Workers and employers will be able to access the many online resources provided by the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) over the Fourth of July holiday when state offices are closed. In-person and phone services will resume on Friday, July 5.

Workers will not be able to certify their job searches by telephone Thursday, July 4, but they can certify online using the Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM), which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Log in at Michigan.gov/UIA. Every two weeks workers must report their job status and whether they meet work eligibility requirements.

Due to the holiday, there may be a slight delay in unemployment benefits being deposited into claimants’ bank accounts or added to U.S. Bank debit cards.

During the holiday when state offices are closed, workers can use UIA’s innovative and helpful online resources workers:

• Take a journey through the UIA Claimant Roadmap, a six-step guide to applying for and understanding benefits. The roadmap is an easy-to-follow, user-friendly resource that can be found at Michigan.gov/UIAClaimantRoadmap.

• Reserve a spot for an upcoming Online Coaching Session, which are web-based group sessions 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.

• Need answers to claim questions? Go to Michigan.gov/UIA to schedule a phone, virtual, or in-person appointment at one of 12 Local Offices up to 14 days in advance.
• 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.
• Explore underlying trends in unemployment insurance in Michigan using the UIA Economic Dashboard. Data provides a rich understanding of the impacts of unemployment across industries, occupations, and communities, and provides insights into which sectors are experiencing layoffs, claimant demographics, and the regions most affected. You can take a dep dive into the data at Michigang.gov/UIAEconomicDashboard.

During the holiday, Local Offices will be closed. Also, the UIA’s Customer Service hotline and the Office of Employer Ombudsman phone line will not be staffed.

UIA creating solutions for Michigan workers

Director Julia Dale – the agency's 11th director in as many years – was named in October 2021 by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to transform the UIA and launch innovations that benefit workers, including:

• Planning a new computer system, called MiUI, which is expected to launch in 2025 to replace the decade-old MiWAM that workers use to file for benefits. MiUI will speed claim filing, provide a user-friendly interface, and add robust anti-fraud processes.
• Assigning staff in 10 regions across Michigan through the UIA Community Connect program to provide hands-on help for workers navigating the unemployment insurance application process. Staff also connect workers and employers to UIA’s outreach and education resources.
• Renovating five UIA Local Offices to create an improved user experience and make security upgrades. The offices undergoing construction are in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Saginaw, and Sterling Heights.
• Providing legal help through the Advocacy Program. Six new advocates have been added to the program, which provides free legal advice to workers who appeal UIA redeterminations.

Modernizing, transforming the UIA is top priority

The reforms are part of a sweeping transformation of the agency into a national model for fast, fair, and fraud-free service. The UIA has also:

• Formed a coalition of thought leaders from the labor, business, and jobless advocate communities as part of the UIA Modernization Workgroup to provide insight on significant improvements in how the agency can better serve Michigan workers and employers.
• Unveiled the Employer Help Center, a plain language guide answers employers’ questions on unemployment tax and claim issues and UIA programs. The innovative Help Center can be found at Michigan.gov/UIAEmployerHelpCenter.
• Created a Legal and Compliance Bureau to leverage collaborative anti-fraud practices to pursue bad actors who steal taxpayer money. 
• Extended through 2024 nearly 80 limited term employees in the Fraud and Investigations Division.
• Required new ethics and security clearance policies for employees and contractors.
• Partnered with the Michigan Department of Attorney General, and local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to stop fraud. Since March 2020, 162 criminals have been charged with unemployment fraud, 91 have been convicted, and 72 sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution.
• Scored 100 percent for the third year in a row from the USDOL for employer audits from 2020-22, meeting the reasonable assurance of quality benchmark.
• Reassigned staff and resources to address the largest categories of claims contributing to the agency’s case backlogs.
• Rebuilt the UI Trust Fund to more than $2.7 billion (and growing). Weekly benefits are paid to workers from the Trust Fund, which is supported by taxes on employers.
• Halted overpayment collections on claims filed since March 1, 2020, while the agency addresses pending protests and appeals.

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.

###