Support for Michigan Legal Help is provided by: Copyright 2023 Michigan Legal Help. The Michigan Legal Help website and affiliated local self-help centers are part of the Michigan Legal Help Program. New waiver qualifications for Michiganders who received unemployment overpayments More people could qualify for Michigan's unemployment insurance agency They can also contact the UIA by phone at 866-500-0017 or schedule a telephone, virtual or in-person appointment with an agent. We are aware that there are issues related to gross versus net income calculations on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance weekly benefit amounts, Dale said. Some examples of good cause include: You can protest online through your Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM). 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. How Do I Join a Class Action and How Does it Work for Me? 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. And in February, the U.S. Department of Labor allowed Michigan to issue more blanket waivers for the remaining overpayments. Due to the intense volume, we are not able to answer individual questions or provide individual representation on UI matters. In some cases, the UIA might send a refund of payments you have already made. Were not finished providing substantial relief to Michigan workers, said UIA Director Julia Dale. 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 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. Interest accumulates very quickly on unemployment overpayments. The news releasedidn't give an estimate as to how long it might take to issue waivers. This is a huge weight lifted off so many Michiganders shoulders, said Governor Whitmer. 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. Read Appealing a Protest above to learn more. About 530,000 were then hit with steep overpayment notices at no fault of their own. 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. We do not know how long this pause will last or when the UIA will start trying to collect these overpayments again. When youre working, interest accumulates very quickly on unemployment overpayments. Although Michigan has yet to adopt the federal waiver standard, the UIA seems poised to do so in light of the new guidance. To date, the agency said it has waived more than $4.3 billion in overpayment debt for more than 400,000 claimants. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). You can appeal online through your MiWAM account. He's been with WDIV since 2013. According to recent reporting, the waiver program was much smaller than promised. 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. If you cant show good cause, the decision that you were overpaid will become final. Claimants can also call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. Michigan Legal HelpHelping Michigan residents solve their legal problems. On April 8, 2022 the Unemployment Insurance Agency announced a new promise to halt new collections activity and waive overpayments. Claimants who receive waivers were sent a message in their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) online accounts. 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. Select Your County for Lawyers and Other Housing Help, An administrative or clerical error is discovered, You had a legitimate inability to act earlier, The notice or decision arrived late in the mail and you could not respond sooner, You were misled by incorrect information from the UIA, Take your federal and/or Michigan income tax refund. Over the past three months, we have waived more than $484.2 million on 62,300 claims. Under federal law, UIA had to re-evaluate PUA eligibility for individuals who selected one of the non-qualifying reasons. Use the Guide to Legal Help to find a legal services office near you. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. 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. 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. At every turn, I will stand up and fight on behalf of Michiganders to make sure they get what they were promised. Dale announced last week waivers on approximately 7,300 overpayment claims that waived $53.2 million in repayments. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. 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 federal government has expanded its criteria for who can get a waiver that would let people keep that money. 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. Implemented new policies for employees and contractors, including fingerprinting, criminal background checks, and an updated ethics policy. 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. 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. State unemployment insurance program overpayments. "For those who did not respond, we want to assure them that claimants who are no longer eligible won't have to return the money they received when, through no fault of their own, they chose one of the four non-eligible reasons.". Once you have logged into your account, click on the "Determination Status" tab, and then click on "file a protest.". Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. Julia Dale directs the state Unemployment Insurance Agency. Three months after the U.S. Department of Labor guidance was issued, the first group of blanket waivers went out to In February, the request for expanded waivers was granted. The waiver only covers past If this happens, you will get a Notice of Adjustment to Income Tax Refund. Select Request Restitution Waiver for Financial Hardship and fill out the application. 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. 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. If you were overpaid benefits and you are currently employed, contact the UIA Benefit Overpayment Letters will also be mailed to the address on file confirming the MiWAM notification. 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 Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) has secured a second approval from the U.S. Department of Labor (U.S. DOL) to suspend certain collection activities for 391,769 workers who applied for federal jobless benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. 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. 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. 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. A new system will allow for quick analysis of data that is currently not possible for the agency. 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. The UIA waived the repayment of more than $53.2 million in benefits that were received by claimants, providing much needed relief for Michiganders. Many more have never been told why they werent paid the benefits owed, and they still just wait nearly two years later. Delinquent debts owed to other states or federal agencies. That's an average of about $7,800 per claimant that was waived. Waivers issued earlier this month erased overpayments for 55,000 people caught in an agency mistake. 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. 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. Ken Haddad is the digital content and audience manager for WDIV / ClickOnDetroit.com. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. 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. and last updated 7:40 PM, Feb 07, 2022. 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. When you file your appeal, ask for a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). 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). 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 the UIA doesnt get your protest within 30 days, you must show good cause why it was late. 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. If you got an overpayment notice and disagree with it, you can protest and ask the UIA to look at your claim again. According to recent reporting, the waiver program was much smaller than promised. The claimants provided the information and documentation required by the agency but were later told they were ineligible for the benefits they received. An earlier suspension expired in May. Hopefully, the Agency will issue guidance soon. In some situations, the UIA may send you actual bills for an 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. If the UIA believes you were overpaid, they will send you a letter. In May, UIA applied waivers to 55,000 claims If you believe you are eligible for benefits and the UIA made a mistake, you can ask for a waiver due to agency error. 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. 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. 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. 2 regarding overpayments. 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 Gretchen Whitmer supported Michigan's use of waivers from the Department of Labor, stressing that, "No one who followed the rules and received benefits through no fault of their own should have to pay back money to the federal government.". A total of $484.2 million in overpayments have been waived on 62,300 claims this year. The agency has paid a total of $39 billion in unemployment aid to 3.5 million Michigan residents since March 2020. Contact us to request a meeting with one of our attorneys. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Additionally, roughly $11 million will be refunded to claimants who had been paying back their federal benefits overpayment, or it will be applied to any outstanding debt a claimant may have. 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