LANSING, MI More Michiganders who asked to repay their pandemic jobless aid will soon have their overpayments erased. The suspension through Oct. 31, 2022, halts collections on unemployment benefits programs launched under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and its extensions: 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. Unfortunately, even if the Agency acts quickly to waive overpayments, this does nothing for the thousands of Michiganders who are owed benefits and have had them cut off. 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. Overpaid claimants who provided the Michigan UIA with gross earnings instead of net earnings will be the group to get waivers. An earlier suspension expired in May. Michigans unemployment agency announced another round of waivers and refunds for filers who were overpaid and asked to pay back the overpayment. 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. More Michiganders are still waiting. 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. 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. You can appeal online through your MiWAM account. We are aware that there are issues related to gross versus net income calculations on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance weekly benefit amounts, Dale said. 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. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. To date, the agency said it has waived more than $4.3 billion in overpayment debt for more than 400,000 claimants. 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. Many more have never been told why they werent paid the benefits owed, and they still just wait nearly two years later. About 327,000 fewer than expected claimants received a waiver. 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". Because those programs were federally funded, the UIA is required to actively collect overpayments, unless specific suspensions are obtained from the federal government. 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. This federal action will allow us the time we need to evaluate claims for overpayment waivers, which we will be announcing soon.. Interest accumulates very quickly on unemployment overpayments. 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. It is still unknown on how waivers will be applied and how many or which people it will impact. 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. UIA will continue to look at COVID-19 pandemic claims to identify others that may qualify for waivers. Claimants can also call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. The Michigan Legal Help website and affiliated local self-help centers are part of the Michigan Legal Help Program. Roughly 350,000 waivers were distributed in July 2021 so Michiganders would not have to repay overpayments that were received by no fault of their own. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. He enjoys suffering through Lions games on Sundays in the fall. If the UIA tries to collect from you during the pause, you can try contacting the UIA's Benefit Overpayment Collection unit at 1-866-500-0017. Of the roughly 690,000 claimants that were asked to requalify, about 241,000 responded to the UIA's request. 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. The U.S. DOL authorized a pause on certain collection activity through May 7, 2022. Claimants say UIA is lying, More: Attorney for jobless claimants asks judge to stop Michigan from garnishing their wages. and last updated 7:40 PM, Feb 07, 2022. Claimants say UIA is lying, Attorney for jobless claimants asks judge to stop Michigan from garnishing their wages, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Once you have logged into your account, click on the "Determination Status" tab, and then click on "file an appeal.". If the UIA believes you were overpaid, they will send you a letter. And in February, the U.S. Department of Labor allowed Michigan to issue more blanket waivers for the remaining overpayments. Collaborated with the Attorney Generals office to combat fraud at the agency. Some claimants have received a waiver. The agency, in its news releaseFriday, said the issue was due to "unclear instructions regarding gross earnings versus net earnings.". Dale said the agency is still working hard to identify workers who qualify for the next round of waivers. To date, more than $4.3 billion in overpayments have been waived for 400,000 Michigan unemployment recipients with likely thousands more still waiting. 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 UIA has said it is reviewing how the categories would apply to claims in Michigan and determining how quickly the waivers could be issued. The Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) is now reviewing the categories added Monday and determining how many other claims might qualify for waivers under Under federal law, UIA had to re-evaluate PUA eligibility for individuals who selected one of the non-qualifying reasons. 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. May 04, 2022 The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced today that over 55,000 claimants will not have to pay back a total of approximately $431 If you have a question about your PUA overpayments, you may be able to get help from the Counsel and Advocacy Law Line. Rebuilt the Trust Fund to $1.5 billion (and growing). But the agency continued to fight back against claimants who argued they didn't misreport their income. 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.. Michigan erases $431M in pandemic unemployment overpayments. Will the pause on collections continue? This is a pause on collections only. 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. The Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) has begun to notify claimants Waivers will not be applied to claims where UIA has determined fraud is involved and the agency will continue to vigorously pursue restitution of any stolen benefits. A worker files a claim on the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency website. Michigan paid $8.5B in fraudulent COVID unemployment claims. Good cause can be very hard to prove. 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.. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced Friday that those who wrongfully received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits will be granted an overpayment waiver allowing them to keep the money, although many may no longer receive aid going forward. PUA benefits are $300 a week on top of maximum state benefits of $362. We continue to monitor and advocate as the situation unfolds. Letters will also be mailed to the address on file confirming the MiWAM notification. 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. 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 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. This round of waivers accounts for 96% According to recent reporting, the waiver program was much smaller than promised. Some Michigan residents who benefited from billions in overpaid pandemic unemployment assistance may not owe that money back after all. Reassigned staff and resources to address the largest categories of claims that are contributing to the agencys case backlog. 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. Copyright 2023 ClickOnDetroit.com is managed by Graham Digital and published by Graham Media Group, a division of Graham Holdings. The waivers apply to claimants who received federal benefits before Sept. 4, 2021, the end date for pandemic unemployment benefits through programs such asPandemic Unemployment Assistance andPandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation. 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. Convenient times and dates are available. 2023 Blanchard & Walker PLLC. What is an Overpayment Waiver? Dale announced last week waivers on approximately 7,300 overpayment claims that waived $53.2 million in repayments. More Michiganders are still waiting. He's been with WDIV since 2013. About 530,000 were then hit with steep overpayment notices at no fault of their own. To date the UIA has waived over $4.3 billion in overpayment debt for more than 400,000 claimants with more to come. New wage garnishments, state tax return intercepts halted while Agency prepares to apply more waivers beyond 62,000 already granted. 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. If this happens, you can use the same Financial Hardship waiver process. The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) announced that it has issued waivers to approximately 7,300 state and federal COVID-19 jobless claims from 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. After the report came out, the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) started sending some recipients letters telling them they had to repay thousands of dollars. Claimants who receive waivers were sent a message in their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) online accounts. In late December 2022, Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) said it would temporarily stop trying to collect overpayments from people who filed for unemployment insurance since March 1, 2020. This means the UIA should stop sending collection letters or doing anything else to make people pay these overpayments. Claimants can visitMichigan.gov/UIAto access their MiWAM account to chat with an agent. That's an average of about $7,800 per claimant that was waived. Read Appealing a Protest above to learn more. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. 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. Although waivers for 55,000 more claimants is a good step forward, it fell short 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. Claimants who receive waivers were sent a message in their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) online accounts. Contact Adrienne Roberts: amroberts@freepress.com. Interest accumulates very quickly on unemployment overpayments. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. The waivers will apply to federal benefits received before September 4, 2021, the end date for pandemic unemployment benefits programs under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and its extensions. Screenshots from some who received benefitsand instructionalvideos posted by the agencyshow itactually hadasked fortotalpay, not net pay. Were not finished providing substantial relief to Michigan workers, said UIA Director Julia Dale. Claims determined to be fraudulent or being investigated for fraud. If you lose your appeal in front of an ALJ, read What If I Lose My Appeal? below. Each letter will have a due date printed on your determination for when the protest is due. All Rights Reserved. The waiver only covers past 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. Use the Guide to Legal Help to find a legal services office near you. 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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). currently being considered by Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Brock Swartzle. You may want to repay the overpayment as quickly as possible. Delinquent debts owed to other states or federal agencies. Dale announced last week waivers on approximately 7,300 overpayment claims that waived $53.2 million in repayments. The federal government has expanded its criteria for who can get a waiver that would let people keep that money. 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. 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. This is a huge weight lifted off so many Michiganders shoulders, said Governor Whitmer. When you file your appeal, ask for a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. 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. Regular unemployment benefits paid during the pandemic are unaffected by this announcement. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Recovery would be unconscionable under the circumstances. If you want to appeal to the UIAC, you may want to speak with a lawyer. 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). Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer. 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. New waiver qualifications for Michiganders who received unemployment overpayments More people could qualify for Michigan's unemployment insurance agency Collaborated with the Attorney Generals office to combat fraud at the agency. In May, UIA applied waivers to 55,000 claims A motion for preliminary injunction to suspend collections on these overpayments is currently being considered by Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Brock Swartzle. A legislative fix would be required to provide equal waiver rights for claimants who received regular UI benefits. Built a new, user-friendly website that is more responsive to those using a mobile phone or tablet to access services. 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. Waivers issued earlier this month erased overpayments for 55,000 people caught in an agency mistake. Unemployment waivers bring relief to thousands. 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. Due to the intense volume, we are not able to answer individual questions or provide individual representation on UI matters. 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. 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. It specifically said states could apply blanket waivers for overpayments for claimants who were approvedfor a higher weekly benefit amount than what they should have received. If a waiver does not apply, collections will resume. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. The claimants provided the information and documentation required by the agency but were later told they were ineligible for the benefits they received. They weren't told by Michigan's UIA until Friday that they would receive a waiver. Claimants with questions about todays announcement are urged to call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. Affected claimants will receive notification in their MiWAM account, or by U.S. mail. In late December 2022, Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) said it would temporarily stop trying to collect overpayments from people who filed for unemployment insurance since March 1, 2020. Some claimants have received a waiver. 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. Each letter will have a due date printed on it for when the appeal is due. 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. A new system will allow for quick analysis of data that is currently not possible for the agency. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Click here to take a moment and familiarize yourself with our Community Guidelines. If the UIA denies your Financial Hardship Waiver, you can appeal to an ALJ. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. The announcement came in the wake of allegations of unconstitutional overpayment collection notices sent out to thousands of Michigan residents. 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. In some situations, the UIA may send you actual bills for an overpayment. To find out if they can help you, apply online or call 1-888-783-8190 Monday - Thursday, 9am - 5pm, or Friday, 9am - 1pm. Michigan has yet to adopt this standard, but it now seems poised to do so. WebThe UIA is responsible for collecting overpayments of unemployment benefits. State Step 1 Contact your state's unemployment department. 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. Blanchard & Walker PLLC 221 North Main St., Suite 300 Ann Arbor, MI 48104, UIA CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Discrimination, PROFESSIONAL LICENSING AND DISCIPLINARY REVIEW, BW Wins Approval for $1.95M Delivery Driver Settlement. 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. 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. 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. 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. Issuing waivers is a cornerstone of Director Dales reform of the UIA. 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 jobless claims from workers in Michigan. If your protests were filed on time, the UIA is not allowed to collect money before your case is final. More: Michigan Unemployment agency says claimants made big mistake. Claimants can also call UIAs Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017. 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. Letters will also be mailed in the coming days confirming the MiWAM notification. 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". Ask the UIA to issue a determination to tell you if the overpayment is the result of the UIAs error. They can also contact the UIA by phone at 866-500-0017 or schedule a telephone, virtual or in-person appointment with an agent. 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 Michigan UIA is facing a class-action lawsuit that claims the state unlawfully demanded pandemic aid back. 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. 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. 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. There are other actions that can be taken if fraud is suspected. 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. Please note that contacting us does not create any attorney-client relationship between you and our firm. The agency has paid a total of $39 billion in unemployment aid to 3.5 million Michigan residents since March 2020. 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. 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. Garnishments, state tax return intercepts halted while agency prepares to apply waivers... 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