File for Unemployment in Michigan

If you have lost your job, one of the first things you should do is file for unemployment benefits. If you remain unemployed for months, a weekly check can be the difference between paying important bills and potentially losing your home or having the power turned off. And because you need to have made a certain minimum amount of money in the past year and a half to qualify, the longer you wait to file, the less likely you are to receive benefits. Even if you get a job quickly, there is no reason not to collect benefits while you can. To file for unemployment benefits in the state of Michigan, you will want to gather the necessary information about your employers and wages, check to make sure you qualify and what your benefits will be, and then file either online or by phone.

Steps

Gathering the Necessary Information

1. Use the form UIA 1538 to help gather the necessary information. This form, provided by the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) will help you to collect all the information you need in one place. You can a fillable PDF with spaces for all the necessary information at https://www.michigan.gov/documents/uia_1538_81121_7.pdf.
   • NOTE: This form is for your own records, to help you gather the necessary information so that you can fill out you application more easily. Do not submit this form to the Unemployment Insurance Agency.
2. Make sure you have your social security number and license or state ID. If filing online, you only need to enter the numbers, which are necessary both to confirm your identity and so that the UIA can be sure you have not filed for unemployment benefits simultaneously in another state. If you file in person at a Problem Resolution Office, you will need to have your social security card and driver's license with you.
3. Be prepared to provide your contact information. You will need to provide a mailing address where information about your claim can be sent, as well as a phone number where UIA staff can contact you. If you do not have a phone, you will need a number where UIA staff can leave a message.
4. Have your bank information on hand if you opt for direct deposit. If you have no bank account, you can have your benefits sent directly to a debit card issued by the UIA. If you do have a bank, you can get the debit card or choose to have your benefits deposited directly into your account. If you decide to have your money direct deposited, you will need:
   • The ABA check routing number: a 9-digit code, it is the first number listed at the bottom of your checks.
   • You bank account number: the number at the bottom of your check that follows the routing number. Be sure not to include the check number, which typically follows the account number.
5. Locate your Alien Registration Number if not a citizen or national. If you are not a citizen or national of the United States, you will need your registration number along with the expiration date on you alien ID or immigration documents in order to register for unemployment.
6. Make a list of all your employment and wages for the past 18 months. The UIA will use your employment information to calculate your eligibility and your benefits, which are based on the gross wages paid you in the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters preceding the Sunday of the week in which you file your claim. Quarters run from January 1 to March 31, April 1 to June 30, July 1 to September 30, and October 1 to December 31. If possible, collect W-2 forms from the last 18 months; they contain your employer’s Federal Employer Identification Number, which will speed the process. In addition, for each employer you will need:
   • Employer’s name and payroll address
   • Beginning and end dates of employment
   • Quarterly gross earnings for you most recent period of continuous employment with them
   • Wages that do not count towards benefits include: minors working limited hours during school or during the summer; wages of legislators, judges, and elected officials; wages earned while working for a church, unless that church has elected to have coverage; and self-employment or work directly for a spouse.

Making Sure You Qualify

1. Make sure you are actively seeking employment. To be eligible for unemployment benefits you must not only be unemployed, you must also be actively seeking suitable full-time work. This means searching for work with at least 2 different employers every week. You must submit a record of your work search at least once a month online at http://www.michigan.gov/uia or by mail, fax, or in person using form UIA 1583, available at https://www.michigan.gov/documents/uia/1583_268058_7.pdf. Your records should include:
   • The name of the employers where work was sought, or the name of the search engine or employment agency used.
   • The online or physical location of the employers.
   • The dates on which work was sought.
   • The method used to seek work with each employer.
2. Double check your eligibility if you have recently received benefits. If you have received unemployment benefits within the last year and a half, then to be eligible for a renewal of benefits:
   • You must have worked after your prior benefit year began.
   • Over the course of this work, you must have been paid at least five times the last weekly benefit amount that was in effect.
3. Determine the base period for calculating your wages. Qualifying wages typically come from the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to when you filed your claim. If you cannot qualify based on this standard base period, the UIA will use your wages in the four most recently completed quarters as an alternate base period.
   • For example, if you filed for benefits on October 15, 2015, the five most recently completed quarters would be: July – September 2015; April – June 2015; January – March 2015; October – December 2014; and July – September 2014.
   • The standard base period in this example includes: April – June 2015; January – March 2015; October – December 2014; and July – September 2015.
   • The alternate base period includes: July – September 2015; April – June 2015; January – March 2015; and October – December 2014.
4. Check if your wages qualify under the regular qualifying method. In order to qualify for unemployment benefits, you must have earned certain minimum amounts.
   • You must have wages in at least two quarters of your base period.
   • In one quarter your gross wages from all employers must be at least $2,871.
   • Total wages for the four quarters of the base period must equal at least one and a half times the highest amount of wages paid in any quarter.
   • For example, using the base periods in the previous step, if you earned $3000 in the January – March 2015 quarter, you would need to have earned $3000 x 1.5 = $4500 over the course of all four quarters combined.
   • If you do not qualify using the standard base period, try the alternate base period. If you still do not qualify, try the Alternate Earnings Qualifier.
5. See if your wages qualify under the Alternate Earnings Qualifier (AEQ). If you earned a large wage in one quarter and significantly smaller wages in the other quarters, so that your total earnings are not 1.5 times your high quarter wage, you may still qualify under the Alternate Earnings Qualifier.
   • You must have wages in at least two quarters.
   • Total wages for all four quarters must be at least 20 times the state average weekly wage (SAWW). For 2015, the AEQ amount is $18,214.20 [20 x $910.71 (SAWW) = $18,214.20]. You can find the SAWW chart for all years at https://www.michigan.gov/documents/wca/wca_averge-weekly-wage_chart_477569_7.pdf.
   • For example, if you earned wages in only two quarters – $12,900 in one and $5,500 in another – you would not be eligible under the regular qualifying method, because $12,900 x 1.5 = $19,350, and $12,900 + $5,500 = $18,400, which is smaller than $19,350.
   • However, in this example you would be still be eligible for benefits, because $18,400 is larger than $18,214.20, the minimum amount required to qualify under the AEQ.
   • Remember: if you don’t qualify under the AEQ during the standard base period, see if you qualify during the alternate base period.

Filing Online or by Phone

1. File online at https://miwam.unemployment.state.mi.us/. You will have to register for an account with MiWAM (Michigan Web Account Manager). You will then enter the necessary information to file your claim online. After receiving your claim, you can sign up to continue communicating with the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) through your online account.
   • If you do not have a computer, you can access one for free at you local public library.
2. Call 1-866-500-0017 to file by phone. You can call anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on Thursday or Friday, but on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, you will need to call during specific time windows based on the last two digits of your social security number:
   • 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
     • Monday: 00-15 (last two digits of SSN)
     • Tuesday: 34-48
     • Wednesday: 67-81
   • 12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
     • Monday: 16-33
     • Tuesday: 49-66
     • Wednesday: 82-99
3. Certify your eligibility via phone or internet every other week. Once you qualify for benefits, you must certify that you are both still unemployed and still seeking employment on a bi-weekly basis. You can do so either by calling the MARVIN automated system at 1-866-638-3993, or through your online account.
4. Visit a Problem Resolution Center (PRO) for help with your claim. If you are having a problem filing online or by phone, you can visit one of the resolution centers located around the state. For hours and addresses, consult www.michigan.gov.
   • Permanent center locations: Detroit, Gaylord, Grand Rapids, Hancock, Lansing, Marquette, and Saginaw
   • Temporary center locations: Alpena, Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo, Mt. Clemens, Muskegon, Ontonagon, Sault Ste. Marie, and Traverse City

Calculating Your Benefits

1. Double check the benefit amount on your monetary determination. The Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) will send you a benefit form to tell you if your claim has been accepted. If so, the form will include your benefit rate and the number of weeks payable. Check these figures for accuracy to be sure you are getting all the money you deserve.
2. Multiply your high quarter wages by 4.1%. This will be your base weekly benefit amount. The maximum weekly benefit is $362.
   • For example, if you earned $4,500 during your highest earning quarter, then $4,500 x .041 = $184.5, which rounded up is $185. This would be your weekly benefit.
   • If you earned $10,000 during your highest quarter, then $4,500 x .041 = $410. This is more than the max of $362, so your weekly benefit would be $362.
3. Add $6 per dependent for up to 5 dependents. This money is added to your weekly benefit, but the maximum amount still cannot exceed $362.
   • For example, if you earned $4,500 as above and had 3 dependents, then your weekly benefit would be $6 x 3 (# of dependents) = $18, plus your $185 base benefit, for a total weekly benefit of $18 + $185 = $203.
4. Calculate the number of weeks of benefits. Take 43% of your total gross wages over the entire base period, and divide the result by your weekly benefit amount, then round down to the next lower ½ number. This will yield your benefit period, although regardless of this calculation, the minimum number of weeks is 14 and the maximum is 20.
   • For example, let’s say you earned $4,500 in your highest quarter and $12,500 over the entire base period.
   • 43% (.43) x $12,500 = $5,375.
   • $5,375 ÷ $185 (weekly benefit) = 29.05.
   • Rounding gives us 29 weeks. However, since the maximum is 20 weeks, that is how long you will receive benefits.
5. Protest your determination if necessary. If you believe your benefit amount or term is not accurate, you can file a protest. If you filed your claim online, you can login to your account and file a protest. If you filed by phone, call 1-866-500-0017 to protest. Alternately, you can visit a Problem Resolution Center to get help with your protest. For hours and addresses, consult www.michigan.gov.

Related Articles

• Get Unemployment in New York
• Help an Unemployed Person

Sources and Citations

See also

• Stay Busy at Work
• Verbally Give Two Weeks' Notice
• Give Two Weeks' Notice
• Quit a Job
• Write a Resignation Letter
• Change Jobs
• Calculate California Unemployment
• Live Outside
• Write a Two Weeks Notice
• Quit Your Job Graciously

Read more ...

What links here

• Help an Unemployed Person