Workshare Program
Work Share Program
Michigan’s Work Share program allows employers to restart their business and bring employees back from unemployment. Employers can bring employees back with reduced hours - while employees collect partial unemployment benefits to make up a portion of the lost wages. Employers can also retain their current workforce and are given the flexibility to choose which of their employees are part of a Work Share plan.
Work Share Video
COVID-19 Work Share Program Requirements
Michigan's Work Share program eligibility requirements have been expanded through March 13, 2021.
- All liable employers can participate in the program.
- If business demand is down, employers participating in workshare can preserve their workforce while reducing hours and wages by 10 - 60%.
- Waived the length of time requirement that employers must be in business.
- Waived the requirement that employers have a current or positive balance with UIA.
- There is no minimum length of time that an individual must have worked for an employer to be included as part of a Work Share plan.
Work Share Requirements:
- Employers are given flexibility to organize which employees are in a Work Share plan.
- A plan must include a minimum of two employees and an employer can have multiple plans.
- Plans may be approved for a period of up to 52 consecutive weeks.
- Employee hours/wages may be reduced by a minimum of 10% up to a maximum 60%.
- Part-time employees are eligible, but Work Share does not apply to seasonal, temporary, or intermittent employment.
- Employer must obtain approval of any applicable collective bargaining unit representative.
- Employers participating in Work Share cannot modify employees fringe benefits.
How It Works
How It Works
With the Work Share program, a worker receives a reduced salary from an employer, but is given a percentage of their state unemployment benefits The reduction in work hours must result in an equivalent reduction in wages.
Example: If a worker’s weekly wages are $1,000, yet the employer needs to reduce their salary/hours by 30%. Under Work Share, their weekly salary would be $700 ($1,000 – 30% = $700). Plus 30% of their state unemployment benefits ($362 maximum x .30 = $108).
As businesses are reopened, Work Share can help employers bring back their employees from unemployment faster and allows employers to retain their workforce and avoid layoffs.
- Retaining Employees Example
- Restarting Business Example
Employer Webinars
Employers – Learn More About the Work Share program
These informative webinars are for employers interested in the Work Share program, a program that allows businesses to restart their business and bring employees back from unemployment. Employers can bring employees back with reduced hours, while employees collect partial unemployment benefits to make up a portion of the lost wages. The presentation is about 35 minutes. If you have questions after viewing the recorded webinar, please join an employer Q & A session to have your questions answered by a Work Share team member.
Full Employer Webinar Presentation (Power Point presentation)
Application Process
How to Apply
Employers may file an application online through the Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM).
For more information, call the Office of Employer Ombudsman at 1-855-484-2636.
Things to Know for Employers Experiencing a Temporary Shutdown
Things to know for Work Share employers experiencing a temporary shutdown
- A Work Share plan must be terminated if one or more employees are laid-off in an active Work Share Plan.
- When establishing a Work Share plan, employers provide assurance that they will not lay off participating employees during the effective period of the Work Share plan, or reduce participating employees' hours of work by more than the reduction percentage during the effective period of the shared-work plan. The Unemployment Insurance Agency can terminate a Work Share plan if the employer is not in compliance.
- To terminate a plan before the end date, log into MiWAM, find the specific Work Share plan, and click terminate.
- Once the employer’s operations resume, the employer can create a new Work Share Plan.
Work Share FAQ
- What is Work Share?
- How exactly does the program work?
- Where can an employer direct questions about Work Share?
- What are the costs associated with the Work Share program?
- Not every employee within the "affected unit" is a union member; can the unit still be approved for a Work Share plan?
- Can the union representative request a modification or termination of a Work Share plan?
- Why would a union member with seniority agree to reduced hours through Work Share when his/her job would be secure and an employee in his unit with less seniority would be laid off?
- What other responsibilities does an employer have after the plan is approved?
- Can an employee of an employer enrolled in Work Share participate if they have a part time job or another source of employment?
- Why should an employer consider using the Work Share program?
- Are there any requirements for employee participation?
- If an employer chooses Work Share, must he or she use it for their entire business?
- Can I lay off some of the workers participating in a Work Share plan and continue the plan with the remaining individuals?
- How long can my employees receive Work Share benefits?
- How does an employer sign up for the Work Share program?
- Should my application specify which employees will be participating in the Work Share program?
- How will I know if my Work Share plan is approved?
- How does an employer terminate their participation in the Work Share program?
- What are the requirements to receive Work Share benefits?
- How many employees are required for a Work Share plan?
- If an employee already has a regular unemployment claim on which the benefit year has not yet expired, does he or she have to apply for another claim under Work Share?
- What happens if an employee receives holiday, sick or vacation pay?
- Must hours of work be reduced equally for all employees?
- If you laid off employees, can you rehire them and then do Work Share? If so, how long do you have to wait?
- How many hours of work can be reduced in a Work Share plan?
- How does an employer legally conclude their participation in the Work Share program?
- Must an employee actively seek other work or accept other work while participating in Work Share?
- For those employers approved, will employees start receiving partial UI benefits when their hours were reduced or when the employee's application was accepted?
- How long does the Work Share program last?
- Can an employer enroll his employees in the Work Share program if they are behind in paying their unemployment insurance taxes?
- If an employer has union employees, must the union approve Work Share?
- Can an employer with multiple businesses enroll one business in Work Share and not the other?
- Will my participation in Work Share affect future Unemployment Insurance benefits?
- I was receiving a standard UI claim then I was recalled back to work and told that my employer was having me to participate with Work Share. Do I continue to certify my standard UI claim?
- What type of UI benefits will I get if I go on vacation for a week?
- Can I protest my Work Share claim or benefit amount?
- Can an employee enrolled in Work Share participate if they have a part time job or another source of employment?
- Must an employee actively seek other work or accept other work while participating in Work Share?
- What happens to my health, retirement or other benefits while my hours are reduced on Work Share?
- My employer was participating in the Work Share Program and subsequently completely laid off staff. What do I do?
- Who can I contact regarding my Work Share benefits?
- When will I receive my weekly Work Share amount?
- What do I do if my employer has been approved for Work Share?
- How will I receive my weekly Work Share amount?
- What happens if I am in a Union?
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