UIA office in Grand Rapids to close next week for renovations

Staff moving to temporary location to serve workers who need in-person help

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency’s (UIA) Local Office in Grand Rapids will close temporarily beginning Monday, May 6, 2024, for renovations that will create a welcoming atmosphere for Michiganders who seek face-to-face appointments for questions about their jobless claims.

While renovations are underway, UIA staff will serve workers in person at a temporary office co-located with the Department of Health and Human Services at 121 Martin Luther King Jr. Street SE, Grand Rapids. Renovations at the UIA’s Local Office at 3391 Plainfield NE, Ste. A, is expected to take two months.

Once renovations are complete, UIA staff will move back to their Plainfield office, which will have a reconfigured public area and security upgrades. The changes are part of the UIA’s focus on improving the customer experience and creating a national model for fast, fair, and fraud-free service.

Those needing help with their claim during the office closure can still schedule in-person appointments at the temporary location by clicking on the Schedule an Appointment link at Michigan.gov/UIA. Appointments can be scheduled up to 14 days in advance.

Workers who have already scheduled appointments will receive text reminders with the address of the temporary UIA office location.

The closures will not affect phone or virtual appointments with UIA staff, which can be scheduled online. You can also get answers by using the Chat With An Agent feature through the Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM), the Ask Ava chatbot at Michigan.gov/UIA, or by calling the Customer Service hotline at 1-866-500-0017 Monday through Friday during normal business hours.

Grand Rapids is the third of five UIA Local Offices undergoing renovations this year. The four other offices are Sterling Heights, Saginaw, Lansing, and Detroit. Renovations at the Sterling Heights office are nearly complete; Saginaw construction is progressing. The Lansing Local Office is expected to close temporarily in June (with staff moving to the Capital Area Michigan Works! office, 2110 South Cedar Street, Lansing) and the Detroit Local Office is expected to close temporarily in July (with staff moving to office space across the lobby in Cadillac Place, 3024 West Grand Boulevard, Detroit).

Helpful resources for workers

The Local Office renovations will improve the experience for workers who wish to speak directly with an agent. It’s among a number of wide-ranging modernization reforms aimed at helping workers navigate the application process. Other reforms include:

• The UIA Claimant Roadmap, which is an easy-to-follow, user-friendly six-step guide to applying for and understanding unemployment benefits. The roadmap can be accessed at Michigan.gov/UIAClaimantRoadmap.
• First-time filer coaching sessions use online group sessions to guide claimants through the steps needed to complete an application and qualify for payments.
• The Advocacy Program has added new advocates who provide free legal advice to workers and employers who appeal UIA determinations.
• Planning and design are under way for a new computer system that will be easy to use, speed claims processing, and build on the agency’s aggressive anti-fraud tactics. Expected to be fully operational in 2025, it will replace the decade-old MiWAM computer system used by workers to apply for benefits and employers to pay unemployment insurance taxes.

• The UIA Community Connect program embeds UIA staff in 10 regions across Michigan to provide hands-on expertise to workers about how to navigate the unemployment insurance application process. Liaisons also connect workers and employers to UIA’s outreach and education resources.
• The agency’s public website at Michigan.gov/UIA has been revamped to be more user-friendly and responsive for those accessing services using cell phones or tablets.

Transforming the UIA

Since being named to lead the UIA in October 2021 – the agency's 11th director in as many years – Director Julia Dale has launched a sweeping transformation of the agency to benefit workers and employers, including:

• Developing the innovative Employer Help Center, found at Michigan.gov/UIAEmployerHelpCenter. The plain language Help Center answers employers’ questions on unemployment tax and claim issues and UIA programs.
• Creating the UIA Modernization Workgroup, consisting of labor, business and jobless advocates to advise the UIA on significant improvements in how it can better serve Michigan workers and employers.
• Naming a Legal Advisor and creating the Legal and Compliance Bureau to leverage collaborative anti-fraud practices to pursue bad actors, in collaboration with the Michigan Attorney General’s office, and local, state and federal law enforcement. To date, 162 people have been charged, 91 convicted, and 71 sentenced.
• Scoring 100 percent for the third year in a row from the USDOL, meeting the reasonable assurance of quality benchmark for employer audits in 2022, 2021, and 2020.
• Reassigning staff and resources to address the largest categories of claims contributing to the agency’s case backlogs.
• Rebuilding the UI Trust Fund to more than $2.3 billion (and growing). Weekly benefits are paid to workers from the Trust Fund, which is supported by taxes on employers.
• Halting overpayment collections on claims filed since March 1, 2020, while the agency addresses pending protests and appeals. More than $13 million was refunded to workers since May 2022.
• Implementing new ethics and security clearance policies for employees and contractors.

Need help with a claim or have questions?

Meet with an agent: Schedule an in-person, phone, or virtual meeting at Michigan.gov/UIA.

Call Customer Service: 1-866-500-0017 during regular business hours.

Chat with Ava: Our chatbot can answer many questions at Michigan.gov/UIA.

Guidance for workers

• Follow the UIA Claimant Roadmap at Michigan.gov/UIAClaimantRoadmap.
• Schedule a First-time Filer Coaching Session.

Guidance for employers

• Go to the Employer Help Center at Michigan.gov/UIAEmployerHelpCenter.