The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) today reopened its Lansing Local Office at 5217 Perry Robinson Circle after extensive renovations to better serve customers who want to meet in-person with a UIA agent about their claim.

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

During the renovations staff served claimants who made appointments at a temporary office at the Capital Area Michigan Works! location on South Cedar Street.

“UIA values its partnership with Michigan Works! and we thank them for their flexibility while our Lansing Local Office was closed for extensive renovations,” said Julia Dale, Director of the UIA. “I also want to thank UIA staff for providing the highest level of customer service while working from temporary locations during construction at five of our Local Offices.”

With Lansing’s reopening, the Detroit Local Office at 3024 West Grand Boulevard is the final UIA location that is pending renovations. That project will begin later this year. Including Lansing, renovations have been completed at Local Offices in Grand Rapids, Saginaw, and Sterling Heights.

Anyone who needs in-person help with their claim can go to the Schedule an Appointment page at Michigan.gov/UIA to set up a meeting up to 14 days in advance at any of the UIA's 12 Local Offices across Michigan. Claimants can also use the Chat With An Agent feature through their Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) accouint, 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 will 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 of a new computer system, called MiUI, that will be easy to use, speed claims processing, and build on the agency’s aggressive anti-fraud tactics. MiUI 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 provides hands-on help for workers navigating the unemployment insurance application process. Ten UIA staff are assigned to regions across Michigan to connect workers and employers with 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 efforts 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 led 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 top scores the past four years for employer audits from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), meeting quality benchmarks from 2020-23.
• 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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