The short answer Wisconsin's home health agency licensing rule requires every new employee, before direct patient contact, to be certified in writing by a physician, PA, or RN as screened for tuberculosis and communicable disease (screening within the prior 90 days). Workers' comp applies at 3+ employees or $500 quarterly payroll.
What Wisconsin requires
Wisconsin
TB screening required. Wis. Admin. Code DHS 133.06(4)(d) requires each new employee, prior to direct patient contact, to be certified in writing by a physician, physician assistant, or registered nurse as screened for tuberculosis and clinically apparent communicable disease, with screening within 90 days before patient contact.
Source ↗
Infection control. DHS 133.06(5) also requires CDC-consistent infection-control orientation and training for all direct-care staff.
Source ↗
Workers' comp threshold. WI DWD: an employer is subject to the WC Act when it employs 3 or more full- or part-time workers, or when 1-2 employees are paid $500 or more combined gross wages in any calendar quarter.
Source ↗
☆ Rules change. We watch them for you.
Get one short email when Wisconsin's home care requirements change. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.
Reviewed quarterly by Vitable Health.
The federal baseline (applies in every state)
Federal
No federal TB mandate for home care workers. There is no federal law requiring tuberculosis screening of home care or home health workers; TB screening obligations for this workforce are set by each state's facility licensing law. Federal Medicare Conditions of Participation for home health agencies (42 CFR Part 484) require an infection-prevention program but do not prescribe worker TB testing.
Source ↗
2019 CDC/NTCA baseline screening standard. The 2019 CDC/National Tuberculosis Controllers Association recommendations for U.S. health care personnel call for a baseline (pre-placement) individual TB risk assessment, symptom evaluation, and a TB test (IGRA or TST) for those without documented prior positive results. Routine annual (serial) testing of health care personnel is no longer recommended absent ongoing exposure; instead facilities should provide annual TB education and symptom screening.
Source ↗
Positive-result workup. Personnel with a newly positive TB test or TB symptoms should receive a chest X-ray and clinical evaluation to rule out active TB disease; those found to have latent TB infection should be offered and encouraged to complete LTBI treatment per CDC guidance.
Source ↗
OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens Standard (29 CFR 1910.1030). OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard applies to home care/home health workers with reasonably anticipated exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials. Employers must maintain a written exposure control plan, provide annual training, and offer the hepatitis B vaccine series at no cost within 10 working days of assignment to covered workers.
Source ↗
Primary sources for this page
More Wisconsin guides