By Mike Kruzman & Jon King / news@whmi.com


Two local lawmakers are trying to hold the Unemployment Insurance Agency responsible for allegedly hiding a critical error from residents.

State Representative Ann Bollin of Brighton Township said that Michigan residents deserve to hear why the UIA hid an error revealed by the federal government that multiple state qualification requirements were not in compliance with federal law. Roughly 700,000 Michiganders who had received unemployment benefits were notified in June that they would need to fill out additional paperwork to determine if they were truly eligible for the benefits they received.

A release from Bollin’s office states that the UIA knew this as early as January 6th and withheld it from residents for 6 months. Bollin said, of the UIA, that it is a "dysfunctional department (that) has done nothing but add to people’s problems,” She said that keeping their mistake secret for six months was unacceptable and that they are going to get residents who have been affected the answers they deserve.

Also speaking out is State Rep. Bob Bezotte of Marion Township. The lack of transparency as to what was going on is completely unacceptable. Many people I have talked to over the past year were put out of work through no fault of their own and had to struggle with the agency to get their benefit claims fulfilled. I can only imagine the stress and anxiety that people were caused when they opened a letter from the agency saying they may owe back tens of thousands of dollars. And the agency just dropped it on them."

Several residents testified last week before the House Oversight Committee about the amount of money that the UIA has indicated they may have to repay. UIA Director Liza Olson has been asked to explain the decision-making in regards to the mistake to the committee this week. Bollin is a co-sponsor of House Bill 5265 that would keep recipients from having to reimburse the UIA for their mistake.

In late July, Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued a release, essentially agreeing, stating that “No one who followed the rules and received benefits through no fault of their own should have to pay back money to the federal government.”