Waivers will not be applied to claims where UIA has determined fraud is involved and the agency will continue to vigorously pursue restitution of any stolen benefits. The agency said it continues to work with its software vendor FAST Enterprises and the Michigan Department of Technology, Managementand Budget toidentify other groups of claimants who might also qualify for an overpayment waiver. The U.S. DOL authorized a pause on certain collection activity through May 7, 2022. Convenient times and dates are available. Working off the Clock Alro Steel FLSA Overtime Pay Lawsuit, The End of Forced Arbitration for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment, Repayment would cause financial hardship; or, The claimant relied on the payment or notice of payment and gave up a valuable right or changed positions for the worse; or. Michigan erases $431M in pandemic unemployment overpayments. However, UIA continues to work with their partners at FAST and DTMB to identify other groups of claimants who might also qualify for an overpayment waiver. Claimants with questions about todays announcement are urged to call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. A new system will allow for quick analysis of data that is currently not possible for the agency. Dale said the agency is still working hard to identify workers who qualify for the next round of waivers. In June, claimants were asked to requalify for PUA by providing the agency with the necessary information to remain eligible for the federal program. Delinquent debts owed to other states or federal agencies. Ask the UIA to issue a determination to tell you if the overpayment is the result of the UIAs error. Claimants can also call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Claims determined to be fraudulent or being investigated for fraud. Thanks to these waivers that we fought for and secured Michiganders will get to keep their hard-earned money.. After the report came out, the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) started sending some recipients letters telling them they had to repay thousands of dollars. In May, UIA applied waivers to 55,000 claims If states adopt the federal waiver standard, the new Department of Labor guidance would allow blanket waivers to be issued automatically to hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents who fall in specific categories. schedule an in-person, phone or online appointment. Here is what we know so far: The U.S. Department of Labor has been clear since May of 2021 that states like Michigan have broad powers to waive so-called overpayments on Pandemic Unemployment Benefits created by the CARES Act. Select Your County for Lawyers and Other Housing Help, An administrative or clerical error is discovered, You had a legitimate inability to act earlier, The notice or decision arrived late in the mail and you could not respond sooner, You were misled by incorrect information from the UIA, Take your federal and/or Michigan income tax refund. Issuing waivers is a cornerstone of Director Dales reform of the UIA. There is no application process. People who were paid on regular UI will still be eligible for waivers under the narrower state standards, and any applications will have to be individually determined by the Agency. The federal jobless assistance programs were a critical lifeline for many Michiganders affected by the global pandemic and our action today means they will be able to continue to provide for their families without the fear of having to pay back benefits awarded through agency error.. Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) provides the connections, expertise and innovative solutions to drive continued business growth, build vibrant communities, create affordable housing, generate tourism and attract and retain key talent to fill Michigans vast pipeline of opportunities. In addition, approximately $2.4 million will be refunded to claimants who were paying back benefits received or applied toward overpayments not covered by the waivers. When those claimants appealed the decision and the case went before a judge, agency representatives said theclaimantswere liable because they hadentered their gross pay from prior years to determine their weekly benefit amountwhen they should have entered their net pay. Good cause can be very hard to prove. Some Michiganders had benefits cut short based on erroneous determinations about whether they lost work due to COVID, whether they were able and available for work, or whether they voluntarily quit their jobs for health and safety reasons. If this happens, you can use the same Financial Hardship waiver process. The UIA must get your written protest within 30 days from the date it is issued. The name of the labor department varies for each state, but it provides a full listing of the state employment offices (see Resources). Since Dale was appointed director in October 2021, she also has: Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) provides the connections, expertise and innovative solutions to drive continued business growth, build vibrant communities, create affordable housing, generate tourism and attract and retain key talent to fill Michigans vast pipeline of opportunities. currently being considered by Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Brock Swartzle. To date, more than $4.3 billion in overpayments have been waived for 400,000 Michigan unemployment recipients with likely thousands more still waiting. Over the past three months, we have waived more than $484.2 million on 62,300 claims. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). Collaborated with the Attorney Generals office to combat fraud at the agency. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) has secured a second approval from the U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL) to suspend certain collection activities for 391,769 workers who applied for federal jobless benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Michigan ice If the UIA doesnt get your protest within 30 days, you must show good cause why it was late. Claimants also can schedule an in-person, phone or online appointment. State If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 2 regarding overpayments. There is not an application for this on MiWAM, but you can ask for the waiver by going to your main account page and finding the link "Send Unemployment a Message". Ask the UIA to issue a determination to tell you if the overpayment is the result of the UIAs error. Video of the Day Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com. Advocates continue to have discussions with the Agency leadership, and we are closely tracking when and how waivers will be issued to benefit the broadest possible class of Michigan residents who have suffered through this pandemic. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. May 04, 2022 The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced today that over 55,000 claimants will not have to pay back a total of approximately $431 Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. Those who qualify will receive notification in the MiWAM account and a letter in the mail. More than 55,000 unemployment insurance claimants who received benefits in the pandemic but were later told they were overpaid got waivers and will be refunded if they started paying back their overpayment, Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency said Wednesday. UIA 1901 (Spanish) - Unemployment Benefits in Michigan. The suspension is key to UIAs continued progress in granting overpayment waivers to claimants who were asked to repay some or all of the federal benefits they received. Claimants can visitMichigan.gov/UIAto access their MiWAM account to chat with an agent. Those with questions about the suspension or overpayments can go to Michigan.gov/UIAand click on the Schedule an Appointmentlink to speak with a trained staff member either in person, by phone or online. Step 1 Contact your state's unemployment department. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. Workers with questions about overpayment waivers can go to Michigan.gov/UIA and click on the Schedule an Appointment link to set up an in-person, phone or online meeting with a trained staff member. After the UIA responds and issues a determination, you can protest or appeal a denial of the agency error waiver. Related: Michigan erases $431M in pandemic unemployment overpayments. Workers with questions about overpayment waivers can go to Michigan.gov/UIA and click on the Schedule an Appointment link to set up an in-person, phone or online meeting with a trained staff member. Gretchen Whitmer supported Michigan's use of waivers from the Department of Labor, stressing that, "No one who followed the rules and received benefits through no fault of their own should have to pay back money to the federal government.". If there is any money left in your refund after that debt is paid, you will get it. How Do I Join a Class Action and How Does it Work for Me? Please see q. Waivers will be granted to the initial group of approximately 350,000 non-responses, many of whom may no longer be collecting benefits. The approximately 55,000 claimants who received a waiver represent a total of$431 million in overpayments that they won't have to pay back. An overpayment happens when you receive more unemployment money than you should have received. You will not get a notice that your refund is being held to pay a debt to the state until you file your state income tax return. Some Michigan residents who benefited from billions in overpaid pandemic unemployment assistance may not owe that money back after all. Letters will also be mailed in the coming days confirming the MiWAM notification. If you got an overpayment notice and disagree with it, you can protest and ask the UIA to look at your claim again. Readers can follow our Facebook page for developments on the UIA waiver program and the UIA class-action lawsuit. It has detailed information about the refund. It is very important to read the notices, and protest or appeal on time using the process below if you disagree with the UIA's decision. More Michiganders are still waiting. Once you have logged into your account, click on the "Determination Status" tab, and then click on "file a protest.". The pause does not stop collections activities such as existing wage garnishments, intercepting federal tax returns, deducting a percentage from current unemployment benefit payments, or recovering overpayments for other states. Although the press release was release went to media outlets, claimants facing collections notices did not receive any notice. If you have a question about your PUA overpayments, you may be able to get help from the Counsel and Advocacy Law Line. LANSING, MI More Michiganders who asked to repay their pandemic jobless aid will soon have their overpayments erased. Some examples of good cause include: You can protest online through your Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM). This is wonderful news for those who lost their job through no fault of their own, UIA Director Julia Dale said. 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