When you file your appeal, ask for a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). State The state did not say when they will be issued. More: Waivers for unemployment claimants who received overpayment letters may come this weekend, More: Waivers for unemployment overpayments could start to roll out by end of the month. 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 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. If you find supporting documents later on, you can add them. 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Were not finished providing substantial relief to Michigan workers, said UIA Director Julia Dale. Waivers will be granted to the initial group of approximately 350,000 non-responses, many of whom may no longer be collecting benefits. Rebuilt the Trust Fund to $1.5 billion (and growing). If you got unemployment benefits under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, you may have received a notice for overpayment. More than 55,000 unemployment insurance claimants who received benefits in the pandemic but were later told they were overpaid got waivers and will be refunded if they started paying back their overpayment, Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency said Wednesday. 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. Unfortunately, the new guidance from the DOL applies only to CARES Act funded benefits (PUA, FPUC, MEUC, PEUC). Claimants say UIA is lying, More: Attorney for jobless claimants asks judge to stop Michigan from garnishing their wages. 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. UIA is performing an analysis to determine the total population impacted by this issue.. Workers with questions about overpayment waivers can go to Michigan.gov/UIA and click on the Schedule an Appointment link to set up an in-person, phone or online meeting with a trained staff member. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. 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. 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 Copyright 2022 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved. Readers can follow our Facebook page for developments on the UIA waiver program and the UIA class-action lawsuit. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters. Related: Unemployment waivers bring relief to thousands. Overpaid claimants who provided the Michigan UIA with gross earnings instead of net earnings will be the group to get waivers. 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. To date, more than $4.3 billion in overpayments have been waived for 400,000 Michigan unemployment recipients with likely thousands more still waiting. Michigan ice To date, the agency said ithas waived more than$4.3 billion in overpayment debt for more than 400,000claimants. Release date: Friday, July 30, 2021. You may get notices about your case during the collections pause. The announcement came in the wake of allegations of unconstitutional overpayment collection notices sent out to thousands of Michigan residents. The UIA is responsible for collecting overpayments of unemployment benefits. 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. 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. Three months after the U.S. Department of Labor guidance was issued, the first group of blanket waivers went out to If this happens, you can use the same Financial Hardship waiver process. If this happens, you will get a Notice of Adjustment to Income Tax Refund. Over the past three months, we have waived more than $484.2 million on 62,300 claims. 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. The UIA has said it is reviewing how the categories would apply to claims in Michigan and determining how quickly the waivers could be issued. Protests can take 10 months or longer to be resolved. This means the UIA should stop sending collection letters or doing anything else to make people pay these overpayments. If you want to appeal to the UIAC, you may want to speak with a lawyer. We will update this page if we get more information. Some claimants have received a waiver. We are aware that there are issues related to gross versus net income calculations on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance weekly benefit amounts, Dale said. 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. We offer a wealth of free workplace-related information in our Employee Rights and Information Center. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced Friday that those who wrongfully received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits will be Claimants with questions about todays announcement are urged to call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. 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. This is wonderful news for those who lost their job through no fault of their own, UIA Director Julia Dale said. schedule an in-person, phone or online appointment. Waivers for unemployment claimants who received overpayment letters may come this weekend, Waivers for unemployment overpayments could start to roll out by end of the month, paused "new" wage garnishments and interceptions of State of Michigan tax refunds, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. There is no application process. 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. If there is any money left in your refund after that debt is paid, you will get it. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. After the UIA responds and issues a determination, you can protest or appeal a denial of the agency error waiver. In May, UIA applied waivers to 55,000 claims totaling $431 million. However, UIA continues to work with their partners at FAST and DTMB to identify other groups of claimants who might also qualify for an overpayment waiver. 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. Reassigned staff and resources to address the largest categories of claims that are contributing to the agencys case backlog. There are other actions that can be taken if fraud is suspected. After the report came out, the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) started sending some recipients letters telling them they had to repay thousands of dollars. The refund might not mean that the case is over. On April 8, 2022 the Unemployment Insurance Agency announced a new promise to halt new collections activity and waive overpayments. 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. 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'. It is still unknown on how waivers will be applied and how many or which people it will impact. Michigan paid $8.5B in fraudulent COVID unemployment claims. 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. Of the roughly 690,000 claimants that were asked to requalify, about 241,000 responded to the UIA's request. The appeal process and deadlines are still the same. If you believe you are eligible for benefits and the UIA made a mistake, you can ask for a waiver due to agency error. What type of federal programs are affected? Last year, the Michigan UIA retroactively determined nearly 700,000 people were ineligible for a federal pandemic unemployment program that extended benefits to part-time and gig workers. You can use the Guide to Legal Help to get information about finding a lawyer. All Rights Reserved. Letters will also be mailed to the address on file confirming the MiWAM notification. Some claimants have received a waiver. Will the pause on collections continue? When the hearing is scheduled, the judges office will send a Notice of Telephone Hearing to you in the mail. If you disagree with the UIA and are protesting the overpayment, do not file the waiver until you have a final determination in your case. Meanwhile, apause on"new" wage garnishments and interceptions of state of Michigan tax refundsfor 398,000 claimants expired on May 7. 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. Claimants can also call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. Those 350,000 people wont be able to keep collecting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance benefits in the future, however. Some Michigan residents who benefited from billions in overpaid pandemic unemployment assistance may not owe that money back after all. 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 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. Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com. We do not know how long this pause will last or when the UIA will start trying to collect these overpayments again. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. 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. New waiver qualifications for Michiganders who received unemployment overpayments More people could qualify for Michigan's unemployment insurance agency Workers with questions about overpayment waivers can go to Michigan.gov/UIA and click on the Schedule an Appointment link to set up an in-person, phone or online meeting with a trained staff member. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. 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. 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 announces new waivers of state, federal overpayment determinations, 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. Disclaimer & Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Sitemap. Interest accumulates very quickly on unemployment overpayments. 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. Dale announced last week waivers on approximately 7,300 overpayment claims that waived $53.2 million in repayments. 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. Each letter will have a due date printed on your determination for when the protest is due. 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. The individual responded no to being unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to the approved coronavirus-related reasons, and the state paid Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. 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 Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. 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 new press release is lacking in details and reports that during a pause until May 7, 2022 UIA will not issue new wage garnishments or intercept State of Michigan tax refunds. WebThe UIA is responsible for collecting overpayments of unemployment benefits. Were not finished providing substantial relief to Michigan workers, said UIA Director Julia Dale. This is a huge weight lifted off so many Michiganders shoulders, said Governor Whitmer. Dale said the agency is still working hard to identify workers who qualify for the next round of waivers. A motion for preliminary injunction to suspend collections on these overpayments is currently being considered by Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Brock Swartzle. 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 become unemployed and get unemployment benefits while you still owe an overpayment, 50 percent (or 100 percent if fraud was involved in the original overpayment) of your weekly unemployment benefit payment will be taken for repayment. Convenient times and dates are available. 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. Claimants who receive waivers were sent a message in their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) online accounts. If the UIA denies your Financial Hardship Waiver, you can appeal to an ALJ. Three months after the U.S. Department of Labor guidance was issued,the first group of blanket waivers went out to 55,000 claimants. If you get a refund, make sure you carefully read any notices or information you get explaining the refund. Each letter will have a due date printed on it for when the appeal is due. Implemented new policies for employees and contractors, including fingerprinting, criminal background checks, and an updated ethics policy. 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