renovated to better serve claimants

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency’s (UIA) Grand Rapids Local Office reopened today after extensive renovations to better serve customers who want to meet with a UIA agent about their claim.

UIA staff are once again helping claimants at the Local Office at 3391 Plainfield NE, Suite A, after two months of construction to create a welcoming public area and make necessary security upgrades. During the renovation period, staff serviced claimants at a temporary office co-located with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS).

The renovations are part of the UIA’s focus on improving the customer experience and creating a national model for fast, fair, and fraud-free service.

“I want to thank our colleagues at DHHS for warmly welcoming our staff to their building as we completed our construction project,” said Julia Dale, director of the UIA. “Our Local Office renovation initiative aims to significantly improve the customer experience for claimants with a scheduled appointment to meet with an agent to discuss their questions.”

Anyone who needs in-person help with their claim can go to the Schedule an Appointment page at Michigan.gov/UIA to make an appointment up to 14 days in advance at any of the UIA's 12 Local Offices across Michigan.

Four other Local Offices across the state are also being renovated. Work has been completed at the Sterling Heights and Saginaw offices, which have reopened. The Lansing Local Office has temporarily closed (with staff moving to the Capital Area Michigan Works! office, 2110 South Cedar Street, Lansing), and the Detroit Local Office is expected to close temporarily later this year.

The temporary closures do not affect phone or virtual appointments, which can be scheduled online. Claimants can also use the Chat With An Agent feature through the Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM), the Ask Ava chatbot at Michigan.gov/UIA, or call Customer Service at 1-866-500-0017 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Creating innovative solutions for Michigan workers

The Local Office renovations are among the many modernization reforms launched by Director Dale that benefit workers navigating the application process. Other innovative and helpful changes include:

• The UIA Claimant Roadmap, which is an easy-to-follow, user-friendly six-step guide to applying for and understanding unemployment benefits. The roadmap can be accessed at Michigan.gov/UIAClaimantRoadmap.
• Online Coaching Sessions are web-based group trainings led by UIA staff. The First-time Filer Coaching Session explains the steps needed to complete an accurate application for benefits. The Understanding Your Monetary Determination Letter coaching session walks workers through correspondence that explains whether benefits have been approved or denied.
• The Advocacy Program has added new advocates who provide free legal advice to workers and employers who appeal UIA determinations.
• Planning and design are under way for a new computer system that will be easy to use, speed claims processing, and build on the agency’s aggressive anti-fraud tactics. Expected to be fully operational in 2025, it will replace the decade-old MiWAM computer system used by workers to apply for benefits and employers to pay unemployment insurance taxes.
• The UIA Community Connect program embeds UIA staff in 10 regions across Michigan to provide hands-on expertise to workers about how to navigate the unemployment insurance application process. Liaisons also connect workers and employers to UIA’s outreach and education resources.

• UIA’s public website at Michigan.gov/UIA has been revamped to be more user-friendly and responsive for those accessing services using cell phones or tablets.
• Find answers to frequently asked questions, or access resources and toolkits, at Michigan.gov/UIA, which is optimized for reading on mobile phones or tablets. You can also browse UIA’s library of helpful instructional videos on YouTube.

Modernizations launched throughout UIA

Since being named by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to lead the UIA in October 2021, Director Dale – the agency's 11th director in as many years – has launched a sweeping transformation of the agency:

• Launching a new Economic Dashboard, a transformative tool designed to enhance transparency and guide policy decisions that improve service to Michigan’s workers and employers. It can be found at Michigan.gov/UIAEconomicDashboard.
• Developing the Employer Help Center, a plain language resource that answers employers’ questions on unemployment tax and claim issues and UIA programs. The Help Center can be found at Michigan.gov/UIAEmployerHelpCenter. 
• Establishing the UIA Modernization Workgroup, consisting of labor, business and jobless advocates to advise the UIA on significant improvements in how it can better serve Michigan workers and employers.
• Creating a Legal and Compliance Bureau to leverage collaborative anti-fraud practices to pursue bad actors, in collaboration with the Michigan Attorney General’s office, and local, state and federal law enforcement. To date, 162 people have been charged, 91 convicted, and 71 sentenced.
• Extending through 2024 nearly 80 limited term employees in the Fraud and Investigations Division.
• Receiving for the fourth year in a row (2020-23) recognition from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) that UIA meets the reasonable assurance of quality benchmark for employer audits.
• Reassigning staff and resources to address the largest categories of claims contributing to the agency’s case backlogs.
• Rebuilding the UI Trust Fund to more than $2.3 billion (and growing). Weekly benefits are paid to workers from the Trust Fund, which is supported by taxes on employers.
• Halting overpayment collections on claims filed since March 1, 2020, while the agency addresses pending protests and appeals.
• Implementing new ethics and security clearance policies for employees and contractors.

Need help or have questions about a claim?

Meet with an agent: Schedule an in-person, phone, or virtual meeting at Michigan.gov/UIA.

Chat with an agent: Log into your MiWAM account Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Call Customer Service: 1-866-500-0017, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Ask Ava: Our chatbot at Michigan.gov/UIA can answer many questions.

Find answers: FAQs, videos, toolkits, and other resources at Michigan.gov/UIA.

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