If this happens, you can use the same Financial Hardship waiver process. UIA is performing an analysis to determine the total population impacted by this issue.. The UIA still is working to identify additional individuals who may deserve waivers from the overpayment notices they got after receiving federal aid during the pandemic. 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. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. 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. Many more have never been told why they werent paid the benefits owed, and they still just wait nearly two years later. When youre working, interest accumulates very quickly on unemployment overpayments. 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. 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 UIA must get your written protest within 30 days from the date it is issued. Due to the intense volume, we are not able to answer individual questions or provide individual representation on UI matters. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency expects to send out waivers to about 382,000 claimants who received overpayment letters by April 29. It is still unknown on how waivers will be applied and how many or which people it will impact. 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 Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced Friday that those who wrongfully received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits will be Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. New wage garnishments, state tax return intercepts halted while Agency prepares to apply more waivers beyond 62,000 already granted. All rights reserved. When you file your appeal, ask for a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). How Do I Join a Class Action and How Does it Work for Me? Built a new, user-friendly website that is more responsive to those using a mobile phone or tablet to access services. If claimants qualify for a waiver, UIA will notify them through an online message to their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) accounts and by a letter mailed to the address on file. 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.. State Step 1 Contact your state's unemployment department. 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. If a waiver does not apply, collections will resume. Hopefully, the Agency will issue guidance soon. Assuming Michigan UIA takes advantage of the broad blanket waiver allowances, waivers could fix many overpayment issues for Michigan residents who were incorrectly paid benefits through no fault of their own. 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. If there is any money left in your refund after that debt is paid, you will get it. Unemployment waivers bring relief to thousands. 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." The agency said it has requestedan extension from the U.S. Department of Labor of apause oncollection activities such aswage garnishments and interceptions by theState of Michigan. 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. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. 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. 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. Although Michigan has yet to adopt the federal waiver standard, the UIA seems poised to do so in light of the new guidance. Regular unemployment benefits paid during the pandemic are unaffected by this announcement. Claimants can also call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. We are aware that there are issues related to gross versus net income calculations on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance weekly benefit amounts, Dale said. 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. A new system will allow for quick analysis of data that is currently not possible for the agency. The state paid the individual a minimum PUA Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) based on Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) guidance that was higher than the states minimum PUA WBA, which resulted in an overpayment, The individual was eligible for payment under an unemployment benefit program, but through no fault of the individual, they were instead incorrectly paid under either the PUA or PEUC program at a higher WBA. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. The UIA must get your appeal within 30 days from the date it is issued. The Michigan Legal Help website and affiliated local self-help centers are part of the Michigan Legal Help Program. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced today that it has issued another round of waivers to approximately 7,300 state and federal COVID-19 The U.S. DOL authorized a pause on certain collection activity through May 7, 2022. Those who qualify will receive notification in the MiWAM account and a letter in the mail. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. If you cant show good cause, the decision that you were overpaid will become final. Michigan ice Each letter will have a due date printed on it for when the appeal is due. More Michiganders are still waiting. If your protests were filed on time, the UIA is not allowed to collect money before your case is final. If you got unemployment benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, you may have received a notice for overpayment. If the UIA later decides that you still owe the overpayment, they might start trying to collect from you again. This is a huge weight lifted off so many Michiganders shoulders, said Governor Whitmer. In the report on Wednesday, the Free Press showed that in at least some of the cases, the mistake was the state's and not the claimants'. If you don't have the documents available, you can make the protest without them. Claims determined to be fraudulent or being investigated for fraud. About 530,000 were then hit with steep overpayment notices at no fault of their own. "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. 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. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. Previously, a February 7, 2022 press announcement, the Governor and Unemployment Agency Director Julia Dale announced that the States Unemployment Agency intends to act quickly to halt collections and issue overpayment waivers. Dale said the agency is still working hard to identify workers who qualify for the next round of waivers. 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 Michigan erases $431M in pandemic unemployment overpayments. 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. To date, the agency said it has waived more than $4.3 billion in overpayment debt for more than 400,000 claimants. If you want to appeal to the UIAC, you may want to speak with a lawyer. We offer a wealth of free workplace-related information in our Employee Rights and Information Center. This round of waivers accounts for 96% Claimants say UIA is lying, More: Attorney for jobless claimants asks judge to stop Michigan from garnishing their wages. Michigan has yet to adopt this standard, but it now seems poised to do so. Claimants can also call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. 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. The claimants provided the information and documentation required by the agency but were later told they were ineligible for the benefits they received. A total of $484.2 million in overpayments have been waived on 62,300 claims this year. An overpayment happens when you receive more unemployment money than you should have received. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Some claimants have received a waiver. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. The agencypaused "new" wage garnishments and interceptions of State of Michigan tax refunds for 398,000 claimants starting in early April, but that pause expires Saturday. If you have a question about your PUA overpayments, you may be able to get help from the Counsel and Advocacy Law Line. 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 web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. 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. 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Your Notice of Telephone Hearing will have instructions on how to do this. The DOLsEmployment and Training Administrationupdated its waiver guidance to approve five new scenarios under which states who have adopted the federal provisions for consideration of a waiver may use blanket waivers to wipe out overpayments: The Department of Labor has also created a process for states to propose additional categories for blanket waiver treatment. An individual responded no to being able and available for work and the state issued payment for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation without adjudicating the eligibility issue. Reassigned staff and resources to address the largest categories of claims that are contributing to the agencys case backlog. 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