ON YOUR SIDE: Your unemployment questions answered by experts

Thousands of Michiganders are still seeking guidance as the state's Unemployment Insurance Agency works to get back on its feet.

Through the beginning of the pandemic, a nationwide audit discovered that the UIA had overpaid upwards of $8.5 billion in improper benefits. Add to that a lack of staff to properly keep up with a growing backlog of benefit claims, and you get a recipe for frustration at the very least.

RELATED: HOW DID WE GET HERE?: What led to problems with the UIA, and what happens next?

Last week, the Department of Labor added five new items to the list of waiver guidelines when it comes to removing the need to pay back benefits. According to a press release from Governor Whitmer, those include: 

• An individual responded “no” to being able and available for work and the state issued payment for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation without adjudicating the eligibility issue.
• An individual was eligible for payment and the state issued payment at a higher rate Weekly Benefit Amount under the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program.
• The individual responded “no” to being unemployed, partially unemployed or unable or unavailable to work due to the approved coronavirus-related reasons, and the state paid Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. When asked to self-certify, the individual did not respond or confirmed that none of the approved coronavirus-related reasons applied and the state issued payment, resulting in overpayment for the week.
• The individual submitted required proof of earnings used to calculate Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Weekly Benefit Amount and the state incorrectly processed the calculation resulting in a higher weekly benefit amount under the PUA program.
• The individual submitted proof of self-employment earnings to establish eligibility for Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation Program and the state incorrectly processed the information, resulting in overpayment.

13 On Your Side has been following the issues with the UIA closely for months, and Wednesday hosted a town hall to have experts answer questions live via ZOOM. The video attached to this article is a full replay of that Town Hall, which was based on questions submitted directly from viewers. Those questions include concerns over the timeline of benefit repayment, how unemployment will impact tax filings, and why communication with the UIA can be inconsistent between representatives for the same claims. 

WATCH THE TOWNHALL BELOW:

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