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Governor Tony Evers Implements Pay Raises for State Employees Without Legislature's Approval

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers has initiated pay raises for state employees, citing a recent state Supreme Court ruling that clarified the authority to implement the increases without additional approval from the Legislature's Joint Committee for Employment Relations. This move comes after the Court ruled 6-1 in July 2024 that the ability for the committee to withhold funds was unconstitutional and a violation of the separation of powers. The budget approved in the state's 2025 budget, now Act 15, included about $385 million to provide state and University of Wisconsin employees with a 3% pay increase in the first year and a 2% increase in the second year. The raises will be implemented with eligible employees receiving the 3% base pay adjustment in their September 4 paychecks, including a lump sum back pay from June 29. The second year of raises is set to be implemented June 28, 2026.

Key Takeaways:

  • Governor Tony Evers is implementing pay raises for state employees without additional approval from the Legislature's Joint Committee for Employment Relations, citing the recent state Supreme Court ruling in Tony Evers v. Howard Marklein.
  • The state budget, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 15, included about $385 million for the pay increases, which will provide a 3% boost in the first year and a 2% increase in the second year.
  • The raises are set to begin with eligible employees receiving the 3% base pay adjustment in their September 4 paychecks, including a lump sum back pay from June 29.
  • The second year of raises is scheduled to be implemented on June 28, 2026.
  • The University of Wisconsin system will also be implementing the general wage raises.
  • The Department of Administration cited the Supreme Court ruling in their bulletin about the raises, asserting the Evers administration's authority to implement the raises without additional approval from the committee.

Statistics:

  • $385 million: the amount allocated in the state budget for the pay increases.
  • 3%: the percentage increase in the first year of the budget.
  • 2%: the percentage increase in the second year of the budget.
  • September 4: the date when eligible employees will receive the 3% base pay adjustment, including a lump sum back pay from June 29.
  • June 28, 2026: the date when the second year of raises will be implemented.

Sources:

  • Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner
  • Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling in the case Tony Evers v. Howard Marklein, found at (https://www.wicourts.gov/sc/order/DisplayDocImage.pdf?docId=760431)
  • Department of Administration bulletin about the raises, found at (https://dpm.wi.gov/Bulletins/DPM-0646-CC_PP.pdf)
  • Wisconsin Examiner article on the pay raises, found at (https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/07/08/gov-tony-evers-implements-pay-raises-for-state-employees-without-legislatures-approval/)

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