4. Select that the complaint is for “Unpaid Wages”

  5. We do NOT have union contracts (as a result of Act 10 circa 2011). Be sure to check the box for “No” Union Contract.

  6. Put in the dates for the start and end of your summer assignments

  7. Put in the full hourly rate that you believe you should have been paid. This is typically your hourly pay during the spring semester. Find your May pay advice in Self Service that shows your full pay rate. Then, calculate and enter in the popup box the pay you have been shorted.  Typically, you can calculate the pay you were shorted by:  your total hours paid for your summer work x $ full hourly rate x 7%.   If you do not yet know your full hours of pay you will be paid (due to one more pay period pending), then estimate your total summer hours.

  8. A simple description of job duties like “Instructor” should be sufficient. We recommend using the 700 W. State Street Milwaukee address (the official address for MATC) as the address of the Employer.

  9. There is a box to click to view instructions, FAQs and get more information. You are not required to view that information, but it may be helpful.

  10. Supporting documentation!

    • We recommend that you attach your pay advice showing your May hourly rate, and then all pay advices you have received so far this summer. Consider writing a short statement that covers the following information. Be sure to make it personal to you, fill in the correct information where there are “XXX”s, and that it is true to the best of your knowledge and belief. For Paragraph J, if you choose to provide supporting documentation from the College’s

    • I am a Part-Time Faculty employee at Milwaukee Area Technical College, and have been employed there since approximately XXX date.

    • My pay rate for the spring semester 2025 is $xxx/hour.

    • The College assigned me to teach an XXX- week course (or courses) this summer.

    • I am part of what MATC calls the New Part-Time Faculty Progression and Pay” compensation system at the College.

    • The College committed, in writing, that summer pay would be at the same rate as during the school year. I was never advised that the pay rate would be different than my spring pay rate before starting this assignment.

    • My first paycheck was paid on XXX date; the pay rate was $XXX/hour, which appears to be a 7% reduction in pay.

    • I have been advised that individuals have challenged this pay reduction (or I have inquired about this pay reduction), and the College has refused to honor its stated commitment to pay us the full pay rate for this summer work.

    • I am seeking the difference in pay between my hourly rate and the rate paid by the College for this summer assignment.

    • I relied on the College’s commitment to pay the full hourly rate in taking this teaching assignment this summer.

    • I am providing documentation where the College committed in writing to pay the full hour rate for summer teaching.

  11. Consider uploading documentation to support your DWD claim from the College's new pay program descriptions that made the commitment not to reduce summer pay. This additional supporting documentation is optional, but is strongly recommended and might be requested later by the investigator. The Local 212 site includes helpful documentation which was downloaded from the myMATC portal – as those documents existed before the College recently started to make changes.

Please notify Local 212 that you have filed a claim. Once five or more claims have been filed, the claims may be assigned to one investigator at the Agency. We also may be able to answer questions that may arise after you file a claim.