2.90 Withholding; wages. (1) The term XwagesY

means all remuneration for services performed by an employee for an employer unless specifically excepted under s. 71.63, Stats. (2) The name by which remuneration for services is desig- nated is immaterial. Thus, salaries, fees, bonuses, commissions on sales, commissions on insurance premiums, pensions and re- tirement pay, and supplemental unemployment benefits are wages within the meaning of the statute if paid as compensation for services performed by the employee for the employee[s employer. (3) The basis upon which the remuneration is paid is immate- rial in determining whether the remuneration constitutes wages. Thus it may be paid on the basis of piecework, or a percentage of the profits, and may be paid hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or annually. (4) Generally the medium in which the remuneration is paid is also immaterial. It may be paid in cash or in something other than cash, as, for example, stocks, bonds or other forms of prop- erty. However, s. 71.63 (6) (i), Stats., excludes from wages remu- neration paid in any medium other than cash for services not in the course of the employer[s trade or business. If services are paid for in a medium other than cash, the fair market value of the thing taken in payment is the amount to be included as wages. If the services were rendered at a stipulated price, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, such price will be presumed to be the fair value of the remuneration received. If a corporation transfers to its employees its own stock as remuneration for services ren- dered by the employee, the amount of such remuneration is the fair market value of the stock at the time of the transfer. (5) Remuneration for services, unless the remuneration is specifically excepted by the statute, constitutes wages even though at the time paid the relationship of employer and em- ployee no longer exists between the person in whose employ the services were performed and the individual who performed them. (7) Amounts paid specifically — either as advances or reim- bursements — for traveling or other bona fide ordinary and nec- essary expenses incurred or reasonably expected to be incurred in the business of the employer are not wages and are not subject to withholding. Traveling and other reimbursed expenses must be identified either by making a separate payment or by specifically indicating the separate amounts where both wages and expense allowances are combined in a single payment. (8) Amounts of so-called Xvacation allowancesY paid to an employee constitutes wages. Thus the salary of an employee on vacation, paid notwithstanding the absence from work, consti- tutes wages. (9) Any payments made by an employer to an employee on account of dismissal, that is, involuntary separation from the ser- vice of the employer, constitutes wages regardless of whether the employer is legally bound by contract, statute or otherwise to make such payments. (10) Any amount deducted by an employer from the remuner- ation of an employee is considered to be a part of the employee[s remuneration and is considered to be paid to the employee as re- muneration at the time the deduction is made. It is immaterial that any act or law requires or permits such deductions. (11) The term XwagesY includes the amount paid by an em- ployer on behalf of an employee, without deduction from the re- muneration of or other reimbursement from the employee, on ac- count of any tax imposed upon the employee by any taxing authority. (12) The value of any meals or lodging furnished to an em- ployee by an employer is not subject to withholding if the value of the meals or lodging is excludable from the gross income of the employee under the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, as defined in s. 71.01 (6), Stats. (13) Ordinarily, facilities or privileges, such as entertain- ment, medical services, or so-called XcourtesyY discounts on pur- chases furnished or offered by an employer to employees gener- ally, are not considered as wages subject to withholding, if the fa- cilities or privileges are of relatively small value and are offered or furnished by the employer merely as a means of promoting the health, good will, contentment or efficiency of employees. (14) Tips or gratuities paid directly to an employee by a cus- tomer of an employer, are excepted from withholding only if the tips are non-cash tips or if the cash tips received during the course of a month are less than $20. (15) Withholding is not required: (a) Upon amounts paid to an employee by the employee[s em- ployer under a wage continuation plan for a period during which the employee is absent from work on account of personal injuries or sickness if such amounts are exempt from withholding taxa- Published under s. 35.93, Stats. Updated on the first day of each month. Entire code is always current. The Register date on each page is the date the chapter was last published. tion under the Internal Revenue Code, as defined in s. 71.01 (6), Stats. (b) When, as provided by s. 71.66 (3), Stats., an employee cer- tifies to an employer that the employee incurred no liability for income tax for the preceding taxable year and anticipates not in- curring a liability for the current taxable year. Note: Section Tax 2.90 interprets ss. 71.63 and 71.66 (3), Stats. History: Cr. Register, January 1963, No. 85, eff. 2-1-63; r. and recr. (12), cr. (15), Register, March, 1966, No. 123 eff. 4-1-66; am. (2), (14) and (15), Register, July, 1978, No. 271, eff. 8-1-78; am. (1), (4), (5), (8), (12), (13) and (15), Register, July, 1989, No. 403, eff. 8-1-89; CR 13-012: r. (6) Register August 2013 No. 692, eff. 9-1- 13.