Of the roughly 690,000 claimants that were asked to requalify, about 241,000 responded to the UIA's request. The announcement came days after the Detroit Free Press reported some workers with overpayment notices were accused of misreporting their income. Although waivers for 55,000 more claimants is a good step forward, it fell short Each letter will have a due date printed on your determination for when the protest is due. Overpaid claimants who provided the Michigan UIA with gross earnings instead of net earnings will be the group to get waivers. The UIA has requested an extension of that pause while they identify and process waivers for other population and is in the process of providing additional information to support the request for extension. Dale is also going after bad actors who steal money from workers, striving for exemplary customer service, and leading the effort to replace the Agencys decade-old computer system with a user-friendly, state-of-the-art interface for claimants and businesses. Michigan paid $8.5B in fraudulent COVID unemployment claims. 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. In May, Dale announced that collections on more than 55,000 claims will not have to be paid back, totaling approximately $431 million in overpayments of federal pandemic unemployment benefits. A new system will allow for quick analysis of data that is currently not possible for the agency. WebEligible Unemployment Claimants Granted Overpayment Waivers. Will the pause on collections continue? The Program works with judges, courts, lawyers, bar associations, nonprofit legal aid agencies, legal self-help centers, libraries and many others to promote coordinated and quality assistance for persons representing themselves in civil legal matters in Michigan. State officials worked with the U.S. Department of Labor to issue the first round of waivers last August followed by the second chunk in early May. If you want the ALJ to see any documents, you will need to send it to the judge before the hearing. They can also contact the UIA by phone at 866-500-0017 or schedule a telephone, virtual or in-person appointment with an agent. The suspension will put money back in the pockets of people who needed pandemic unemployment benefits and followed the rules when they asked for help. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The individual submitted proof of self-employment earnings to establish eligibility for Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation Program and the state incorrectly processed the information, resulting in overpayment. All rights reserved (About Us). 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 UIA is responsible for collecting overpayments of unemployment benefits. State unemployment insurance program overpayments. An overpayment happens when you receive more unemployment money than you should have received. This round of waivers accounts for 96% In late December 2022, Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) said it would temporarily stop trying to collect overpayments from people who filed for unemployment insurance since March 1, 2020. If you owe past income taxes or money to the UIA, the Michigan Department of the Treasury can take all or part of your federal and/or state income tax refund to pay the debt. Reassigned staff and resources to address the largest categories of claims that are contributing to the agencys case backlog. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced Friday that those who wrongfully received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits will be granted an overpayment waiver allowing them to keep the money, although many may no longer receive aid going forward. PUA benefits are $300 a week on top of maximum state benefits of $362. When we work any claim we recognize that each one represents a worker who has fallen on hard times, and a family that needs help to put food on the table, pay bills and keep a roof over their heads, Dale said. Built a new, user-friendly website that is more responsive to those using a mobile phone or tablet to access services. Your Notice of Telephone Hearing will have instructions on how to do this. There are other actions that can be taken if fraud is suspected. You may get notices about your case during the collections pause. Monday's letter added five "blanket waiver" criteria for a total of seven that would automatically exempt overpayments related to a federal CARES Act unemployment program. 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. If you need the advice and counsel of a knowledgeable employment law attorney who can best protect your rights and help you pursue your legal interests. This is a pause on collections only. If you cant pay the overpayment amount that you owe, you can ask for a Financial Hardship Waiver by clicking on the Claimant Services Tab in your MiWAM account and filling out the application. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Dale announced last week waivers on approximately 7,300 overpayment claims that waived $53.2 million in repayments. They weren't told by Michigan's UIA until Friday that they would receive a waiver. Because those programs were federally funded, the UIA is required to actively collect overpayments, unless specific suspensions are obtained from the federal government. If you have a question about your PUA overpayments, you may be able to get help from the Counsel and Advocacy Law Line. Ask the UIA to issue a determination to tell you if the overpayment is the result of the UIAs error. Please note that contacting us does not create any attorney-client relationship between you and our firm. 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. More Michiganders are still waiting. The agency has paid a total of $39 billion in unemployment aid to 3.5 million Michigan residents since March 2020. The waivers will apply to state and federal benefits that claimants received between March 15, 2020, and May 30, 2021, under a state jobless claim, extended benefits, or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC). Although waivers for 55,000 more claimants is a good step forward, it fell short of the 382,000 promised and as of May 12, 2022 there is still no explanation about when or if more will be coming. 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". The UIA waived the repayment of more than $53.2 million in benefits that were received by claimants, providing much needed relief for Michiganders. Related: Unemployment waivers bring relief to thousands. We are aware that there are issues related to gross versus net income calculations on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance weekly benefit amounts, Dale said. Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com. Michigan can waive more unemployment bills under new federal guidance, Michigan unemployment agency unlawfully demanded money back, class-action lawsuit says, Whitmer signs bill to pour $140M into Michigan unemployment fund. If you dont repay an overpayment, the UIA may: Unlike most other types of debt, the UIA can do all of these things without going to court. Claimants can also call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. In May, UIA applied waivers to 55,000 claims You can appeal online through your MiWAM account. The agency, in its news releaseFriday, said the issue was due to "unclear instructions regarding gross earnings versus net earnings.". Thanks to these waivers that we fought for and secured Michiganders will get to keep their hard-earned money.. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency expects to send out waivers to about 382,000 claimants who received overpayment letters by April 29. If you believe you are eligible for benefits and the UIA made a mistake, you can ask for a waiver due to agency error. In some situations, the UIA may send you actual bills for an overpayment. This most recent round of waivers provides relief to Michiganders who, during the height of the pandemic, followed the rules as they navigated an overburdened unemployment benefits system. Rebuilt the Trust Fund to $1.5 billion (and growing). Boards, Commissions & Councils collapsed link, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Michigan State Housing Development Authority, Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs, Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission, Michigan Council for Rehabilitation Services, MiSTEM Advisory Council and MiSTEM Network, Workers' Disability Compensation Appeals Commission, https://dev.michigan.local/som/json?sc_device=json, UIA secures federal approval to suspend overpayment collections for nearly 400,000 claimants, Go to Bureau of Services for Blind Persons, Go to Michigan Career & Technical Institute, Go to Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Go to Michigan High-Speed Internet Office, Go to Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Go to Michigan State Housing Development Authority, Go to Office of Mobility and Electrification, Requests for Proposals and Qualifications, Go to Workers' Disability Compensation Agency, Go to Michigan Employment Relations Commission, Go to Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs, Go to Hispanic/Latino Commission of Michigan, Go to Michigan Asian Pacific American Affairs Commission, Go to Michigan Community Service Commission, Go to Michigan Council on Future Mobility, Go to Michigan Council for Rehabilitation Services, Go to Michigan Workforce Development Board, Go to MiSTEM Advisory Council and MiSTEM Network, Go to Unemployment Insurance Appeals Commission, Go to Workers' Disability Compensation Appeals Commission. After the UIA responds and issues a determination, you can protest or appeal a denial of the agency error waiver. A new press release is lacking in details and reports the Agency intends to pause collections through May 7: During the pause, UIA will not issue new wage garnishments or intercept State of Michigan tax refunds. Please see q. TheU.S. Department of Labor issued guidance to states in February on how to address overpayments when the claimant is not at fault. Hopefully, the Agency will issue guidance soon. In February, the request for expanded waivers was granted. "For those who have responded, we're reviewing their cases to determine if they have an eligible COVID-19 related reason and if they may continue to receive benefits," said Acting UIA Director Liza Estlund Olson. Delinquent debts owed to other states or federal agencies. Over the past three months, we have waived more than $484.2 million on 62,300 claims. According to recent reporting, the waiver program was much smaller than promised. The claimants provided the information and documentation required by the agency but were later told they were ineligible for the benefits they received. According to recent reporting, the waiver program was much smaller than promised. This means the UIA should stop sending collection letters or doing anything else to make people pay these overpayments. The ETA Handbook 401 defines a Waiver as a "non-fraud overpayment for which the state agency, in accordance with state law, officially relinquishes the obligation of the claimant to repay." Michigan Rehabilitation Services new layout, Michigan Council for Rehabilitation Services (MCRS), Executive Order 2020-107 established Michigan Workforce Development Board, Unemployment Insurance Appeals Commission, formerly MI Compensation Appellate Commission. 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