767.55.Child support: employment-related orders.

Subch. VI: Support and Maintenance · Last amended 2019 · Current through 2025 Wisconsin Act 247 · Last verified September 8, 2026

In one sentenceSection 767.55 lets the court order a parent to look for work, and in defined cases requires orders for a non-custodial parent, an absent parent and an unemployed teenage parent.

Full Text of Section 767.55

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(1) GENERALLY. In an action for modification of a child support order under s. 767.59 or an action in which an order for child support is required under s. 767.511 (1), 767.804 (3), 767.805 (4), or 767.89 (3), the court may order either or both parents of the child to seek employment or participate in an employment or training program.

(2) NONCUSTODIAL PARENT. (a) In this subsection, “custodial parent” means a parent who lives with his or her child for substantial periods of time.

(am) In an action for modification of a child support order under s. 767.59, an action in which an order for child support is required under s. 767.511 (1), 767.804 (3), 767.805 (4), or 767.89 (3), or a contempt of court proceeding to enforce a child support or family support order in a county that contracts under s. 49.36 (2), the court may order a parent who is not a custodial parent to register for a work experience and job training program under s. 49.36 if all of the following conditions are met: 1. The parent is able to work full time. 1m. The parent resides in a county, or resides within a reasonable driving distance, as determined by the court, from a county, that has a work experience and job training program under s. 49.36 and that agrees to enroll the parent in the program. 2. The parent works, on average, less than 32 hours per week, and is not participating in an employment or training program which meets guidelines established by the department. 3. The parent’s actual weekly gross income averages less than 40 times the federal minimum hourly wage under 29 USC 206 (a) (1) or the parent is earning less than the parent has the ability to earn, as determined by the court.

(b) Under this subsection, the parent is presumed to be able to work full time. The parent has the burden of proving that he or she is not able to work full time.

(c) If the court enters an order under par. (am), it shall order the parent to pay child support equal to the amount determined by applying the percentage standard established under s. 49.22 (9) or equal to the amount of child support that the parent was ordered to pay in the most recent determination of support under this chapter. The child support obligation ordered under this paragraph continues until the parent makes timely payment in full for 3 consecutive months or until the person participates in the program under s. 49.36 for 16 weeks, whichever occurs first. The court shall provide in its order that the parent shall make child support payments calculated under s. 767.511 (1j) or (1m) after the obligation to make payments ordered under this paragraph ceases.

(3) ABSENT PARENT. (a) In this subsection, “case involving a dependent child” means an action which meets all of the following criteria: 1. Is an action for modification of a child support order under s. 767.59 or an action in which an order for child support is required under s. 767.511 (1), 767.804 (3), 767.805 (4), or 767.89 (3). 2. The child’s right to support is assigned to the state under s. 48.57 (3m) (b) 2. or (3n) (b) 2., 48.645 (3), or 49.19 (4) (h) 1. b. 3. The child has been deprived of parental support by reason of the continued absence of a parent from the home.

(b) Except as provided in par. (c), in a case involving a dependent child, if the child’s parent who is absent from the home is not employed, the court shall order that parent to do one or more of the following: 1. Register for work at a public employment office established under s. 106.09. 2. Apply for jobs. 3. Participate in a job training program.

(c) An order is not required under par. (b) if the court makes written findings that there is good cause for not issuing the order.

(d) Paragraph (b) does not limit the authority of a court to issue an order, other than an order under par. (b), regarding employment of a parent in an action for modification of a child support order under s. 767.59 or an action in which an order for child support is required under s. 767.511 (1), 767.804 (3), 767.805 (4), or 767.89 (3).

(4) UNEMPLOYED TEENAGE PARENT. (a) In this subsection, “unemployed teenage parent” means a parent who satisfies all of the following criteria: 1. Is less than 20 years of age. 2. Is unemployed. 3. Is financially unable to pay child support. 4. Would be ordered to make payments for the support of a child but for subd. 3.

(b) In an action for revision of a judgment or order providing for child support under s. 767.59 or an action in which an order for child support is required under s. 767.511 (1), 767.804 (3), 767.805 (4), or 767.89 (3), the court shall order an unemployed teenage parent to do one or more of the following: 1. Register for work at a public employment office established under s. 106.09. 2. Apply for jobs. 3. Participate in a job training program. 4. Pursue or continue to pursue an accredited course of instruction leading to the acquisition of a high school diploma or its equivalent if the unemployed teenage parent has not completed a recognized high school course of study or its equivalent, except that the court may not order the unemployed teenage parent to pursue instruction if the instruction requires the expenditure of funds by the unemployed teenage parent other than normal transportation and personal expenses.

End

Amendment History

Wisconsin prints each section’s legislative history as a single “History” line naming every act that created or amended it, and every renumbering. It is reproduced verbatim below.

History: 2005 a. 443 ss. 40, 41, 107, 108, 135, 136, 223; 2007 a. 20; 2015 a. 331; 2019 a. 95.

Plain-English Summary

An order to pay is worth little against a parent with no income, so the court can order the parent to go and get some.

The general power. In an action to modify child support, or one in which a support order is required, the court may order either or both parents to seek employment or take part in an employment or training programme.

The non-custodial parent. The court may order a parent who is not a custodial parent to register for a work experience and job training programme where every condition is met: the parent is able to work full time; lives in, or within a reasonable driving distance of, a county running such a programme that agrees to enrol them; works on average less than 32 hours per week and is not in a qualifying programme; and has actual weekly gross income averaging less than 40 times the federal minimum hourly wage, or is earning less than they could. The parent is presumed able to work full time and carries the burden of proving otherwise. Where such an order is made, support is set at the percentage standard or at the last ordered amount, and that obligation runs until the parent pays in full and on time for 3 consecutive months or takes part in the programme for 16 weeks, whichever comes first.

The absent parent. Where support is assigned to the state and the child has been deprived of support by a parent's continued absence, and that parent is not employed, the court shall order them to register for work at a public employment office, apply for jobs, or take part in a job training programme — unless it makes written findings of good cause not to.

The teenage parent. A parent under 20 who is unemployed, financially unable to pay, and who would otherwise be ordered to pay, must be ordered to do one or more of the same three things, or to pursue a high school diploma or its equivalent. The court may not order the schooling if it would cost the parent anything beyond normal transport and personal expenses.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a Wisconsin court order me to get a job?

It can order you to seek employment or to participate in an employment or training programme in an action to modify support or in one where a support order is required.

What is a work experience and job training order?

An order for a parent who is not a custodial parent to register for a county programme. It requires that the parent be able to work full time, live near a participating county, work on average less than 32 hours per week, and have weekly gross income averaging less than 40 times the federal minimum hourly wage or be earning less than they are able to.

How long does that obligation last?

Until the parent makes timely payment in full for 3 consecutive months, or participates in the programme for 16 weeks, whichever occurs first.

What about a very young parent?

An unemployed teenage parent — under 20, unemployed, financially unable to pay, and who would otherwise be ordered to pay — must be ordered to seek work, apply for jobs, train, or pursue a high school diploma, and the schooling may not be ordered if it would cost them more than normal transport and personal expenses.

Source & verification. The statutory text, official notes and history are reproduced verbatim from the Wisconsin Statutes, Chapter 767 (Wis. Stat. § 767.55), published by the Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. Current through 2025 Wisconsin Act 247. The plain-English summary is original and written by us. Last verified September 8, 2026. · Official source

Also known as: court ordered to seek work child support Wisconsinseek employment order Wisconsinunemployed teenage parent support767.55 employment orders