111.337 Creed; exceptions and special cases.
(1) Employment discrimination because of creed includes, but is not limited to, refusing to reasonably accommodate an employee's or prospective employee's religious observance or practice unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would pose an undue hardship on the employer's program, enterprise or business.
(2) Notwithstanding s. 111.322, it is not employment discrimination because of creed:
(a) For a religious association not organized for private profit or an organization or corporation which is primarily owned or controlled by such a religious association to give preference to an applicant or employee who is a member of the same or a similar religious denomination.
(am) For a religious association not organized for private profit or an organization or corporation which is primarily owned or controlled by such a religious association to give preference to an applicant or employee who adheres to the religious association's creed, if the job description demonstrates that the position is clearly related to the religious teachings and beliefs of the religious association.
(b) For a fraternal as defined in s. 614.01 (1) (a) to give preference to an employee or applicant who is a member or is eligible for membership in the fraternal, with respect to hiring to or promotion to the position of officer, administrator or salesperson.
(3) No county, city, village or town may adopt any provision concerning employment discrimination because of creed that prohibits activity allowed under this section.
History: 1981 c. 334; 1983 a. 189 s. 329 (25); 1987 a. 149.
Sub. (2) does not allow religious organizations to engage in prohibited forms of discrimination. Sacred Heart School Board v. LIRC, 157 Wis. 2d 638, 460 N.W.2d 430 (Ct. App. 1990).
A union violated Title VII of the federal Civil Rights Act by causing an employer to fire an employee because of the employee's refusal, on religious grounds, to pay union dues. Nottelson v. Smith Steel Workers D.A.L.U. 19806, 643 F. 2d 445 (1981).
The supreme court redefines employer's role in religious accommodation. Soeka. WBB July 1987.
Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 111 - Employment relations.
111.05 - Representatives and elections.
111.06 - What are unfair labor practices.
111.07 - Prevention of unfair labor practices.
111.08 - Financial reports to employees.
111.09 - Rules, orders, transcripts, training programs and fees.
111.115 - Notice of certain proposed strikes.
111.12 - Duties of the attorney general and district attorneys.
111.15 - Construction of subchapter I.
111.17 - Conflict of provisions; effect.
111.18 - Limit on payment to health care institutions.
111.19 - Title of subchapter I.
111.31 - Declaration of policy.
111.3205 - Franchisors excluded.
111.321 - Prohibited bases of discrimination.
111.322 - Discriminatory actions prohibited.
111.325 - Unlawful to discriminate.
111.33 - Age; exceptions and special cases.
111.335 - Arrest or conviction record; exceptions and special cases.
111.337 - Creed; exceptions and special cases.
111.34 - Disability; exceptions and special cases.
111.345 - Marital status; exceptions and special cases.
111.35 - Use or nonuse of lawful products; exceptions and special cases.
111.355 - Military service; exceptions and special cases.
111.36 - Sex, sexual orientation; exceptions and special cases.
111.365 - Communication of opinions; exceptions and special cases.
111.37 - Use of honesty testing devices in employment situations.
111.371 - Local ordinance; collective bargaining agreements.
111.372 - Use of genetic testing in employment situations.
111.375 - Department to administer.
111.38 - Investigation and study of discrimination.
111.39 - Powers and duties of department.
111.50 - Declaration of policy.
111.52 - Settlement of labor disputes through collective bargaining and arbitration.
111.53 - Appointment of conciliators and arbitrators.
111.55 - Conciliator unable to effect settlement; appointment of arbitrators.
111.56 - Existing state of affairs to be maintained.
111.57 - Arbitrator to hold hearings.
111.58 - Standards for arbitration.
111.59 - Filing order with clerk of circuit court; period effective; retroactivity.
111.60 - Judicial review of order of arbitrator.
111.61 - Commission to establish rules.
111.62 - Strikes, work stoppages, slowdowns, lockouts, unlawful; penalty.
111.70 - Municipal employment.
111.77 - Settlement of disputes.
111.825 - Collective bargaining units.
111.83 - Representatives and elections.
111.84 - Unfair labor practices.
111.845 - Wage deduction prohibition.
111.85 - Fair-share and maintenance of membership agreements.
111.86 - Grievance arbitration.
111.91 - Subjects of bargaining.
111.93 - Effect of labor organization; status of existing benefits and rights.
111.935 - Representatives and elections for research assistants.