How employers feel about unemployment work-search rule being put back in place

LANSING, Mich. – Starting May 30, Michigan residents on unemployment will need to start looking for work to keep getting benefits.

Officials hope the change will help fill thousands of open positions that are available across Metro Detroit.

All seven of the state’s Republican U.S. House members wrote a letter to Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Monday urging a halt to the extra payment, which is on top of maximum state benefits of $362 per week.

They said the benefits incentivize people who are unemployed to not return to work. The work-search requirement was waived starting in March 2020. Claimants will have to conduct at least one work-search activity for each week they certify for benefits.

READ: Michiganders on unemployment will be required to prove they’re actively searching for work to keep benefits

Watch the video above for the full report.


Michigan’s acting Unemployment Insurance Agency director answers questions

Liza Estlund Olson was brought in to make major changes to Michigan’s unemployment system.

In her first interview with Local 4 she spoke to Consumer Investigator Hank Winchester about what’s being done and the issues that many Michiganders on unemployment still face.

Click here to learn more.


About the Authors:

Hank Winchester is Local 4’s Consumer Investigative Reporter and the head of WDIV’s “Help Me Hank” Consumer Unit. Hank works to solve consumer complaints, reveal important recalls and track down thieves who have ripped off people in our community.

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.