Wis. Stat. § 49.159
This is the official text of Wis. Stat. § 49.159, part of Wisconsin’s Wisconsin Statutes — the complete compiled statutory law of Wisconsin, organized into numbered chapters by subject.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
Wisconsin works; noncustodial and minor and other custodial parents.
Official statutory text
(1) Noncustodial parents.
(a) An individual who would be eligible under s. 49.145 except that the individual is the noncustodial parent of a dependent child is eligible for services and benefits under par. (b) if the individual is subject to a child support order, the individual satisfies all of the requirements related to substance abuse screening, testing, and treatment under s. 49.162 that apply to the individual, and any of the following applies to the custodial parent of the dependent child:
1. The custodial parent is receiving case management services under s. 49.147 (2) (am) .
2. The custodial parent is participating in a Wisconsin Works employment position.
3. The custodial parent is receiving a grant under s. 49.148 (1m) .
4. The custodial parent is receiving a subsidy for child care for the dependent child under s. 49.155 .
(b) A Wisconsin Works agency may provide to an individual who is eligible under par. (a) any of the following services or benefits:
1. Job search assistance and case management designed to enable the individual to obtain and retain employment.
2. Placement in one job under s. 49.147 (3) .
3. A stipend in an amount determined by the Wisconsin Works agency for not more than 4 months. A stipend under this subdivision terminates if the individual is placed in a job under s. 49.147 (3) or obtains unsubsidized employment, as defined in s. 49.147 (1) .
(2) Minor custodial parents; financial and employment counseling. A custodial parent who is under the age of 18 is eligible, regardless of that individual’s or that individual’s parent’s income or assets, to meet with a financial and employment planner. The financial and employment planner may provide the individual with information regarding Wisconsin works eligibility, available child care services, employment and financial planning, family planning services, as defined in s. 253.07 (1) (b) , community resources, eligibility for food stamps and other food and nutrition programs.
(3) Other custodial parents. A custodial parent in a Wisconsin Works group in which the other custodial parent is a participant in a Wisconsin Works employment position or is receiving case management services under s. 49.147 (2) (am) is eligible for employment training and job search assistance services provided by the Wisconsin Works agency.
(4) Pregnant women. A pregnant woman whose pregnancy is medically verified, who would be eligible under s. 49.145 except that she is not a custodial parent of a dependent child, and who does not satisfy the requirements under s. 49.148 (1m) (a) 2. is eligible for employment training and job search assistance services provided by the Wisconsin Works agency.
History: 1995 a. 289 ; 1997 a. 27 ; 2009 a. 28 ; 2011 a. 32 ; 2013 a. 20 ; 2015 a. 55 ; 2017 a. 365 s. 111 .
(a) An individual who would be eligible under s. 49.145 except that the individual is the noncustodial parent of a dependent child is eligible for services and benefits under par. (b) if the individual is subject to a child support order, the individual satisfies all of the requirements related to substance abuse screening, testing, and treatment under s. 49.162 that apply to the individual, and any of the following applies to the custodial parent of the dependent child:
1. The custodial parent is receiving case management services under s. 49.147 (2) (am) .
2. The custodial parent is participating in a Wisconsin Works employment position.
3. The custodial parent is receiving a grant under s. 49.148 (1m) .
4. The custodial parent is receiving a subsidy for child care for the dependent child under s. 49.155 .
(b) A Wisconsin Works agency may provide to an individual who is eligible under par. (a) any of the following services or benefits:
1. Job search assistance and case management designed to enable the individual to obtain and retain employment.
2. Placement in one job under s. 49.147 (3) .
3. A stipend in an amount determined by the Wisconsin Works agency for not more than 4 months. A stipend under this subdivision terminates if the individual is placed in a job under s. 49.147 (3) or obtains unsubsidized employment, as defined in s. 49.147 (1) .
(2) Minor custodial parents; financial and employment counseling. A custodial parent who is under the age of 18 is eligible, regardless of that individual’s or that individual’s parent’s income or assets, to meet with a financial and employment planner. The financial and employment planner may provide the individual with information regarding Wisconsin works eligibility, available child care services, employment and financial planning, family planning services, as defined in s. 253.07 (1) (b) , community resources, eligibility for food stamps and other food and nutrition programs.
(3) Other custodial parents. A custodial parent in a Wisconsin Works group in which the other custodial parent is a participant in a Wisconsin Works employment position or is receiving case management services under s. 49.147 (2) (am) is eligible for employment training and job search assistance services provided by the Wisconsin Works agency.
(4) Pregnant women. A pregnant woman whose pregnancy is medically verified, who would be eligible under s. 49.145 except that she is not a custodial parent of a dependent child, and who does not satisfy the requirements under s. 49.148 (1m) (a) 2. is eligible for employment training and job search assistance services provided by the Wisconsin Works agency.
History: 1995 a. 289 ; 1997 a. 27 ; 2009 a. 28 ; 2011 a. 32 ; 2013 a. 20 ; 2015 a. 55 ; 2017 a. 365 s. 111 .
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Wisconsin?
Find a Wisconsin lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.