Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 103 - Employment regulations.
103.503 - Substance abuse prevention on public works and public utility projects.

103.503 Substance abuse prevention on public works and public utility projects.
(1) Definitions. In this section:
(a) “Accident" means an incident caused, contributed to, or otherwise involving an employee that resulted or could have resulted in death, personal injury, or property damage and that occurred while the employee was performing the work described in s. 66.0903 (4), 2013 stats., or s. 16.856 (2m), 2015 stats., on a project of public works or while the employee was performing work on a public utility project.
(b) “Alcohol" has the meaning given in s. 340.01 (1q).
(c) “Contracting agency" means a local governmental unit or a state agency that has contracted for the performance of work on a project of public works or a public utility that has contracted for the performance of work on a public utility project.
(d) “Drug" means any controlled substance, as defined in s. 961.01 (4), or controlled substance analog, as defined in s. 961.01 (4m), for which testing is required by an employer under its substance abuse prevention program under this section.
(e) “Employee" means a laborer, worker, mechanic, or truck driver who performs the work described in s. 66.0903 (4), 2013 stats., or s. 16.856 (2m), 2015 stats., on a project of public works or on a public utility project.
(f) “Employer" means a contractor, subcontractor, or agent of a contractor or subcontractor that performs work on a project of public works or on a public utility project.
(fm) “Local governmental unit" means a political subdivision of this state, a special purpose district in this state, an instrumentality or corporation of such a political subdivision or special purpose district, a combination or subunit of any of the foregoing, or an instrumentality of the state and any of the foregoing.
(g) “Project of public works" means a project of public works that would be subject to s. 66.0903, 2013 stats., if the project were erected, constructed, repaired, remodeled, or demolished prior to January 1, 2017, or that would be subject to s. 16.856, 2015 stats., if the project were erected, constructed, repaired, remodeled, or demolished prior to September 23, 2017.
(h) “Public utility" has the meaning given in s. 196.01 (5) and includes a telecommunications carrier, as defined in s. 196.01 (8m), an alternative telecommunications utility, as defined in s. 196.01 (1d), or, for purposes of subs. (2) and (4), a cooperative association organized under ch. 185 for the purpose of producing or furnishing heat, light, power, or water to its members only.
(i) “Public utility project" means a project erected, constructed, repaired, remodeled, or demolished for a public utility on a public right-of-way. For purposes of sub. (3), “public utility project" does not include a project erected, constructed, repaired, remodeled, or demolished for a cooperative association organized under ch. 185 for the purpose of producing or furnishing heat, light, power, or water to its members only.
(j) “State agency" means any office, department, independent agency, institution of higher education, association, society, or other body in state government created or authorized to be created by the constitution or any law, including the legislature and the courts. “State agency" also includes the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority, the Fox River Navigational System Authority, and the Wisconsin Aerospace Authority.
(2) Substance abuse prohibited. No employee may use, possess, attempt to possess, distribute, deliver, or be under the influence of a drug, or use or be under the influence of alcohol, while performing the work described in s. 66.0903 (4), 2013 stats., or s. 16.856 (2m), 2015 stats., on a project of public works or while performing work on a public utility project. An employee is considered to be under the influence of alcohol for purposes of this subsection if he or she has an alcohol concentration that is equal to or greater than the amount specified in s. 885.235 (1g) (d).
(3) Substance abuse prevention programs required.
(a) Before an employer may commence work on a project of public works or a public utility project, the employer shall have in place a written program for the prevention of substance abuse among its employees. At a minimum, the program shall include all of the following:
1. A prohibition against the actions or conditions specified in sub. (2).
2. A requirement that employees performing the work described in s. 66.0903 (4), 2013 stats., or s. 16.856 (2m), 2015 stats., on a project of public works or performing work on a public utility project submit to random, reasonable suspicion, and post-accident drug and alcohol testing and to drug and alcohol testing before commencing work on the project, except that testing of an employee before commencing work on a project is not required if the employee has been participating in a random testing program during the 90 days preceding the date on which the employee commenced work on the project.
3. A procedure for notifying an employee who violates sub. (2), who tests positive for the presence of a drug in his or her system, or who refuses to submit to drug or alcohol testing as required under the program that the employee may not perform work on a project of public works or a public utility project until he or she meets the conditions specified in sub. (4) (b) 1. and 2.
(b) Each employer shall be responsible for the cost of developing, implementing, and enforcing its substance abuse prevention program, including the cost of drug and alcohol testing of its employees under the program. The contracting agency is not responsible for that cost, for the cost of any medical review of a test result, or for any rehabilitation provided to an employee.
(4) Employee access to project.
(a) No employer may permit an employee who violates sub. (2), who tests positive for the presence of a drug in his or her system, or who refuses to submit to drug or alcohol testing as required under the employer's substance abuse prevention program under sub. (3) to perform work on a project of public works or a public utility project until he or she meets the conditions specified in par. (b) 1. and 2. An employer shall immediately remove an employee from work on such a project if any of the following occurs:
1. The employee violates sub. (2), tests positive for the presence of a drug in his or her system, or refuses to submit to drug or alcohol testing as required under the employer's substance abuse prevention program.
2. An officer or employee of the contracting agency has a reasonable suspicion that the employee is in violation of sub. (2) and requests the employer to immediately remove the employee from work on the project.
(b) An employee who is barred or removed from work on a project under par. (a) may commence or return to work on the project upon his or her employer providing to the contracting agency documentation showing all of the following:
1. That the employee has tested negative for the presence of drugs in his or her system and is not under the influence of alcohol as described in sub. (2).
2. That the employee has been approved to commence or return to work on the project. If the employer is required to have in place a substance abuse prevention program under sub. (3), that approval shall be granted in accordance with the employer's substance abuse prevention program under sub. (3).
(c) Testing for the presence of drugs or alcohol in an employee's system and the handling of test specimens shall be conducted in accordance with guidelines for laboratory testing procedures and chain-of-custody procedures established by the substance abuse and mental health services administration of the federal department of health and human services.
(4m) Public utility projects; nonapplicability.
(a) This section does not apply to an employee performing work on a public utility project who is subject to drug or alcohol testing under 49 CFR Parts 40, 199, or 382.
(b) Subsection (3) does not apply to an employer that performs work on a public utility project for a cooperative association organized under ch. 185 for the purpose of producing or furnishing heat, light, power, or water to its members only.
(5) Local ordinances; strict conformity required. A local governmental unit, as defined in s. 66.0903 (1) (d), may enact an ordinance regulating the conduct regulated under this section only if the ordinance strictly conforms to this section.
History: 2005 a. 181; 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 291; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 59.

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