A Newsletter for Employers          November 2024

If you want to suggest an article or topic for a future edition of the Employer Advisor newsletter, or just want to tell us how much you enjoy reading it, please send a message to
UIA-EmployerAdvisor
@Michigan.gov.

You can find past newsletters on the Employer Homepage at
Michigan.gov/UIA.

It’s hard to believe we are nearing the end of the year. We want to wish everyone happy holidays, which will be quickly approaching now that Thanksgiving is only a week away.

We would like to thank all those who attended one of our Employer Seminars this year. We hope you learned a lot about unemployment insurance. If you missed an opportunity to join one of our detailed presentations, you’ll find a link to an earlier recorded session on the Employer Homepage at Michigan.gov/UIA. 

If you didn’t have a chance to attend a seminar this year, we plan to schedule more in 2025. Watch the Employer Homepage for upcoming dates.

A reminder to make sure all Quarterly Wage/Tax reports are completed, up-to-date, and submitted to the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA). Failure to file reports before the first week of December will result in an additional 3 percent increase to your 2025 tax rate and late filing penalties. UIA does not accept quarterly reports in paper form. File the reports through your Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) account; it’s fast, easy, and secure.

Finally, our Economic Dashboard is worth your time to explore. This innovative resource provides a deep dive into behind-the-scenes metrics of the state’s unemployment insurance program. Sort the data to find demographic information about claimants; claims by occupation, industry, and county; employer and tax trends; and a Trust Fund tracker.

Seeking Work Waiver Has Benefits for Michigan Employers and Workers

The benefit of the waiver to employees is it allows them to collect benefits during a short-term layoff without being required to register and seek work. The eligibility criteria are for temporary layoffs due to a lack of work. 

Here are the steps an employer needs to follow to apply for a waiver:

1. Log into MiWAM.
2. Select UIA Tax under the Account tab.
3. Select Account Services.
4. Under Benefits Services select Request Seeking Work Waiver.

If the end of the 45-day waiver period is approaching and an employer is not ready to bring their workers back, the employer can apply for an extension.

The initial request for extension is for an additional 45 days. The request must be submitted before the original waiver expires. The extension can be submitted on the 44th or 45th day from the date of the original layoff.

The waiver can be extended twice, giving the option to have workers eligible for a registration and seeking work waiver for up to 135 days. State law allows only two extensions for situations such as equipment retooling, a parts shortage, or temporary production volume adjustments.

Here’s How to File a Protest of an Employee’s Claim Determination

To submit a claim protest via MIWAM:

1. Click UI Tax on the home screen.
2. Click the Account Services tab.
3. Scroll down to Benefit Services.
4. Click on View Determinations and Decisions.
5. Locate the claim document and click the File Protest link.
6. Complete the protest information, review, and submit. 

A protest submitted by the date listed in the first paragraph of the 1575 E document will prevent the claim from going into pay status. The protest must be received within 30 days of the mail date, or the determination becomes final.  

The best way to submit a protest is through MiWAM. However, protests can be submitted in writing, as well.

Start at UIA’s website, Michigan.gov/UIA by clicking the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner to get to the search bar. In the search field, type UIA 1733 Protest of a Determination. Click on the link to get to the form, which can be downloaded and printed.

It’s extremely important that the form is signed before sending it to UIA.

Mail the completed form and supporting documents to the Unemployment Insurance Agency, P.O Box 124, Grand Rapids, MI 49501-0124 or fax it to 1-517-636-0427.  

What We Know So Far: MiUI Review

Key Features and Benefits

Here are some of the changes and benefits in MiUI:

• Enhanced Wage Submission: MiUI will allow manual wage entry, copying reports from previous quarters, and will support multiple file formats (XML, ICESA, EFW2, Delimited), providing greater flexibility.
• Employer Registration: Employers will have a standardized timeline of 2-4 weeks to submit required documentation during registration, ensuring up-to-date and accurate data.
• User-Friendly Design: MiUI will prioritize efficient workflows and an intuitive user interface.

Preparation and Transition

To prepare for a smooth transition to MiUI, employers and TPAs are advised to take a few simple steps:

• Confirm/Update Contact Information: Employers should ensure their contact details in MiWAM are current, including email addresses and physical/legal addresses. For a step-by-step guide on how to update your contact information in MiWAM, watch this short How-To video.
• Designate Correct TPAs: Verify that the correct TPA is designated in MiWAM to receive timely updates.
• Internal Communication: Inform relevant departments (IT, Accounting, HR) about the upcoming changes and that more information will be released as the system is developed.

What's Next?

Additional information will be provided to help assist in the transition. By proactively preparing and staying engaged, employers and TPAs can ensure a smooth transition to the new MiUI system, which promises to modernize and improve the unemployment insurance experience in Michigan.

The introduction of MiUI is not just a change, but a step forward toward a more efficient and flexible future.