michigan unemployment overpayment waivermichigan unemployment overpayment waiver

Reassigned staff and resources to address the largest categories of claims that are contributing to the agencys case backlog. 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. If you lose your appeal in front of an ALJ, you can appeal to the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Commission (UIAC). 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 suspension will put money back in the pockets of people who needed pandemic unemployment benefits and followed the rules when they asked for help. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 2 regarding overpayments. More rounds of waivers expected, offering relief to workers. In June, claimants were asked to requalify for PUA by providing the agency with the necessary information to remain eligible for the federal program. He's been with WDIV since 2013. After the report came out, the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) started sending some recipients letters telling them they had to repay thousands of dollars. A motion for preliminary injunction to suspend collections on these overpayments is currently being considered by Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Brock Swartzle. Release date: Friday, July 30, 2021. 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 suspension stops new wage garnishments and State of Michigan tax refund intercepts and is the second time UIA Director Julia Dale has worked with U.S. DOL to grant the suspension to provide relief for Michigan workers. Convenient times and dates are available. All rights reserved. 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. 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. Three months after the U.S. Department of Labor guidance was issued,the first group of blanket waivers went out to 55,000 claimants. Some examples of good cause include: You can protest online through your Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM). We are aware that there are issues related to gross versus net income calculations on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance weekly benefit amounts, Dale said. 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 Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced that it has issued waivers to approximately 7,300 state and federal COVID-19 jobless claims from workers in Michigan. 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. This round of waivers accounts for 96% "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,"Julia Dale, thedirector of Michigan's UIA, said in the release. 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.. Awarding waivers is a cornerstone of Director Dales reform of the UIA, including chasing down 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. 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). Some claimants have received a waiver. If you have supporting evidence, like a doctor's note or proof of earnings, include them along with the protest. In some cases, the UIA might send a refund of payments you have already made. Delinquent debts owed to other states or federal agencies. A new system will allow for quick analysis of data that is currently not possible for the agency. 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. 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. If you got unemployment benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, you may have received a notice for overpayment. Collections of overpayments made before the onset of the pandemic in March 2020 will not be suspended. Recovery would be unconscionable under the circumstances. Convenient times and dates are available. If there is any money left in your refund after that debt is paid, you will get it. 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 you don't have the documents available, you can make the protest without them. All rights reserved (About Us). Contact us to request a meeting with one of our attorneys. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. New wage garnishments, state tax return intercepts halted while Agency prepares to apply more waivers beyond 62,000 already granted. Implemented new policies for employees and contractors, including fingerprinting, criminal background checks, and an updated ethics policy. Michigan ice Of the roughly 690,000 claimants that were asked to requalify, about 241,000 responded to the UIA's request. Those 350,000 people wont be able to keep collecting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits in the future, however. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced today that over 55,000 claimants will not have to pay back a total of approximately $431 million in overpayments of federal pandemic unemployment benefits that the agency previously determined to have been improperly awarded. The state did not say when they will be issued. Read Appealing a Protest above to learn more. The UIA must get your appeal within 30 days from the date it is issued. Good cause can be very hard to prove. 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. Readers can follow our Facebook page for developments on the UIA waiver program and the UIA class-action lawsuit. The name of the labor department varies for each state, but it provides a full listing of the state employment offices (see Resources). News Update: Promised Waivers fall short. schedule an in-person, phone or online appointment. 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. Those who qualify will receive notification in the MiWAM account and a letter in the mail. Claimants who received waivers had messages 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. Some Michigan residents who benefited from billions in overpaid pandemic unemployment assistance may not owe that money back after all. 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. Interest accumulates very quickly on unemployment overpayments. 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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 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. instructionalvideos posted by the agency, Michigan Unemployment agency says claimants made big mistake. 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 news releasedidn't give an estimate as to how long it might take to issue waivers. It has detailed information about the refund. If this happens, you will get a Notice of Adjustment to Income Tax Refund. According to recent reporting, the waiver program was much smaller than promised. 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. Each letter will have a due date printed on your determination for when the protest is due. UIA: Misrepresentation must be investigated when a claimant provides information that conflicts with information the agency possesses. 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