WI Gov. Scott Walker signed Senate Bill 781, important legislation that was introduced just 3 weeks ago in response to a Court of Appeals decision from January that upended the “exclusive remedy” of worker’s compensation for some workers.

The decision, which Act 139 overturns going forward, allowed injured workers who had been placed by a staffing service to choose between filing a worker’s compensation claim or filing a lawsuit. Now that Act 139 is law, all workers, regardless if they are permanent or temporary, must file claims for workplace injuries through worker’s compensation, as has been the case since 1911.

The bill was approved unanimously in both the Assembly and Senate last week. Representative Cindi Duchow (R-Town of Delafield), Senator Duey Stroebel (R-Saukville) and Senator Rob Cowles (R-Green Bay) championed the bill and helped move it quickly through the legislative process.