About 442000 Michigan Residents To Lose Federal Covid Jobless Aid Saturday
Roughly 442,000 Michigan residents will lose special federal COVID-19 unemployment aid Saturday as the pandemic era benefits expire.
Those affected by the end of the benefits include individuals receiving Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, Mixed Earners Unemployment Compensation and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.
PEUC offered an additional 53 weeks of benefits to those who had exhausted a state claim, while PUA provided benefits to people who usually didn’t qualify for unemployment, such as self-employed or gig workers.
PUC added another $300 in federal aid to unemployment payments and MEUC added $100 week for people who earned at least $5,000 in net self-employment income.
The state’s Unemployment Insurance Agency has distributed $38.5 billion in jobless benefits to 3.4 million claimants since March 15, 2020, the majority of that in the form of federal pandemic-specific benefits.
The state has paid $21.5 billion in pandemic unemployment compensation, $5.9 billion in pandemic unemployment assistance, less than $100,000 in mixed earners unemployment compensation and $2.8 billion in pandemic emergency unemployment compensation, according to state data.
Job search or training help is available through Michigan Works, the Return to Work Pay Book or the Pure Michigan Talent Connect for those losing benefits Saturday, the agency said.
Wage Requirements For Partial Unemployment
Michigan also has some specific rules for getting partial unemployment payments. Along with meeting the general eligibility requirements, your earnings while working in a given week can’t exceed 1.5 of the weekly rate that the state has calculated for you. As of publication, the state uses your last 18 months of earnings to decide how much you could receive weekly, up to a maximum of $362 a week. So, if your calculated rate was $300 a week, that means you’d need to earn less than $450 in a given week to get an unemployment payment.
The exact amount you’ll get will depend on how much you earn versus your regular benefit amount. If you earn less than your stated benefit amount, the state will simply reduce that amount by 50 percent of your actual earnings for the week. On the other hand, if your wages for the week meet or exceed the regular benefit amount, the state subtracts your actual earnings from 1.5 times the regular benefit amount.
For example, if you had a weekly benefit of $300 and made $200 that week, you’d get $200 since the state would subtract half your earnings from the benefit amount. But if you made $400 that week, you’d receive just $50. But on top of that, you can get the $600 bonus from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program as long as you get at least $1 in benefits that week.
Michigan To Start Processing $300 Federal Unemployment Benefit Next Week
Michigan will begin processing the $300 federal jobless benefit next week, the director of the Unemployment Insurance Agency told Michigan lawmakers in Lansing on Thursday.
The benefit won’t go to all filers, however. It’s retroactive to Aug. 1 and will last for three weeks, at least initially, Steve Gray, director of the agency, said during a legislative hearing. That means recent filers, or Michiganders filing for benefits in the coming weeks, likely won’t receive the benefit, Gray said.
The $300 benefit was made available through an executive order signed by President Donald Trump after Congress failed to agree on a new coronavirus stimulus package. The $600 federal benefit expired in Michigan on July 25.
Not all unemployment claimants who are eligible will receive the supplement benefit next week, a labor department spokesperson clarified, but the agency will start processing the payments next week and will do so in waves.
Gray said he anticipates the $300 supplemental benefit will extend one or two weeks beyond those initial three weeks.
“They have a pot of money and as long as it’s there, theyll pay it out,” said Gray, referring to Federal Emergency Management Agency, who is providing the money. “It depends on which states take advantage but it also depends on what other needs arise in FEMA. We’re optimistic well get another two weeks but we dont know that.”
Also Check: How Do I Sign Up For Unemployment In Washington State
You Must Be Willing And Able To Work
Most states require workers who are receiving unemployment compensation to be willing and able to work as well as actively seeking suitable employment. In this case, most states define suitable employment as comparable if the wages, hours, and/or working conditions are similar to your previous levels of employment. The employment should also be in line with your prior training, education, and experience.
If you are not physically able to work, then you may consider applying for disability benefits in lieu of unemployment benefits.
Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Extends Benefits By 20 Weeks
Workers whose regular state and federal unemployment benefits run out are getting another 20 weeks of aid.
The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency on Thursday announced the extension, which now allows for a maximum of 59 weeks of unemployment benefits 26 for state and 13 weeks of federal Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.
The Extended Benefit program will provide a much-needed safety net for Michiganders who have exhausted their current benefits and are still dealing with the long-term effects of unemployment due to COVID-19, UIA Director Steve Gray said in a news release.
The coronavirus pandemic and the accompanying economic shutdown resulted in more than 1 million lost jobs. Michigans unemployment rate soared to 24% in April and dropped to 8.7% in August. For the week ending Sept. 19, more than 400,000 in the state were claiming unemployment insurance.
You May Like: Www.njuifile.net Login
$300 Additional Unemployment Payments For Michigan Workers Being Processed
LANSING, Mich. – Unemployed Michigan workers are beginning to receive their $300 additional weekly benefit announced in August.
The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency began processing the payments this week and workers will see the funds over the next week to 10 days. The $300 weekly benefit is retroactive to Aug. 1 for workers who qualify.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation last week to spend $2.8 billion from the Federal Emergency Management Agency on the added unemployment benefit. President Donald Trump allowed FEMA to spend the money with an order issued in August.
The $300 benefit, which comes in addition to Michigans top weekly unemployment pay of $362 per week, replaces a $600 weekly benefit from the federal CARES Act that expired on July 27.
Unemployed Michigan workers who qualify for at least $100 in state benefits each week will qualify for the additional $300 weekly federal benefit. Workers only need to self-certify that they lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic when they file for unemployment benefits to receive the $300 per week.
Unemployment Insurance Agency Director Steve Gray said about 910,000 workers will receive the $300 weekly benefits for the first three weeks of eligibility. FEMA recently told states that funding will only last for six weeks, so Michigan workers wont receive federal benefits beyond the week that ends Sept. 5.
Most Read
Questions About Applying For Unemployment
To be eligible for unemployment benefits you must meet all of the following requirements:
-
Be involuntarily unemployed through no fault of your own
-
Be able and available to work full time
-
Be actively seeking full-time employment
-
Meet the minimum wage requirements
Read the article Applying for Unemployment to learn how to apply for benefits.
You can apply for unemployment online or by phone. If you file online, it is a good idea to save or print a copy of your application. Then if it gets lost, you can prove when you filed it.
You should have all of the following information available when applying for benefits:
-
Your Social Security number
-
Your driver’s license or state ID number
-
The names, addresses, dates of employment, and wages paid by the employers you worked for during the past 18 months
-
Your banks routing transit number and your account number if you want direct deposit for your benefit payments
-
Your alien registration number and the expiration date of your work authorization if you are not a U.S. citizen
-
Your personal identification number from any previous unemployment claim if you have one
Read the article Applying for Unemployment to learn how to apply for benefits.
It is best to apply in your first week of unemployment, but you should register with Michigan Works! before you claim your first week of benefits.
After you apply for unemployment, the UIA will decide if you are eligible and if you qualify for benefits.
Also Check: Www Tn Gov Workforce Howtofileui
Michigan And Ohio Have Issued New Unemployment Rules Relating To Covid
- Industry Alerts
On March 16, 2020, Michigans Governor issued Executive Order 2020-10 available here. The Michigan Executive Order provides that, effective immediately and through April 14, 2020 at 11:59 pm, Michigan employees will be permitted to collect unemployment insurance benefits for certain COVID-19 related layoffs or absences.
- Employees will be permitted to collect unemployment if:
- They are self-isolating or self-quarantining as a result of COVID-19 due to being immunocompromised, displaying the symptoms of COVID-19, having contact in the last 14 days with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, the need to care for someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, or a family care responsibility as a result of a governmental directive or
- They are deemed laid off or unemployed as a result of COVID-19 because of self-isolation or self-quarantine . . . due to being immunocompromised, displaying the symptoms of COVID-19, having contact in the last 14 days with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, the need to care for someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, or a family care responsibility as a result of a governmental directive.
Ial Unemployment Eligibility In Michigan
Even if your employer has you work fewer days or hours and doesn’t let you go entirely, you can still get partial unemployment benefits in Michigan to help make up for your lost earnings. You’ll need to first meet the standard requirements for unemployment when it comes to your ability to work, work history and the reason for reduced hours. However, the federal guidelines stemming from the pandemic can offer some flexibility. Partial unemployment eligibility in Michigan will also depend on how much money you make each week while trying to claim benefits.
Also Check: Myflorida Flccid
How Much Does Michigan Unemployment Pay
Justin Winslow, president and CEO of the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association, agreed that the additional unemployment payment was necessary in the early stages of the pandemic, when tens of thousands of hospitality workers were out of work. The PUA provides unemployment benefits to those who are not typically eligible for them, including the self-employed and those who work for others. The Michigan Tradesmens Association favors cutting off the additional unemployment benefit earlier because businesses are struggling to find enough workers after they returned to full capacity Tuesday. The extra payment comes from an extension of the COVID-19 federal aid package approved in December.
Workers who were on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation remain off the hook for the time being. PEUC provides an additional 11 weeks of benefits for those who have exhausted regular state unemployment benefits.
References:
Do You Meet The Minimum Earnings Requirement
Like every state, Michigan looks at your recent work history and earnings during a one-year “base period” to determine your eligibility for unemployment. . In Michigan, as in most states, the base period is the earliest four of the five complete calendar quarters before you filed your benefits claim. For example, if you file your claim in December of 2019, the base period would be from July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2019.
To qualify for benefits in Michigan, you must have earned wages in at least two quarters of the base period. In addition, you must meet one of the following two requirements:
- You must have earned at least $3,667 during one quarter of the base period, and your earnings during the base period must be at least 1.5 times your wages in the highest paid quarter
- You must have earned at least 20 times the state’s minimum wage during the entire base period.
Don’t Miss: Ways To Make Money When Unemployed
Michigans Eligibility Rules For Receiving Unemployment Insurance Are Too Restrictive And Leave Too Many Workers Behind
Michigan Has the Lowest Unemployment Insurance Coverage in the Midwest
Covered employment is defined as the number of employees who are covered by the UI system should they become unemployed, as reported to the state UI agency by employers. As a percent of the total labor force, Michigans covered only 72% of employed workers during the fourth quarter of 2020, falling far short of the other seven Midwestern states, six of which cover more than 80% of their workers.
Michigans Wage Eligibility Level is Among the Most Prohibitive in the Midwest
Michigans lower UI coverage relative to the rest of the Midwest may be due in part to its higher base period and high quarter wage eligibility levels. The base period is the time period during which wages determine eligibility for UI benefits, usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters preceding the filing of the claim. The high quarter is the quarter with the highest earnings within the base period.
Michigan policies make it easy for employers to misclassify workers or misreport their earnings and leave them out of the Unemployment Insurance system
The Michigan Legislature must update the UI laws to respond to the new reality that many individuals work for employers that do not classify them as employees. To ensure proper classification, Michigan should develop an ABC test similar to that adopted by California and 15 other states in which workers are considered employees unless they:
RECOMMENDATIONS
What Is Minimum Wage In Virginia
Minimum wage workers in Virginia are making about 27 percent more now that a state-mandated increase has taken effect. The minimum wage in the commonwealth increased Saturday from the federally mandated minimum of $7.25 an hour to $9.50. The May 1 increase is part of a state law passed last year.2 mai 2021
Don’t Miss: How To Make Money While Unemployed
Are You Available And Actively Searching For Work
To keep collecting unemployment benefits, you must be able to work, available to work, and looking for employment. If you’re offered a suitable position, you must accept it.
Whether a position is suitable depends on how similar the job is to your previous employment, how much you will be paid, the working conditions, and the skills, experience, and training required for the position. Once you have collected half of the benefits available to you, you will be required to expand your search and accept work outside your past work experience. You will be required to accept a job if the pay is average for similar work in your area, at least the state minimum wage, and at least 120% of your benefit amount.
You must engage in a sustained and systematic effort to find new work, and you must submit a detailed monthly record of your job contacts and work search activities. You may also have to appear for an evaluation of your continued eligibility to receive benefits.
Learn The Rules For Unemployment Eligibility Benefit Amounts And More In Michigan
By Lisa Guerin, J.D.
If you are out of work, you might be eligible for unemployment benefits. Unemployment compensation is available to those who are temporarily out of work, without fault on their parts. The basic structure of the unemployment system is the same from state to state. However, each state sets its own rules for eligibility, benefit amounts, filing procedures, and more. This article explains how unemployment benefits work in Michigan.
You May Like: Pa Unemployment Ticket Number Tracker
Top Credit Card Wipes Out Interest Into 2023
If you have credit card debt, transferring it to this top balance transfer card secures you a 0% intro APR into 2023! Plus, youll pay no annual fee. Those are just a few reasons why our experts rate this card as a top pick to help get control of your debt. Read The Ascent’s full review for free and apply in just 2 minutes.
Expanded Unemployment Benefits Under The Cares Act
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act included a section that expanded unemployment benefits by an additional $600 per week on top of the benefit offered by states. This provision is being rolled out on a state by state basis, however, the benefit is retroactive to April 5, 2020.
The additional $600 weekly benefit brings the state and federal unemployment benefits up to an average of the median weekly wage in the United States. However, because the expanded benefits are being offered to everyone on
Recommended Reading: How Do I Sign Up For Unemployment In Tn
Do You Need Legal Advice About Your Unemployment Benefits
If you have a question about whether or not you are eligible for unemployment benefits, or if you feel you have been wrongly denied, you may be able to get help from the Counsel and Advocacy Law Line. This is a free legal aid hotline. To find out if they can help you, apply online or call 1-888-783-8190 Monday – Thursday, 9am – 5pm, or Friday, 9am – 1pm.
One Email A Day Could Help You Save Thousands
Tips and tricks from the experts delivered straight to your inbox that could help you save thousands of dollars. Sign up now for free access to our Personal Finance Boot Camp.
By submitting your email address, you consent to us sending you money tips along with products and services that we think might interest you. You can unsubscribe at any time. Please read our Privacy Statement and Terms & Conditions.
You May Like: How To Win An Unemployment Appeal In Massachusetts
