(WWJ/AP) There's good news for a big chunk of Michiganders who were jobless during the COVID-19 pandemic.
About 350,000 Michigan residents who received federal unemployment aid will not have to repay benefits after the state had informed them that some reasons for eligibility it approved at the start of the pandemic were not valid.
The Unemployment Insurance Agency said Friday it will give waivers to the group, many who may no longer be collecting benefits. They are among nearly 600,000 claimants whom were asked last month to requalify for the federal assistance, which is $300 a week on top of maximum state benefits of $362.
This news comes a day a new web form was made available to help Michigan legislators examine problems surrounding the state’s UIA.
House Oversight Committee Chairman Steve Johnson (R-Wayland) says an in-depth investigation has been launched by the committee into UIA; looking into a pattern of mismanagement, incompetence and fraud that has plagued the state and residents over the past several months.
“We need to provide people with a voice and ensure those voices are heard. Right now, they’ve simply been handed a letter by the state and the onus is on them to make sure they don’t owe the state any money because of the state’s mistake,” Johnson said. “Many people have questions about this. They are worried about being stuck with a bill and how a mistake like this could have possibly happened. The Oversight Committee is working to get answers and we’ll continue to make sure that impacted people have a seat at the table.”
The form includes a text field where people who received a letter can explain their situation along with their experiences interacting with the agency.
“This is about good customer service and a state agency operating in an efficient fashion,” Johnson said. “UIA has not had a good track record recently in this regard and our committee will look to find effective solutions both for the present and the future.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.