On April 29, 2020 The Detroit News hosted Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency director Steve Gray talks about benefits and issues and answers reader questions with Craig Mauger.

UIA Director Steve Gray Q&A on Wednesday, April 29

Unemployment Insurance Agency Director Steve Gray answers your questions. Visit Michigan.gov/UIA for additional frequently asked questions and resources.

Index of Q&A with hot links to questions of interest.

00:16 – Can we please get help with “stop payment indicator”

01:04 – I made more than 1.5 times the WBA so I did not qualify for the $160 or $600 for the last 5 weeks, even though I normally make significantly more from work than I am now. Is there anything I can do?

02:48 – My Non-Monetary Issue Detail says Status: No Misrep Determination Issue. Issue: Misrepresentation. What does that mean?

Answer: Check out our guide on more information on this error.

03:54 – What is the Open Non-Monetary Issue?

06:42 – How do you fix a disqualification week issue, they’ve sent no letters to tell us why

09:28 – I was denied state benefits but approved for PUA, I’ve certified for 6 weeks and keep getting ineligible weeks. What am I doing wrong and how do I fix it?

10:27 – I did not originally prove my income for the PUA and now I did. It has been in “processing” for the last week. Does that mean I was not approved for more than the $160 or is it still not decided? I am not sure on how to know.

12:04 – As a 1099 insurance benefit broker, I am restricted from meeting with employer groups and clients in person. However, I have existing income coming in from business on the books prior to the pandemic. Do I have to report those earnings?

12:42 – How long do you expect it to take for a response to a message on MiWAM?

14:04 – I had to certify 6 weeks, 3 were approved and paid, 3 were rejected but all were the same answers. I received an email saying to recertify but the weeks are not in my account to be recertified.

15:12 – If I have earnings of 1.5x my state weekly benefit as a 1099/self employed, do I still get the $600 federal portion?

15:45 – pension affect UIA?

16:59 – What is “Additional Claim Required” when you don’t have additional claims to make or you already made them?

18:20 – How about people who are out of weeks but still within their benefit year? Just hit week 26!

19:56 – Do you have a specific order for which you are reviewing cases I personally have not been helped for a month now

21:43 – SELF EMPLOYED with DISQUALIFICATION WEEKS on and APPROVED PUA claim. Please advise if this is being addressed system-wide or if we need to call in for a unique resolve with a rep.

22:31 – I have been waiting 7 weeks. Approved for PUA and now all the weeks I have certified are ineligible. Need help!

23:06 – I applied March 31st, when I log in is just says claim is processing. What should I do next?

24:06 – I am being furloughed one week a month for April, May and June and am eligible for unemployment for these weeks. Do I just waive the weeks I receive my regular wage?

24:43 – How do we stop UI if we get called back ..so we can avoid open claims if we have to go back on

25:41 – Is FPUC only for certain people?

26:19 – What does a “disqualification week” mean on a PUA?

27:04 – I must have accidentally said I will be receiving retirement benefits/pension during my furlough, when I first filed my claim. How do I simply say I’m not receiving retirement so I can get my benefits? I can’t get ahold of anyone.

28:25 – What does it mean when it says “Certification for this week was waived”?

29:12 – My pay has been cut by 25% and I can telework from home full time. It appears I am eligible for PUA and if so, how do I answer the following certification question about being back to work full-time? Would this cause complications with receiving payment?

UIA Director Steve Gray Q&A on Thursday, May 7

Unemployment Insurance Agency Director Steve Gray answers your questions. Visit Michigan.gov/UIA for additional frequently asked questions and resources.

00:38 – I exceeded 1.5 on one of my weeks for PUA. Now all of my weeks say ineligible. What should I do?

01:52 – I have had an open non-monetary issue since roughly March 20th. Now that this new emergency order is in place, how fast should we expect to receive benefits if the issue was regarding a job we previously had?

3:00 – I have a PUA claim that began on 3/13. The first 6 weeks of my claim are “DISQUALIFICATION WEEK,” and the last two weeks of my claim are paid. Will I be paid for those 6 weeks?

4:08 – When will PUA income verification be processed? 160$ isn’t cutting it. Is that not a priority?

5:07 – I got paid for the last weeks but why do I have disqualification weeks on the previous 6 weeks? And will I get that back pay?

5:48 – I certified but says additional claim required. how do I file an additional claim? There is no option.

6:52 – I applied for UI and was denied for lack of earnings. I filed a protest and submitted more info. In the meantime, a link came up telling me to apply for PUA which I did. I certified for PUA on April 20th and received 2 weeks of benefits. When I tried to re-certify for PUA this Monday, my account says “payment stopped” and a “go green” notification that my UI application has now been approved but I have nowhere to certify for UI. So now I can’t claim either; any advice would be great.

7:55 – I moved out of the State of Michigan to take a job for better income. My base wage employer is in Michigan so I filed in Michigan. UIA of Michigan marked my status as Voluntary Quit Personal reasons because I did not start working for a Michigan Employer. I have not worked my rework requirements according to the State of Michigan – I am stuck in Pending Fact Finding – is this new order going to help me?

8:52 – If I have a current full time job but also worked as a gig worker to supplement for almost half of my income. Can I apply for unemployment for the gig worker portion of my income even though I still have a full time job, but it doesn’t cover all of my expenses?

9:38 – I was approved for 39 weeks PUA but my certifications said ineligible week. How long will it take since I was advised to file a protest?

10:55 – Why would someone receive a letter requesting a record of work search during this time? Work search is supposed to be waived.

12:02 – As a follow up to the question about non-monetary issues, if I currently have no problem with my current employer separation will I potentially run into a new problem or will I have no issues going forward?

12:50 – I applied and got approved. Every time I certify, the past 4 weeks, it tells me “based on deductions your payment amount is zero”. What does this mean?

13:30 – If you own a business but are also an employee of your business, does it affect your claim? I applied after the April 4th but I got accepted for regular unemployment, and never got the chance the apply for PUA, will that affect me? i am self employed but never got denied to even apply for the PUA which is for self employed?

14:18 – Have an open UIA – 5 weeks denied – certified on May 4th that says completed. have the PUA option – should I do the PUA? I worked 36 years and left the company and started my own business.

15:20 – In the new order. How long will it take for everyone’s Non monetary issues to get waived and receive payment. Also, the employer I was laid off from, I was there 5 weeks. Prior to that I was on maternity leave. Will I still be eligible for UI if you’re only going based on my lay off job?

15:50 – Realtors are permitted to return to work today. Does this mean they will not be eligible for unemployment? It may take weeks for agent to receive a commission. 17:15 – How should we answer when certifying whether or not we are willing to change their schedule to find work?

17:57 – How often are benefits paid?

18:30 – How to fix wrong dependents on PUA?

19:10 – I’m a photographer and own my own business. the pandemic has caused me to have no income. I filed for PUA and every week that I’ve certified says “Disqualification Week”?

20:28 – My claim went from non monetary to not eligible. Now what.?

21:34 – Will the new order release non-mon issues?

22:05 – If you go back to work but don’t get paid until 2 weeks after how do you report this in the certification?

23:18 – Can you update your withholding?

23:48 – If we asked for a debit card can we change to direct deposit?

24:36 – I filed a protest 2 weeks ago and it says processing. How long should I expect to wait?

25:16 – Going back to work, how do I stop claiming benefits?

26:46 – I have 4 weeks of certifications that say “Additional Claim Required” I have no alerts telling what to do.

27:33 – How is the PUA calculated?

28:20 – What do I do if I haven’t received my debit card.

28:55 – What’s payment reversed mean?