Fact Sheet 170 - Unemployment Insurance Agency Data Requests

UIA Data Requests

Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) information is confidential, but may be shared, by request, under specific circumstances. This Fact Sheet will provide you with the requirements and steps that should be followed in order to obtain such information.

There are four (4) types of information requests made to the UIA that can be provided to eligible requestors. They include requests for individual records; requests by Public Officials, Michigan Works! Agencies and Educational Institutions; requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA); and requests for data that may be provided from partner agencies such as Workforce Development Agency (WD) and Labor Market Information (LMI).

A. Requests for Individual Records

Who can request individual records?
Any person may request their own records or authorize the UIA to release his/her records to a third-party by submitting a completed Form UIA 6102, Authorization to Release Confidential Information.

How to request the information
Complete Form UIA 6102 - Authorization to Release Confidential Information.

The request must describe the record sufficiently to enable the UIA to locate the records. The requestor must provide his/her name, address and date of request and the authorization must be legibly signed by the individual whose records are being released.

Mail, email, or fax the completed form to:
Disclosure of information Coordinator
3024 W. Grand Blvd, Suite 12-100
Detroit, Michigan 48202
TIA-FOIA-UI@michigan.gov

Fax: 313-456-2733

Other types of records requests include:
(1) Worker’s compensation or other subpoenas
(2) Any matter to which an individual or employer is an interested party
(3) Housing or other benefits verifications

B. Request for Information by Public Officials & Educational Institutions

Who Can Request Information?
The UIA may make confidential information it collects available to any of the following requestors:

• Public Official
• Eligible Educational Institutions
• Michigan Works! Agency
• An agency of this state that is acting as a contractor or agent of a public official that is conducting research that assists the public official in carrying out the duties of the office

Definitions:

• A Public Official (includes an eligible educational institution and a Michigan Works! Agency) means, in part, an official, agency, or public entity within the executive branch of Federal, State, or local government who has responsibility for administering or enforcing a law, or an elected official in the Federal, State, or local government. See 20 CFR §603.2 for additional information.
• Eligible Educational Institution means a public community or junior college established under section 7 of article VIII of the State Constitution of 1963 or part 25 of the Revised School Code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1601 to 380.1607, or a state university described in section 4, 5, or 6 of article VIII of the State Constitution of 1963.
• Michigan Works! Agency means an entity described in section 17(a) or (d) of the Michigan Works One-Stop Service Center System Act, 2006 PA 491, MCL 408.127.
• Independent Educational Institution means an independent nonprofit college or university located in this state.

Statutory Purposes for the Request:
The statute, MCL 420.11(1)(b)(viii), sets forth the following purposes for which a requestor, as identified above, must meet for a valid request to be evaluated:

• Research projects of a public service nature
• Course, program or training program planning, improvement, or evaluation
• Grant application or evaluation
• Institutional or program accreditation
• Economic development or workforce research
• Award eligibility
• Federal or state mandated reporting

Specifically, a request under this section will contain the following: (1) a complete statement as to the nature of the information requested; (2) the public service objective for which the request has been made; (3) the prospective use of the information, and the manner in which it will be made public. Mich. Admin. Code R. 421.10.

Before information can be released, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) must be signed between the requestor and UIA. The MOU will describe the security requirements for the receipt, maintenance and destruction of UIA data. The duration of a MOU may be up to 3 years and renewable for an additional two years in one-year increments, upon
written approval of UIA. Any requestor and any person having access to UIA’s confidential information under the MOU
will be required to sign a confidentiality agreement prior to obtaining access to UIA’s confidential information. A willful breach of the MOU may result in criminal penalties under MCL 421.54(f).

Requesting and Processing Information Requests

Data request forms are available online at www.michigan.gov/uia, under Tools & Resources, Forms. Select the appropriate form for the request type and submit the completed, signed request to:

Unemployment Insurance Data Requests
3024 W. Grand Blvd, Suite 12-100
Detroit, Michigan 48202

Email: LEO-UIAdatarequests@michigan.gov
Fax: 313-456-2733

You will receive a confirmation letter that your request was received. Once your request is reviewed, you will receive notice as to whether your request was approved or denied. If approved, a cost estimate will be provided, and you will receive a tentative agreement. After the agreement has been approved and fully executed, you will be invoiced for the requested data. Upon receipt of payment, the data request and transfer will be executed. You will need to ensure that all legal and technical requirements for your entity have been addressed prior to the transfer.

Types of Information Available

UIA may disclose:

• An individual’s name
• Gross Quarterly Wages
• The name, address, and federal and state employer identification number of the individual’s employer
• Whether an individual is receiving, has received, or has applied for unemployment benefits
• The amount of unemployment benefits the individual is receiving or is entitled to receive
• An individual’s current and most recent home addresses

Information disclosed not be used in any action or proceeding before any court or administrative tribunal unless UIA is a party in the action or proceeding.

Independent Educational Institutions
UIA is unable to release confidential information to an independent educational institution. UIA, at the request of an independent educational institution, will perform data analyses and provide the results to the institution. Before any analysis is performed, a requestor must sign a MOU with UIA. Any data analyses must be of such a nature that no confidential information can be identified.

Cost for Processing Requests of Disclosure of Information
Requestors are required to reimburse UIA for the cost of providing the requested data. UIA will make all efforts to minimize your cost; however, costs will vary depending on the complexity and size of the request. If requestors are able to provide the SSN’s for individuals for whom they are requesting data, costs are greatly minimized. Other costs that must be reimbursed by the requestor include data transfer fees and audit costs,. UIA will decide the feasibility of supplying data based on the staff time available and the current workload. See Mich. Admin. Code R. 421.10(6).

Penalties for Violating the Data Security or Confidentiality Requirements
If the data security or confidentiality requirements of the MOU are violated, the agreement must be terminated immediately, and the requestor may be subject to penalties equivalent to those that would apply under Section 54(f) Michigan Employment Security (MES) Act.

The violator may be found guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days or a fine of not more than $1,000.00, or both.

Section 54(f) of the MES Act mandates that the public official or employee who executed a confidentiality agreement guaranteeing that the information would not be disclosed would also be subject to these penalties. These penalties may apply to a person associated with a community college or workforce development agency in addition to the already included parties.

C. Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Policies and Procedures

Who can request information under the FOIA?

Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231 et seq, provides that certain persons can receive copies or make inspections of most public records of public bodies upon a written request.

Requirements and Processing for Submitting FOIA Requests:

How to Request Information under FOIA
FOIA requests can be submitted by fax, email or mail to:
FAX: (313) 456-2733
Email: TIA-FOIA-UI@michigan.gov

Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency Attn. FOIA Coordinator 3024 W. Grand Blvd., Suite 12-100 Detroit, Michigan 48202

View the Agency’s written procedure and guidelines.

D. Labor Market Information (LMI)

The Bureau of Labor Market Information and Strategic Initiatives (LMISI) is the official source for high quality demographic and labor market information for the State of Michigan and its regions. It administers the state’s federal-state cooperative programs with the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Census Bureau and produce high-quality information and analysis through grants from the U.S. Department of Labor and from partner agencies in the state of Michigan. LMI provides partners from the federal, state and local partners and customers with accurate, objective, reliable, timely, accessible, and transparent information and insights. Visit www.milmi.org.

Updated 12-2019