The following report is from Fox 17 West Michigan:
A state representative is launching an investigation into Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency after the UIA wrongfully added qualifying reasons to unemployment applications.
The state said it never got approval from the U.S. Department of Labor, and now hundreds of thousands of claimants have to re-certify.
The unfortunate thing is this isn’t the first mistake we’ve seen out of the agency.
State Rep. Steven Johnson
He’s following the UIA issues for more than a year and chairs the House Oversight Committee.
Its members have looked into the UIA not paying people on time and even wrongfully saying claimants owe the state thousands.
Why do they keep screwing this up? What’s going on with their leadership there? I think we’re gonna have to see a change in leadership in order for us to really have some trust in this agency.
The agency recently sent out a letter to more than 600,000 Michiganders telling them that four qualifying reasons the state added to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) applications should have never been there.
The state error, Johnson says, needs to be investigated.
We actually had a whistleblower inside the agency come to us a few months ago saying that this was going to happen but they would not come forward publicly for fear of retribution.
Because of the state’s error, people who qualified under the now non-qualifying reasons were approved and paid.
The UIA has to re-evaluate those claims.
That does seem like an administrative error if there ever was an administrative error.
This is not the fault of the claimant; the claimant did everything right. They filled out the form to the best of their ability, they were truthful and honest to the agency about why they were seeking unemployment benefits, and the agency granted those benefits knowing full well the reasons why the claimant applied and tried to receive benefits.
Rachael Kohl, director of the Workers’ Rights Legal Clinic at Michigan United.
Thousands of people collected the benefits, used the money for bills and food, and put the unemployment issues behind them.
They put the money back into the economy, they paid their rent or their mortgage to stay in their home, and they put food on their tables for their families, and now the state’s coming back and saying, ‘Well, all of those thousands of dollars we paid you, you need to pay it back to us.’ Well, they don’t have it.
Kohl tells FOX 17 if people have to re-certify then they have to remember everything that happened to them months ago and pick the best reasons for filing.
The state can come after you for overpayment without a court order.
But Kohl says there are federal and state provisions protecting people, especially if the state made the error.
If they are forced to pay back this money, that’s a huge hardship on them, and the legislature has contemplated that they shouldn’t have to pay it back due to an administrative error.
If you got that letter, the UIA says you need to log onto your MIWAM account, click on “Requalify for PUA” and then choose another valid COVID-19 reason.
The UIA is working on a waiver process.
I contacted the U.S. Department of Labor to what — if any — consequences the state could face.
That question was never answered, but a spokesman told me the agency is aware of the situation and it will continue to work with the state as needed, saying,
The state’s action reflects communications by the department’s Employment and Training Administration’s (ETA’s) Chicago regional office with the state and the state’s review of ETA guidance.
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
[7] The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender. [16] He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want. [22] Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: [23] For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.Proverbs 22:7, 16, 22-23
A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaveth no food.
Proverbs 28:3
I commented on that video and I said, “[Deliberate] error, if you want to be more accurate, (and I quoted Proverbs 22:7). What an absolute joke. So now we got hundreds of thousands of people that spent their money, who did nothing wrong and answered honestly, and now the rich bureaucrats want that money back now. So now this forces these people in a major bind and even further attached and indebted to the government, since many of them will not have the money to pay them back.
This is why stimulus and “free money,” and insurance is a bad idea.
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.
Proverbs 11:15
Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished: but he that gathereth by labour shall increase.
Proverbs 13:11
Now these people are left holding the bag, as described in Proverbs 11:15.
And why is this not in mainstream news? Why are not more people calling foul for this? And now it makes you wonder how many other states deliberately did this? Just absolutely appalling.
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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But you can trust them to manage a “plandemic”. The history of government solving problems is pathetic, and yet folks still turn to them.
.\\itch – I almost caught Covid yesterday, but I quickly stood on a social distancing sticker and put and end to the stuff!