Unemployment Benefits

Eligible workers who have sufficient earnings and who lose their jobs through no fault of their own may be entitled to payments from the State of Michigan while they search for new employment. Some individuals may be eligible for as much as $446 per week for 26 weeks.  

Even if your employer said you do not qualify for unemployment benefits, you may still be eligible if:

  • You were fired or terminated for conduct that did not rise to the higher level of “misconduct”;
  • Your employer does not qualify for “seasonal designation” or does not offer you employment the following season;
  • You have qualifying employment from other employers during the past 15 – 18 months;
  • You had good cause to voluntarily leave your employment, such as unsafe working conditions.  

Filing for Unemployment in Michigan

Where do I file for unemployment benefits?

The Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA), a division under Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO), is the agency responsible Michigan’s unemployment insurance program.

You can file over the phone (Spanish operators are available) at 1-866-500-0017, or online through the MiWAM online portal.  

When you file, you should report all of your earnings from all your employers during the relevant time period. If you worked in multiple states, you may need to determine which state is the appropriate state to apply for benefits.  

Eligibility

To be eligible for unemployment benefits in Michigan you must be unemployed and:  

  • Have been employed in Michigan at some point during the past 18 months;
  • Able and available to work, meaning you are physically and mentally able to do full-time work that you have performed in the past or have been trained to do.
  • Actively seeking, available, and willing to accept suitable full-time work.
  • Registered for work at Michigan Talent Connect (MTC) and Michigan Works! Agency (MWA) service center. Please visit MTC for more information.
  • Have sufficient earnings in the past 18 months, including:
    • At least one quarter during which you earned at least $4,842.00;
    • Earnings in more than one three-month, quarterly period; and
    • Total earnings equal to at least 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings, or
    • Or, alternatively, you earned at least $25,844 and you had earnings in at least 2 different three-month quarters.

Immigrant Eligibility  

  • Immigrant workers are eligible as long as they have valid work authorization at the time they are applying for unemployment and receiving benefits and were:
    • lawfully admitted for permanent residence at the time the work was performed;  
    • lawfully present for the purpose of performing the services; or
    • permanently resided in the United States under color of law at the time the work was performed.
  • H-2A visa workers are not entitled to apply for unemployment insurance benefits.
  • Receipt of unemployment benefits for which you are eligible should not be considered a public charge or negatively impact your immigration status or ability to adjust status.

Important deadlines:

  • File your claim by the Saturday after the end of the week containing your last day of work to be eligible for the week in which your job ended.
  • Respond in writing to any request for information within the stated deadline listed on the notice, which can be as short as 10 days from the date of mailing.
  • Respond in writing to a Determination or Redetermination within the stated deadline listed on the notice, which can be as short as 30 days from the date of mailing.  
  • If you do not timely respond in writing, you may lose your right to appeal unless you can show good cause for a late appeal. If you are denied benefits or believe the Agency’s finding is incorrect, you can file a protest/appeal in writing or contact an attorney immediately for advice, even if you are outside the regular deadline. The determination or redetermination will include more information on how to protest or appeal.
  • Certify, each week after applying, that you are still unemployed and available for work through Michigan’s Automated Response Voice Interactive Network (MARVIN) by phone at (866) 638-3993. You may have specific recurring work search requirements to complete and verify.

Seasonal Employers: Michigan agricultural employers who have been officially designated by the state as "seasonal employers" do not have to pay insurance premiums for employees who are unemployed between the agricultural seasonal employment. Your earnings from that employer; however, still count toward your eligibility and overall benefit amount. To find out if your employer has been designated as a "seasonal employer" you should look for signs posted at your workplace and look at all the paperwork given to you by the employer. You can still collect benefits between the designated season, if a designated seasonal employer fails to notify you of its status as a seasonal employer, or if you worked for the employer before or after the designated "normal seasonal period," or if the employer  fails to promise to re-hire you for the next season. You can also collect benefits from your employment for a "designated seasonal employer" if the employer fails to re-hire you the following season as promised.  

If you worked for a Michigan seasonal employer, you should still report all of your earnings from that employment and file your insurance claim each week during the off-season that you are unemployed. Also, you may want to consider applying for benefits in any other state in which you worked last year. You may be eligible for increased benefits in that state even if you would not be eligible in Michigan. If you do apply in Michigan, be sure to continue to call MARVIN while you are unemployed even after working for a seasonal employer, in case you are not rehired and can recover additional benefits next season.

Avoid Paying Back Benefits and Fraud Charges.

  • Be honest and complete in all your communications with the UIA, MARVIN, and Michigan Works!
  • Include all earnings from all employment during the past eighteen months, even if your employer told you that the employment does not qualify for unemployment insurance benefits or if your earnings are from another state. All earnings may be considered in determining eligibility for benefits.
  • Update the UIA with your current address and regularly check your mail and your online MiWAM account, even after you have received all your benefits. The UIA may send you a determination or redetermination by mail or through the computer system up to three years after you receive your last benefits.

Applicant Denied

If you are denied benefits, you may be able to reverse this decision by protest or appeal.  

  • It is not uncommon for individuals to be initially denied benefits even though they are actually eligible to receive benefits.
  • The UIA notifies individuals regarding their eligibility through mailed notices called “Determinations” and “Redeterminations.”
  • There are strict deadlines for responding to these notices, usually 30 days, but you may have good cause for late appeal if, for example, you did not timely receive the notice in the mail.
  • You can protest or appeal online in MiWAM, in the mail, or by fax.
  • It may require a full administrative hearing with an administrative law judge to provide all evidence to obtain benefits if they are wrongfully denied to you.
  • Attorneys are available to assist individuals with the protest and appeals processes. You can contact our hotline to seek further assistance or referral.
  • Seek help understanding any mail from UIA immediately, if you do not understand a letter from the UIA; so, you can respond before any deadlines. You can call the UIA at (866) 500-0017 or visit a Michigan Works! office for help translating and understanding the letter.

Please visit Michigan Legal Help’s Unemployment Benefits for more information. 

Category
Unemployment