Great Lakes Wire

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) in early February revealed that the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) broadened eligibility for waivers for Michigan workers who received Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA).

Whitmer met with USDOL Secretary Marty Walsh to discuss the need for waivers, according to a press release from her office. Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) Director Julia Dale also met with Richard Cesar, USDOL director of intergovernmental affairs, to push for waivers for workers across the state. 

"Michiganders should not be penalized for doing what was right at the time they applied for federal pandemic benefits," Whitmer said. "Coupled with the waivers we applied earlier, we are looking to help Michiganders who needed unemployment benefits to pay their bills, keep food on the table, and continue supporting small businesses. I look forward to working with our legislative partners to continue putting Michiganders first and keeping more money in their pockets."  

Last July, Michiganders received approximately 350,000 waivers from the UIA to ensure they were not required to repay federal pandemic assistance overpayments they received through no fault of their own, the press release said. 

"I appreciate Gov. Whitmer sharing the challenges Michiganders were facing and the need for broader overpayment waiver flexibility," Walsh said. "We're hopeful the guidance issued by DOL today will enable states like Michigan to prevent any further undue hardship for claimants." 

The UIA previously endorsed a letter sent to Congress by the National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA), calling on leaders to pass legislation to issue waivers for non-fraudulent, pandemic-related unemployment compensation overpayments, according to the press release. 

"This is an important next step in the UIA's proactive efforts to resolve outstanding issues for any Michigan claimant now being asked to repay benefits through no fault of their own," Dale said. "We appreciate the USDOL's swift action to provide much-needed relief through expanded waivers for Michigan workers who received federal pandemic unemployment benefits."