JULIA DALE

Related: Michigan erases $431M in pandemic unemployment overpaymentsWaivers issued earlier this month erased overpayments for 55,000 people caught in an agency mistake. Overpaid claimants who provided the Michigan UIA with gross earnings instead of net earnings will be the group to get waivers. “We are aware that there are issues related to gross versus net income calculations on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance weekly benefit amounts,” Dale said. To date, more than $4.3 billion in overpayments have been waived for 400,000 Michigan unemployment recipients with likely thousands more still waiting. More on MLive:Michigan can waive more unemployment bills under new federal guidanceMichigan unemployment agency unlawfully demanded money back, class-action lawsuit saysWhitmer signs bill to pour $140M into Michigan unemployment fund

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency announced Wednesday it will not require more than 55,000 claimants to pay back $431 million in overpayments of federal pandemic benefits.

More than 55,000 Michiganders will not have to pay back a total of $431 million in pandemic unemployment benefits that was improperly awarded to them, the state announced.

LANSING, MI — Michigan officials are still working to issue waivers to people who were asked to repay their pandemic unemployment benefits. “It’s been a heavy lift under our current system to identify who would qualify for waivers,” Dale told legislators on April 13. In the coming weeks, we will continue to work out the additional population groups for waivers,” Dale said. Collections on pandemic unemployment overpayments have been temporarily halted while state officials determined who is eligible for a waiver. More on MLive:Michigan pauses collections on pandemic unemployment overpayments until MayMichigan can waive more unemployment bills under new federal guidanceMichigan unemployment agency unlawfully demanded money back, class-action lawsuit saysMichiganders are still facing steep bills from an unemployment agency error.

The U.S. Department of Labor issued new guidance Monday for states seeking to erase bills for people who were asked to pay their unemployment benefits back. About 530,000 Michigan unemployment claimants have since been told they owe the money back. Related: Michiganders are still facing steep bills from an unemployment agency error. The Michigan UIA recently joined the National Association of Workforce Agencies in asking for federal legislation that allows states to waive non-fraudulent pandemic overpayments. More on MLive:Michigan lawmakers grill unemployment agency over report finding $8.5B in fraudulent payoutsMichigan Unemployment agency paid out $3.9 billion in improper benefits to ineligible claimants, audit saysTruthful unemployment claimants won’t have to repay benefits despite Michigan error, Whitmer says

Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) Director Julia Dale took over the position in October 2021.

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) has been riddled with big problems since the start of the pandemic.

Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) Director Julia Dale took over the position in October 2021.

Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) Director Julia Dale took over the position in October 2021.

Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) Director Julia Dale took over the position in October 2021.

LANSING, MI — Republican lawmakers hammered leaders from the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Thursday over a report released last year that found the department paid out $8.5 billion in fraudulent benefits from March 1, 2020, to Sept. 30, 2021. Several lawmakers noted that Dale was not director of the agency at the time that the billions in fraudulent payments were distributed. Michigan’s former Unemployment Insurance Agency Director Steve Gray was given $85,872 in a separation agreement signed in November 2020 to resign after Republican lawmakers called on him to be fired. HB 5550 would require monthly online posting of the amount in the unemployment trust fund, which is supported by taxes on Michigan employers. Sen. Jeff Irwin, D-Ann Arbor, disagreed that the department is trying to embellish the state of its agency.

Other states have reported similar losses. Ohio reported it paid out more than $3.8 billion in fraudulent jobless aid. California has paid out at least $20 billion.

Michigan likely paid about $8.5 billion in fraudulent unemployment benefits over a 19-month period during the coronavirus pandemic, far more than previously estimated, according to a report released by the state.

Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer replaced the acting director of Michigan's Unemployment Insurance Agency on Oct. 25 following months of scrutiny from Republican lawmakers.

Eleven months after Steve Gray resigned as Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency director, Gov. Julia Dale is the new UIA director, Whitmer announced in a news release on Monday, Oct. 25. Michigan’s unemployment agency has been under fire since early 2020 as it struggled to pay record numbers of claimants who were unemployed because of the pandemic. Julia Dale is Michigan's new Unemployment Insurance Agency director. RELATED STORIESUnemployment ends for more than 400,000 Michiganders Sept. 4Michigan’s unemployment agency director got $86,000 to leave job, on condition of confidentialityMichigan House urges resignation of acting state unemployment directorThe pandemic hit Michigan restaurants hard – here’s where it hit worst