Genesee News

Michigan Representative Rodney Wakeman (R-Dist. 94) recently criticized the state's Unemployment Insurance Agency for poor service.

Wakeman pointed out several issues including late payments and poor phone customer service in a release on the Michigan House Republicans website.

"Anyone who has never had an encounter with the agency should consider themselves very fortunate," Wakeman said in the release. "Hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents have simply lost their patience with the UIA system—and for good reason. Over the past four months, I have received countless emails and phone calls from Saginaw County residents who were approved for unemployment benefits, but have not received them."

While it's understandable that the agency struggled with the workload that a sudden worldwide pandemic and millions of unemployment claims presented, the UIA's resistance to assistance is unacceptable, Wakeman said in the release. The UIA didn't ask the Legislature or any other potential resources for help with the massive unemployment wave, insisting that its own plans were adequate to manage the demand. When the UIA realized its own need, it asked for and received a $30 million allocation from the government for 500 temporary employees, but the additional help has not boosted the agency's productivity.

Additionally, the UIA disbursed $8.2 million in duplicate payments to 3,000 recipients, while 100,000 others are still waiting on an eligibility decision.

"As if it couldn’t get any worse, UIA has been misleading in its public comments about how many cases have been resolved," Wakeman continued in the release. "Although the agency claims it has resolved all unemployment cases that were submitted before May 1, several residents who have contacted my office ... tell me otherwise."

In a time when Michigan residents are hurting, desperate and anxious, the UIA has done a subpar job on delivering aid, Wakeman said, noting also that multiple information requests from his office to the UIA have gone unanswered.

"The reservoir of patience has run dry, and the people of Michigan deserve answers from UIA," Wakeman concluded. "I urge Saginaw County residents who are still having issues receiving benefits to contact my office at (517) 373-0837 or RodneyWakeman@house.migov. My team and I will not stop following up with UIA until every case is resolved. We will get through these frustrating and challenging times together."