Fact Sheet 128 - Waiver of UI Eligibility Requirements for Those in Approved Vocational Training

An unemployed worker collecting unemployment insurance benefits is normally required to be available for full-time, suitable work and seeking work every week the worker is claiming benefits, and the worker must not refuse an offer of suitable work.

Because it is important for many unemployed workers to be retrained, the law says that if a worker is making satisfactory progress in an approved vocational training program, the worker can continue to receive unemployment benefits (up to the maximum number of benefit weeks on the claim) even though the worker is not available.  A worker who is able to adjust school hours to seek and accept work, or who would drop out of school to accept work, is already meeting the eligibility requirements and would not need to receive a waiver of these requirements.

Requesting a waiver of UI eligibility requirements for those in training                                                      

A worker who is in a training or educational program approved by the Michigan Works! Agency (MWA) can request a waiver enabling the Talent Investment Agency, Unemployment Insurance (UI) will continue to pay unemployment benefits while the worker is in training.

MWA staff can provide the worker with a copy of the Request for Approval of Vocational Training Course for Waiver of Unemployment Insurance Eligibility Requirements (Form DLEG-BWT 311-S). Unemployed workers must complete Section A of the two-page form; and MWA staff complete the rest of the form, and send it to UI. UI will evaluate the waiver request and either approve or deny using Form UIA 1302, Notice of Determination.

If waiver is approved

If the training eligibility waiver is approved, the worker must file the Form UIA 1680, Certification of Participation in Approved Training by mail or fax, showing the school’s verification of the worker’s participation in addition to certifying eligibility every two weeks either online through MiWAM or by phone with MARVIN,

For further information

For general information about how to apply for training and the eligibility waiver, call Michigan Works! toll-free at 1-800-285-9675. To ask about claiming unemployment benefits while in training, call the Unemployment Insurance customer service line at 1-866-500-0017.