CITY LABORER

Introduction

Application Period Opens:

Application Period Closes:

*Written Exam:

*Performance Exam:
(*Subject to change)


July 20, 2026


August 10, 2026


September 1 and 2, 2026


September 26, 2026

The City of Milwaukee is proud to employ a workforce dedicated to delivering exceptional service to its residents. If you are passionate about being part of an inclusive team of public servants, please consider the following opportunity.

Purpose

If you are excited about the chance to perform a variety of physically challenging assignments outdoors in a team environment, this may be the opportunity for you!


Under supervision, City Laborers perform light to heavy manual work. City Laborers are employed by the Department of Public Works (DPW) in the following areas: Streets, Sewers, Electrical Services, Sanitation and Bridges & Buildings. Assignment to an area is based on the needs of the City.

Essential Functions

Laboring and Maintenance Duties

• Perform manual labor to assist in the construction and maintenance of the City's streets and bridges, sewers, and electrical infrastructure by performing functions, such as digging trenches, performing excavations, dislodging and removing materials at work sites.
• Shovel material into and out of trenches, holes, wheelbarrows, and trucks; dig around sewer mains and catch basins using shovels and picks.
• Remove sod to expose underground conduit and cable boxes; push and pull cable through underground conduit.
• Use power tampers, plate compactors, and vibratory rollers to level/compact soil or other material, such as asphalt and gravel; use hand tampers to level sod.
• Use manhole hooks to lift and move manhole covers, weighing from 50 to 150 pounds; assist in the cleaning, installation, and repair of precast manholes, catch basins, and sewer pipes.
• Climb into and out of underground sewer facilities performing sewer cleaning and repair.
• Mix mortar or cement weighing up to 80 pounds, carry buckets weighing up to 50 pounds, pull and drag hoses, and clean coagulation basins, filter beds, and tanks.
• Perform street repair and maintenance duties, including blowing debris out of cracks and potholes, using air compressors, distributing patching material into cracks and potholes, flattening asphalt using power rollers, operating concrete cutting saws, pumps, and concrete mixers, and manipulating concrete chutes.
• Perform general bridge maintenance, including cleaning drains on bridges and viaducts, chipping concrete for repairs, installing metal guardrails and cleaning expansion joints and bridge decks using a pressure washer.
• Clean construction sites of materials, equipment, brush, vegetation and debris.
• Place traffic control devices, such as cones, barricades, trench plates, and excavation protection.
• Load and unload trucks; sort, move, and stack materials.
• Perform custodial work at various work sites, including sweeping and cleaning.
• Drive City vehicles between work sites; operate forklift trucks and skid loaders.
• Assist Sanitation workers by collecting solid waste, recyclables, furniture, brush, and appliances, and loading them onto a garbage truck; operate the hydraulic controls of the garbage truck.
• Perform light maintenance at various work sites; make minor repairs to equipment, infrastructure, grounds and facilities.
• Serve as a helper for various staff, including masons, electricians, carpenters, and painters.
• Perform various facilities and grounds maintenance tasks, such as cleaning work sites and litter pick-up.
• Participate in the City's snow and ice control operations by driving trucks and operating snowblowers and plows to remove snow and ice from streets, removing snow using shovels, and spreading sand or salt on icy streets and sidewalks.

Safety and Work Rules

• Perform all work safely, in accordance with departmental policies, municipal and state laws, and Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regulations.
• Abide by City and departmental work rules and safety instructions and attend departmental meetings and training programs, such as safety and policy briefings.
• Complete required paperwork, such as work logs, pre- and post-trip inspections and timecards.
• Use basic mathematics to calculate amounts of materials needed for various tasks and mix proper proportions of materials.

Customer Service

• Interact with residents and coworkers in a polite and courteous manner.

We welcome qualified individuals with disabilities who are interested in employment and will make reasonable accommodations during the hiring process in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

Conditions of Employment

City Laborers must be willing and able to do the following:

• Work outdoors in variable and extreme weather conditions (e.g., heat, cold, rain, wind, and snow).
• Tolerate various environmental conditions indoors and out (e.g., noise, vibration, dirt, pollen, and sewer gases).
• Work in confined space settings (training provided).
• Hear directions given in a noisy, distracting environment.
• See clearly both near and far to read signage and perform job duties safely and accurately.
• Properly lift and move objects weighing up to 50 pounds alone or up to 100 pounds with assistance.
• Perform strenuous physical work continuously for long periods of time.
• Perform physical activities in work environments that require walking and standing, climbing stairs, ladders and scaffolding, crawling, crouching, stooping, kneeling, reaching, balancing, pushing and pulling.
• Have manual dexterity and strength to use various hand tools and power tools properly and safely.
• Be available to work beyond assigned shifts to respond to various emergencies.
• Participate in snow and ice control operations at any time during the day or night, 24/7.

The preplacement medical requirements for this title include the following:

• Drug Test
• Physical with lift test
• Audiogram
• Vision test

Minimum Requirements

1. At least Eighteen years of age at time of application close.
2. Valid driver's license at time of application and throughout the selection process. Valid Wisconsin driver's license required at the time of appointment and throughout employment.
3. Valid Commercial Driver License (CDL) (Class A or B) without the Air Brakes restriction within six months of appointment and throughout employment.
4. A good driving record at time of application, throughout the selection process, and throughout employment.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Passing probation in the City Laborer position is contingent upon acquiring and maintaining a valid Commercial Driver License (CDL) (Class A or B) without the Air Brakes restriction; maintaining a good driving record and maintaining satisfactory work performance.


NOTES:


A CDL may be obtained by:

• Passing the General Knowledge and Air Brakes portions of the Commercial Driver's License test given by the State of Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles.
• Passing a road test administered by an approved third-party administrator.
• Learn more about how to obtain a Commercial Driver License (CDL) without the airbrakes restriction by visiting the Wisconsin Department of Motor Vehicles website: or by calling View phone number on click.appcast.io.
• Resources for obtaining a CDL license milwaukee.gov/dpwcdl.
• DPW will provide paid job related CDL training and testing.

By law, persons in these positions are required to pass pre-employment drug tests and are subject to random drug and alcohol testing during employment. Candidates must sign a release authorizing the city to receive the results of any drug and alcohol tests conducted by previous employers during the past two years if those tests were required by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Other Characteristics

Technical and Physical Skill

• Ability to read and understand documents, such as work rules, policies, and operating manuals.
• Ability to understand and follow verbal and written instructions.
• Ability to accurately complete paperwork, such as work logs, pre- and post-trip inspections and timecards.
• Ability to read and interpret street maps.
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations accurately.
• Ability to learn about the materials, methods, and tools used in the construction and repair of structures, including streets, bridges, and sewers.
• Ability to operate motorized and pneumatic equipment properly and safely, such as pumps, concrete mixers, power tampers, plate compactors, vibratory rollers, air compressors, small and large air hammers, concrete cutting saws, and power washers.
• Ability to use hand tools properly and safely, such as shovels, sledgehammers, picks, hooks, wrecking bars, and hand tampers.
• Skill in raking, luting, and shoveling gravel, asphalt, dirt, and other construction materials.
• Skill in safely maneuvering a wheelbarrow filled with dirt, concrete, or asphalt.
• Ability to drive a car and to learn to drive trucks and heavy equipment, such as forklift trucks, skid loaders, and snowplows.
• Ability to safely shovel snow and operate snowblowers.
• Ability to perform general maintenance of green areas.
• Ability to make minor repairs of equipment and infrastructure under supervision.
• Ability to perform basic maintenance tasks, like replacing light fixtures.
• Ability to perform general cleaning tasks, such as cleaning surfaces.

Safety and Judgment

• Ability to exercise care and good judgment regarding safety at all times, abiding by safety-related policies, laws, and OSHA regulations.
• Ability to monitor the work site vicinity, including pedestrian and vehicle traffic, to ensure the safety of the work crew and the public.
• Ability to safely use equipment required by the position.
• Ability to exercise good situational awareness and judgment.

Interpersonal and Customer Focus

• Ability to interact with the public in a courteous and professional manner.
• Ability to work effectively as a team member.
• Ability to work cooperatively, effectively, and fairly with coworkers and residents whose background may differ from one's own.

Current Salary

The current pay rates (Pay Range 8AN) are as follows (rates shown below are hourly and bi-weekly):

• Non-Resident Starting Wage: $21.57 hourly ($1,725 bi-weekly)
• Incentive Starting Wage for City of Milwaukee Residents: $22.43 hourly ($1,794 bi-weekly)
• Employees who attain and maintain a CDL will be paid an additional 3% bi-weekly.

BENEFITS: The City of Milwaukee provides a comprehensive benefit program that includes the following:

• Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) Defined Benefit Pension Plan
• 457 Deferred Compensation Plan
• Health and Dental Insurance
• Paid Parental Leave
• Comprehensive Wellness Program
• Onsite Clinic Services
• Onsite Employee Assistance Program
• Alternative Work Schedules
• Long Term Disability Insurance
• Group Life Insurance
• Tuition Benefits
• Paid Vacation
• 12 Paid Holidays
• Paid Sick Leave and other paid leave
• Flexible Spending Arrangement
• Commuter Value Pass

For full details of the benefits offered by the City of Milwaukee, please visit

Selection Process

THE SELECTION PROCESS will be job-related and will consist of one or more of the following: an evaluation of education, experience, and/or responses to supplemental questions; a written or performance test; a structured interview; or other assessment methods. The Department of Employee Relations reserves the right to call only the most qualified candidates to structured interviews and performance examinations. Structured interviews may include written exercises. Selection process component weights will be determined by further analysis of the job.


INITIAL FILING DATE - The selection process will be held as soon as practical after the deadline listed above. Receipt of applications may be discontinued at any time after this date without prior notice. However, recruitment may continue until the City's needs are met. Qualified applicants will be notified of the date, time, and place of the selection process components. Unless required by law, the City of Milwaukee will not provide alternative dates or times for the selection process. The applicant is responsible for attending all phases of the job selection process at the time and place designated by the City of Milwaukee.

Additional Information

• APPLICATIONS and further information may be accessed by visiting
• Applications and license documentation should be submitted no later than the deadline listed above.
• If you would like assistance completing an application, please contact the Department of Employee Relations at View phone number on click.appcast.io or View email address on click.appcast.io.
• The Department of Employee Relations is in City Hall, 200 E Wells St, Room 706, Milwaukee, WI 53202.

Conclusion

EEO = 802


The City of Milwaukee values and encourages diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.