Since July 2021, the UIA has waived more than $4.35 billion in overpayment debt related to federal pandemic jobless benefits programs on more than 407,300 claims. If you were overpaid benefits and you are currently employed, contact the UIA Benefit Overpayment Collection unit at 1-866-500-0017 orschedule an appointment online to arrange repayment. Although waivers for 55,000 more claimants is a good step forward, it fell short 2023 Blanchard & Walker PLLC. Collections of overpayments made before the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 will not be suspended. Claimants who receive waivers were sent a message in their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) online accounts. The move came twodays after the Detroit Free Press highlighted that certain peoplewho received Pandemic Unemployment Assistancebenefits were accused of misreportingtheir income and were to repay the excess benefits they had received. 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. Meanwhile, apause on"new" wage garnishments and interceptions of state of Michigan tax refundsfor 398,000 claimants expired on May 7. 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. The agency has paid a total of $39 billion in unemployment aid to 3.5 million Michigan residents since March 2020. 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. 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. Since July 2021, the UIA has waived over $4.35 billion in overpayment debt related to federal pandemic jobless benefits programs on more than 407,300 claims. Select Request Restitution Waiver for Financial Hardship and fill out the application. Will the pause on collections continue? There are other actions that can be taken if fraud is suspected. Your Notice of Telephone Hearing will have instructions on how to do this. If you need help with the Public File, call (313) 222-0566. When youre working, interest accumulates very quickly on unemployment overpayments. Claimants who receive waivers were sent a message in their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) online accounts. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. A total of $484.2 million in overpayments have been waived on 62,300 claims this year. The waivers apply to claimants who received federal benefits before Sept. 4, 2021, the end date for pandemic unemployment benefits through programs such asPandemic Unemployment Assistance andPandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation. This latest round of waivers adds to our robust work to reform the agency and get money back to Michiganders, while also cracking down on fraud and abuse and holding bad actors accountable at every turn., Previous: 55,000 Michiganders wont have to pay back $431 million in improperly awarded unemployment benefits. 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. The UIA waived the repayment of more than $53.2 million in benefits that were received by claimants, providing much needed relief for Michiganders. Letters will also be mailed in the coming days confirming the MiWAM notification. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. The federal government has expanded its criteria for who can get a waiver that would let people keep that money. Governor Whitmer called on U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL) to expand the eligibility for waivers for Michigan workers who received federal assistance and UIAs Dale proactively advocated for waivers for Michigans workers who followed the rules when they applied for benefits were not negatively affected by decisions the agency made. Rebuilt the Trust Fund to $1.5 billion (and growing). We wont stop fighting until weve corrected past mistakes made by this agency so that not one innocent Michigander will face consequences as a result of asking for help they needed, said Michigan UIA director Julia Dale in a statement. But the agency continued to fight back against claimants who argued they didn't misreport their income. 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. WebUIA 1795 - Request to Waive Repayment of Benefit Overpayment Balance UIA 1925 - Request for Name and/or Address Change UIA 6102 Authorization for UIA to Release Confidential 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. If you don't have the documents available, you can make the protest without them. Built a new, user-friendly website that is more responsive to those using a mobile phone or tablet to access services. The individual submitted required proof of earnings used to calculate Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Weekly Benefit Amount and the state incorrectly processed the calculation, resulting in a higher WBA under the PUA program. An individual was eligible for payment and the state issued payment at a higher Weekly Benefit Amount under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program. If you were overpaid benefits and you are currently employed, contact the UIA Benefit Overpayment Collection unit at 1-800-638-6372 to arrange repayment. Related: Michigan erases $431M in pandemic unemployment overpayments. I want to thank the Governor for her proactive efforts to seek federal guidance on issuing waivers for overpayments to claimants who did the right thing when the applied for benefits, Dale said. The $250 million deposited into the Unemployment Compensation Fund nearly matches the $249 million state portion of the $8.5 billion lost by the state to fraud. The appeal process and deadlines are still the same. If you want to appeal to the UIAC, you may want to speak with a lawyer. 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 you want the ALJ to see any documents, you will need to send it to the judge before the hearing. 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. Good cause can be very hard to prove. 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. You can appeal online through your MiWAM account. Check your MiWAM account once a week to make sure you do not miss any updates. Claimants who received waivers had messages posted to their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) accounts, the agency said, and letters started going out on Monday. More Michiganders are still waiting. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. 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. Four PUA COVID-19 eligibility reasons that were included at the beginning of the pandemic were later found by the U.S. Department of Labor to be non-qualifying. Were not finished providing substantial relief to Michigan workers, said UIA Director Julia Dale. If the UIA denies your protest and appeal and still says you owe the money, you can use this waiver process to argue that even if there is an overpayment, you should not have to pay it back. The waivers provide fresh hope for Michiganders who faced paying back the federal government for benefits they received based on frequently shifting federal and state program rules. If the UIA doesnt get your protest within 30 days, you must show good cause why it was late. Release date: Friday, July 30, 2021. Michigan has yet to adopt this standard, but it now seems poised to do so. You may get notices about your case during the collections pause. 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. Around $11 million was refunded to Michiganders who had paid or begun paying back these benefits. If you lose your appeal in front of an ALJ, you can appeal to the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Commission (UIAC). To find out if they can help you, apply online or call 1-888-783-8190 Monday - Thursday, 9am - 5pm, or Friday, 9am - 1pm. Overpaid claimants who provided the Michigan UIA with gross earnings instead of net earnings will be the group to get waivers. The Michigan UIA is facing a class-action lawsuit that claims the state unlawfully demanded pandemic aid back. Julia Dale, the director of the agency, told state lawmakers in early April that the agency expectedto send out waivers over this past weekendto about 382,000 claimants who received overpayment letters. 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. Michigan ice Some claimants have received a waiver. The number of claimants receiving waivers this weekend is lower than the conditional number UIA Director Dale provided in recent testimony. UIA will continue to look at COVID-19 pandemic claims to identify others that may qualify for waivers. State unemployment insurance program overpayments. If the UIA believes you were overpaid, they will send you a letter. If you believe you are eligible for benefits and the UIA made a mistake, you can ask for a waiver due to agency error. 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. Once you have logged into your account, click on the "Determination Status" tab, and then click on "file a protest.". 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. The agency expects more rounds in the future. This is a huge weight lifted off so many Michiganders shoulders, said Governor Whitmer. Claimants can also call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. You may want to repay the overpayment as quickly as possible. The agency did not provide an estimate on how many people were affected by the earnings mishap. We offer a wealth of free workplace-related information in our Employee Rights and Information Center. Thanks to these waivers that we fought for and secured Michiganders will get to keep their hard-earned money.. Workers under fire recently from the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency for overpayments to them of federal benefits during the pandemic will now receive a waiver, the state said Friday. The federal waiver standard allows a state to waive benefit overpayments if: The May 2021 guidance from the Department of Labor also created two specific circumstances when states may use the standard to issue blanket waivers and waive overpayments automatically, when: In a letter sent to the Michigan Governor in December 2021, advocates for UI claimants urged the administration to adopt this standard, as many other states such as Illinois and Wisconsin already have. If the UIA denies your Financial Hardship Waiver, you can appeal to an ALJ. No Michigander who did the right thing when applying for benefits should be required to pay anything back resulting from errors at the federal level. 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. 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, 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, UIA 1554 DUA - Application for Disaster Unemployment Assistance, UIA 1785-DUA - Bi-Weekly Paper Certification for DUA, UIA 6439 - Public Official, Educational Institution or Michigan Works Agency Request for Information, UIA 1299, Waiver for Accommodation Assistance, UIA 1680, Certification of Completion of Approved Training, UIA 1718, Unemployed Worker's Statement of Wages (Fillable), UIA 1729, Notice of Inquiry for Benefits of a Deceased or Mentally Incompetent Claimant, UIA 1733 - Protest of a Determination/Appeal of a Redetermination, UIA 1735 - Certification for Benefits Due Deceased Claimant, UIA 1795 (Spanish) - Request to Waive Repayment of Benefit Overpayment Balance, UIA 1848 - Certification of Agency and Appearance, UIA 1901-S, Beneficios Del Desempleo En Michigan, UIA 1901 - Unemployment Benefits in Michigan, UIA 1920 - Request for Form 1099-G (Fillable PDF), UIA 6349 (Fillable) - Statement of Identity Theft, UIA 1795 - Request to Waive Repayment of Benefit Overpayment Balance, UIA 1925 - Request for Name and/or Address Change, UIA 6102 Authorization for UIA to Release Confidential Information. 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