Welcome to the UIA Michigan Employer Advisor. We heard your comments and are now moving them into action!

Recently, the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) assembled a small focus group of employers of every type to discuss better practices and improve services to assist with your Unemployment Insurance questions. One of the many suggestions was to provide more frequent newsletters with more in-depth information to keep you abreast of important issues in Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Tax world.

We will publish this newsletter monthly, providing you with facts, guidance, and updated information about the UIA and its programs to help minimize your stress and maximize what you do best: Keeping Michigan at Work.

If you would like to suggest articles or subjects for this newsletter or would like to nominate your company to participate in a focus group, please send us a message to UIA-employeradvisor@michigan.gov.

Michigan unemployment benefit programs that were extended as part of the federal American Rescue Plan
Act will expire on September 4, 2021.

These programs will no longer be available to new
UI applicants and the additional benefits on the following programs will end soon on active claims: Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC), Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUC) and Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation (MEUC).

All non-charging components of Work Share will be discontinued and the standard limited charging will resume on your employer account.

All protests that are pending determinations on Sept. 4 will continue through the protest/appeal process despite these programs ending and benefits will be paid to claimants determined to be eligible.

Even though signs point to a recovery of the economy from the uncertainty of a global pandemic, you may still be faced with the possibility of temporarily laying off workers. Michigan offers two solutions to help your business get back on its feet.

The Michigan Work Share Program can help you avoid layoffs. In the event that you find your business in an economic slump, the Work Share program allows you to keep your employees working part time while they receive partial unemployment benefits. Visit www.michigan.gov/workshare for more info.

If temporary layoffs are imminent, your business can seek a Registration and Seeking Work (RSW) waiver.  This will help make sure your employees are available when it’s time to come back. 

The RSW waiver exempts a claimant from work registration, seeking work, and being available for work. If the waiver is granted by UIA and the claimant is otherwise eligible, the laid off employee is entitled to benefit payments without having register or see seek work.

These waivers are available if you plan to temporarily lay off some or all employees and expect them to return within 45 days. The RSW is valid for up to 45 days from the employees’ last day worked. You may also request an extension of this waiver. 

You can request the waiver through your Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) account. For best results submit your request at least one week before the layoff occurs. It is important that you provide employees with a form UIA 1711, Unemployment Compensation Notice to Employee, and advise them to use the same dates so the RSW matches the UI claim. To submit your request, log into your MiWAM account. Under the Account Services tab, Benefit Services section, click on the Request Seeking Work Waiver hyperlink.

If all employees are not laid off with the same separation date, then each individual separation date must have its own waiver request submitted.

The following is a list of conditions that must be met for the RSW waiver to be used:

• The application must be approved by the UIA. Completion of an application may not satisfy the registration requirement. 
• The separation reason must be lack of work.
• The employer should notify UIA prior to the first day of layoff for each employee but MUST notify the UIA no later than before the claimant completed the first payable week following the layoff.  Waivers cannot be granted following the first day of layoff.
• The employer MUST notify UIA through their MiWAM, or in writing that the layoff is temporary, and work is expected to be available for the claimant within 45 calendar days of the last day of work.

On an Additional Claim (AC), an RSW may be approved if the criterion for the waiver is satisfactory.

Identity theft continues to be an issue that is affecting both claimants and employers. Unemployment benefits paid to current employees represent a charge to your account and may have a negative impact on your tax rate.

Employers play a very important role in identifying any suspected fraudulent claims. Please review all notices and correspond with the Agency suspicious activity.

As the employer, you receive the following notices in your MiWAM account: 

• UIA 1575E - Monetary Determination. This form letter is generated when an employee files a claim for unemployment. It will contain employee information, the reason for separation, dates of employment etc.
• UIA 1136 - Bi-Weekly Statement of Charges/Credit to the Employer’s Account. This form letter identifies each person/employee receiving unemployment benefits and the amount being charged to your account.
• UIA 1770 - Summary of Statement of Benefit Charges & Credits. This form summarizes information previously included on Form UIA 1136. It is quarterly.

If you suspect fraudulent activity or the information contained in the correspondence is false or inaccurate:

• Submit a protest through your MIWAM account.

• Immediately protest the Monetary Determination or Bi-Weekly Statement of Charges/Credits to the Employers Account. To be timely, the protest must be received by the Agency no later than 30 calendar days from the mail date shown on the first page of form UIA 1575E or UIA 1136. FYI: Although you have 30 days to protest, notifying us within 10 days of the mail date on the monetary determination will prevent it from entering payment status.

• Please be aware that once payments begin, they will continue until the investigative process is complete.

You may protest the determination.

• To send a protest through MIWAM, select the Account Services Tab, then the Benefit Services sub-tab.
• To protest the Monetary Determination go to the following link and
  click on: Determinations and Decisions
• The link to View Benefit Charges & Credits allows you to protest UIA 1136 Bi-Weekly Statement of Charges/Credits to the Employer’s Account.

Please inform all employees to report fraudulent activity immediately to the UIA. Report fraud online at Michigan.gov/UIA. Click on Report Fraud or Identity Theft

• Please complete ALL required fields with detailed information.
• Have the employee complete: UIA Form 6349, Statement of Identity Theft

For more information on how to protect your business and employees from identity theft, visit Michigan.gov/UIA.