Deadline is Monday to return forms in lawsuit against UIA

Claimants wrongly accused of fraud have until Aug. 19 to join Bauserman class action

Time is running out for Michiganders seeking to qualify for a class action lawsuit that contends the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) wrongly accused some claimants of falsely receiving unemployment benefits from 2013-15.

Monday, Aug. 19, is final day for potential members in the Bauserman v UIA class action lawsuit to return a properly signed release to Analytics Consulting, the settlement’s independent Claims Administrator. Those who fail to return a release may lose their right to payment from the $20 million lawsuit settlement approved by the Michigan Court of Claims in January 2023.

Here's where to find information about the lawsuit:

• Analytics Consulting will answer questions about the signed release. Claimants can call 1-833-438-5028 or email info@UIAClassAction.com.
• UIAClassAction.com, a website set up by Analytics Consulting with information about the case.
• A link can also be found on the Claimant Homepage of the UIA’s public website at Michigan.gov/UIA.

The settlement is the result of a lawsuit filed on behalf of Michiganders who experienced wrongful collection activities, wage garnishments, or tax return intercepts after an automated adjudication process from Oct. 1, 2013, to Aug. 31, 2015, by the UIA's Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) computer system erroneously determined some claimants committed fraud.

The UIA is leading the effort to resolve the long-standing case. Planning is underway to replace MiWAM, installed more than a decade ago, with a modern, user-friendly interface called MiUI. The new computer system will use the latest technology to ease claims filing by workers and tax payments by employers. MiUI will enhance the overall user experience and feature robust anti-fraud processes to stop bad actors who try to steal taxpayer money, ensuring a more secure and efficient system for all users.

Creating solutions for Michigan’s workers

The Bauserman class action settlement is one of many ways UIA is moving beyond issues of the past to focus on developing impactful resources for workers who have lost a job though no fault of their own. Thoe resources include:

• The UIA Claimant Roadmap is a six-step guide to applying for and understanding benefits. The roadmap is an easy-to-follow, user-friendly resource that can be found at Michigan.gov/UIAClaimantRoadmap.
• Online Coaching Sessions, which are web-based group tutorials led by UIA staff. The First-time Filer Coaching Session explains the steps needed to complete an accurate application for benefits. The Understanding Your Monetary Determination Letter Coaching Session walks workers through correspondence that explains whether benefits have been approved or denied.
• The UIA Community Connect program provides hands-on help for workers navigating the unemployment insurance application process. Ten UIA staff are assigned to regions across Michigan to connect workers and employers to UIA’s outreach and education resources.
• The Advocacy Program has added six new advocates who can give free legal advice to workers who appeal UIA redeterminations.
• The UIA Economic Dashboard provides granular data about underlying trends in unemployment insurance in Michigan and a rich understanding of the impacts of unemployment across industries, occupations, and communities. It also highlights which sectors are experiencing layoffs, claimant demographics, and the regions most affected. You can take a deep dive into the data at Michigan.gov/UIAEconomicDashboard.

Modernizing, transforming the UIA

Since being named by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in October 2021 to lead the UIA, Director Dale – the agency's 11th director in as many years – has launched numerous innovations to modernize the agency and create a national model for fast, fair, and fraud-free service, including:

• Renovating five UIA Local Offices in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Saginaw, and Sterling Heights to improve the user experience and make security upgrades.
• Expanding to 14 days the window to schedule appointments. Go to Schedule an Appointment page at Michigan.gov/UIA to make a phone, virtual, or in-person appointment at one of 12 Local Offices.
• Forming a coalition of thought leaders from the labor, business, and jobless advocate communities as part of the UIA Modernization Workgroup to provide insight on significant improvements in how the agency can better serve Michigan workers and employers.
• Launching the Employer Help Center, a plain language guide answers employers’ questions on unemployment tax and claim issues and UIA programs. The innovative Help Center can be found at Michigan.gov/UIAEmployerHelpCenter.
• Creating a Legal and Compliance Bureau to leverage collaborative anti-fraud practices to pursue bad actors who steal taxpayer money.
• Extending through 2024 nearly 80 limited term employees in the Fraud and Investigations Division.
• Requiring new ethics and security clearance policies for employees and contractors.
• Partnering with the Michigan Department of Attorney General, and local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to stop fraud. Since March 2020, 162 criminals have been charged with unemployment fraud, 91 have been convicted, and 72 sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution.
• Receiving top scores for the past four years from the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), meeting quality benchmarks for employer audits from 2020-23.
• 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 $2.7 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.

Need help or have questions about a claim?

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

Chat with an agent: Log into your MiWAM account Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Call Customer Service: 1-866-500-0017, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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

Find answers: View FAQs, videos, toolkits, and other resources at Michigan.gov/UIA.