Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs

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Policy on Creation, Revision and Retention of Department and Work Unit Policies

Department of Military Affairs State Human Resources Practice and Procedure Manual

Policy Owner: Legal Counsel
Effective Date: 04/29/2025
Revision Date: 05/27/2025

Policy Number: DEPT 4000

I. Purpose

This Policy establishes a standardized framework for the creation, revision, and retention of all policies.

II. Scope

This Policy applies to the creation, revision and retention of Department and Work Unit Policies.

III. Definitions

Department Policy or Policies: A policy, regardless of whether it stands alone or is embedded in some other document, such as a manual, that is internal to DMA and applies department-wide to all state employees and Work Units and has been developed and approved as set forth in this Policy.

Committee: The committee that administers and makes recommendations on the creation, revision and retiring of Department Policies and makes recommendations on the creation and revision of Work Unit Policies. Members are state employees and include the Human Resources Director, Deputy Human Resources Director, Financial Officer, IT Director, Budget and Policy Manager, General Counsel and Records and Forms Officer.

DMA: The Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs.

Policy: This Policy on creation, revision and retention of Department Policies.

Policy Template: A policy template required to be used for all Department Policies and Work Unit Policies.

Policy Owner: A Work Unit that administers a Department Policy or Work Unit Policy.

TAG: The Adjutant General.

Work Units: DMA state divisions, offices, directorates and programs staffed in whole or in part by DMA state employees, even if federal or military employees manage the Work Unit or supervise Work Unit employees.

Work Unit Policies: Policies that address subject matters unique to a Work Unit and do not require uniformity across DMA.

IV. Policy

  1. Implementation and Continuity of Department Policies
    1. It is DMA’s Policy to create, revise and retain Department and Work Unit Policies pursuant to Section V.
    2. Department Policies adopted prior to this Policy’s effective date will remain as-is until reviewed and revised by the Committee pursuant to Section V.
    3. All Department Policies created after this policy’s effective date will remain in effect until they are revised or retired.
    4. Department Policies in place as of this Policy’s effective date supersede all pre-existing Work Unit Policies that address the same subject matter.
  2. Drafting and Revising Work Unit Policies
    1. Work Units may not draft or revise Work Unit Policies unless the Committee first determines that the policy or revision does not address a subject matter covered by a Department Policy and does not cover a subject matter more appropriately addressed by a Department Policy.
    2. If a head of a Work Unit becomes aware that the subject matter of a current Work Unit Policy is governed by a Department Policy or that the subject matter is better addressed through a Department Policy, they will retire that Work Unit Policy as soon as possible.
  3. Department Policy and Work Unit Policy Format
    1. All Department and Work Unit policies must use the designated policy template. Work Unit policies may also include the specific seal or symbol of the Work Unit, if applicable. The policy template can be accessed here.
    2. During periodic reviews, the Committee will conform any Department Policy that predates this Policy to the current policy template regardless of whether the substance is revised.
  4. Centralized Control and Maintenance of Department Policies
    1. All Department Policies and their prior versions and any retired policies will be maintained on the P drive by the Records and Forms Officer.
    2. Access to the P drive shall be limited to members of the Committee.
    3. The Records and Forms Officer shall dispose of prior versions of Department Policies and retired Department Policies pursuant to record disposition authorizations.

V. Procedures

  1. Initiating a Request for the Creation, Revision or Retirement of a Department Policy
    1. Anyone may request the creation, revision or retirement of a Department Policy by sending an email to the Committee at dmapolicydevcommittee@widma.gov.
    2. Requests to create, revise or retire a Department Policy must include the following information, as applicable:
      1. Policy title and policy number
      2. A general description of the subject matter of the policy
      3. An explanation of why the policy is needed or should be retired
    3. The Committee will notify the requestor if all information is not included. The Committee will not act on any request until all necessary information has been provided.
  2. Department Policy Creation and Revision
    1. When the Committee receives a completed request to create or revise a Department Policy, it will evaluate whether the policy conflicts with the law, rules or other policies. The Committee will also determine whether a proposed revision is substantive or non-substantive. Substantive revisions will go through the process outlined in this Section V. The Policy Owner will make non-substantive revisions and distribute the revised policy to stakeholders and the Records and Forms Officer will publish it.
    2. Unless the policy or revision conflicts with a statute, regulation, rule or other policy, the following occurs:
      1. A Committee member from the Policy Owner Work Unit will appoint an employee to draft the proposed new or revised Department Policy.
      2. The Committee will review the draft to determine whether it adequately addresses the subject matter and for clarity and consistency.
      3. The General Counsel will also review for legal compliance.
      4. The drafter will incorporate changes as directed by the Committee.
  3. Department Policy Draft Review and Submission

    Once the steps in Section V.B.2 are completed, the following occurs:
    1. The Committee will seek review of the draft policy by one or more subject matter experts when it deems it appropriate.
    2. The Committee will forward the draft to the Executive Assistant with a recommendation for approval or denial of the policy or revision.
    3. The Executive Assistant will forward a recommendation for approval or denial to TAG.
  4. Department Policy Implementation and Notification Process

    If TAG approves the final draft, the following occurs:
    1. The Committee will notify the Policy Owner.
    2. The Policy Owner will notify relevant stakeholders of the Department Policy.
    3. The Records and Forms Officer will ensure, when appropriate, that the policy is posted on the DMA website.
  5. Department Policy Retirement
    1. A request to retire a Department Policy shall be submitted to the Committee, which will forward it to the Policy Owner for input.
    2. After receiving Policy Owner input, the Committee members will forward their recommendation to approve or deny the request to the Executive Assistant.
    3. The Executive Assistant will forward a recommendation to TAG for approval or denial of the request.
    4. If TAG approves the retirement of the Department Policy, the following will occur:
      1. The Policy Owner will send an email to stakeholders informing them of the retirement.
      2. The Records and Forms Officer will have the policy removed from the DMA website.
  6. Review of Department Policies

    The Committee will review Department Policies when there are changes in the law, rules or other policies that may affect them. Required revisions will be made as set forth in Section V.B-D. The Committee will also complete periodic reviews of existing Department Policies as needed.
  7. Requests for Creation and Revision of Work Unit Policies
    1. Prior to implementing a new Work Unit Policy or revision to an existing Work Unit Policy, the Work Unit head must submit either the text of the proposed policy or revision or a detailed outline of what the policy or revision will cover to the Committee by email to dmapolicydevcommittee@widma.gov. The Committee will determine whether the subject matter of the proposed policy is one that is addressed by an existing Department Policy or better addressed through a Department Policy. The submission must include an explanation of why the subject matter of the proposed Work Unit Policy would not be more appropriately a Department Policy.
    2. If the Committee determines that the proposed Work Unit Policy does not conflict with a statute, regulation, rule, law or other policy, does not address a subject matter that is addressed by an existing Department Policy and is not one that should be addressed through a Department Policy, the head of that Work Unit may proceed with drafting and implementing the Work Unit Policy; if the Committee determines otherwise, it sends a recommendation for denial of the policy to the Executive Assistant.
    3. The Executive Assistant forwards the Committee’s recommendation along with their own to TAG.
    4. If TAG determines that the Work Unit Policy should be rejected, the Work Unit head may not proceed with the Work Unit Policy; otherwise, the Work Unit head may proceed with drafting and implementing the proposed Work Unit Policy.

VI. Authority and Cross Reference

N/A

VII. Associated Forms

Department of Military Affairs Policy Template

VIII. Administrative Reference

This policy was created in April 2025.