To get benefits under the PUA program, the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) must have determined that your unemployment was directly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Claimants with questions about todays announcement are urged to call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. And in February, the U.S. Department of Labor allowed Michigan to issue more blanket waivers for the remaining overpayments. 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Director Dale is committed to ensuring that no Michigan family be forced to repay benefits due to changes that affected their claims after they applied for benefits. Read Appealing a Protest above to learn more. The refund might not mean that the case is over. 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." WebYou can request a waiver from your state if repaying the overage will cause a financial hardship if the overage is not the result of fraud. If you want the ALJ to see any documents, you will need to send it to the judge before the hearing. What is an Overpayment Waiver? Will the pause on collections continue? Reassigned staff and resources to address the largest categories of claims that are contributing to the agencys case backlog. This round of waivers accounts for 96% Michigan ice 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. 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. This is a pause on collections only. UIA 1901 (Spanish) - Unemployment Benefits in Michigan. Delinquent debts owed to other states or federal agencies. 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. For more information on the Financial Hardship Waiver and how to find it on your MiWAM account, visit page 89 of the MiWAM Toolkit for Claimants. The number of claimants receiving waivers this weekend is lower than the conditional number UIA Director Dale provided in recent testimony. A worker files a claim on the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency website. Implemented new policies for employees and contractors, including fingerprinting, criminal background checks, and an updated ethics policy. After the notifications were issued, Gov. 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. The agency said it doesn't know exactly how many claimants received benefits in the pandemic but were later told they were overpaid benefits through no fault of their own. The programs were Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), Mixed Earnings Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) and federal reimbursement for the first week of benefits. Some examples of good cause include: You can protest online through your Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM). Letters will also be mailed in the coming days confirming the MiWAM notification. The agency also said about $11 million will be refunded to claimants who had been paying back their federal benefits overpaymentor it will be applied to any outstanding debt a claimant may have. Release date: Friday, July 30, 2021. If the UIA doesnt get your appeal within 30 days, you must show good cause why it was late. 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. 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 need the advice and counsel of a knowledgeable employment law attorney who can best protect your rights and help you pursue your legal interests. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. The state did not say when they will be issued. Julia Dale directs the state Unemployment Insurance Agency. 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. 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. The UIA must get your written protest within 30 days from the date it is issued. What type of federal programs are affected? 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. Select Request Restitution Waiver for Financial Hardship and fill out the application. UIA has notified claimants who received waivers by posting messages to their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) accounts. Michigan has yet to adopt this standard, but it now seems poised to do so. This means the UIA should stop sending collection letters or doing anything else to make people pay these overpayments. 2 regarding overpayments. Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com. For example, a message to the UIA could say "I am writing to ask that the Unemployment Insurance Agency send a determination saying whether or not the overpayment is the result of agency error." The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. You may want to repay the overpayment as quickly as possible. Collections of overpayments made before the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 will not be suspended. The agency said in an emailed news release that fewer waivers went out than expected because additional testing over the last weekrevealed that theearly numbers overlapped with waivers issued last fall by the agency. Related: Unemployment waivers bring relief to thousands. A new system will allow for quick analysis of data that is currently not possible for the agency. Contact us to request a meeting with one of our attorneys. Claimants who received waivers had messages 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. When asked to self-certify, the individual did not respond or confirmed that none of the approved coronavirus-related reasons applied and the state issued payment, resulting in overpayment for the week. At the hearing you will be able to explain why you believe you are eligible for the benefits you received and any good cause that you relied on. At every turn, I will stand up and fight on behalf of Michiganders to make sure they get what they were promised. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. If the UIA believes you were overpaid, they will send you a letter. Reassigned staff and resources to address the largest categories of claims that are contributing to the agencys case backlog. There is no application process. Claimants can visitMichigan.gov/UIAto access their MiWAM account to chat with an agent. 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. Lynda Robinson, a spokesperson for the agency, said she didn't have any estimates on how many claimants may also qualify for a waiver and when they might receive one. 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 Were not finished providing substantial relief to Michigan workers, said UIA Director Julia Dale. If the UIA doesnt get your protest within 30 days, you must show good cause why it was late. Recovery would be unconscionable under the circumstances. But the agency continued to fight back against claimants who argued they didn't misreport their income. 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. Overpaid claimants who provided the Michigan UIA with gross earnings instead of net earnings will be the group to get waivers. If you lose your appeal in front of an ALJ and you do not want to appeal your case again, you will need to repay the overpayment amount or ask for a waiver. 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. After the report came out, the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) started sending some recipients letters telling them they had to repay thousands of dollars. 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. If you lose your appeal in front of an ALJ, you can appeal to the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Commission (UIAC). If the UIA denies your protest, you can appeal. If you find supporting documents later on, you can add them. Collaborated with the Attorney Generals office to combat fraud at the agency. State The UIA waived the repayment of more than $53.2 million in benefits that were received by claimants, providing much needed relief for Michiganders. Your next steps will depend on whether you agree or disagree with the UIAs determination letter. 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. Your Notice of Telephone Hearing will have instructions on how to do this. 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. 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. Each letter will have a due date printed on your determination for when the protest is due. If you got an overpayment notice and disagree with it, you can protest and ask the UIA to look at your claim again. Number UIA Director Dale provided in recent testimony a worker files a claim on the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Commission! 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