Michigan Unemployment round up

There have been a fair amount of changes of the last couple of weeks. First the Governor Whitmer put in a three week restriction in place affecting primarily restaurants and making these only carry out, and delivery only.

There was an expectation that layoffs would arise from this move. As part of this effort Gov Whitmer wrote a letter to Michigan legislature to petition for additional unemployment help. Full quote from letter is:

Pass a permanent extension of unemployment benefits:
On the heels of the last recession, the legislature cut workers’ economic lifeline from 26 weeks to 20 and let inflation whittle away the $362 maximum weekly benefit.
Michigan’s benefits are in the bottom-third in the nation and the lowest in the Great Lakes region. Earlier this fall, we worked together to pass bipartisan legislation that codified my executive order to provide a temporary extension of unemployment benefits to 26 weeks, but this legislation expires at the end of the year. If we do not take bipartisan action now, thousands of Michiganders could lose benefits right after the holidays. Let us work together again to make this extension permanent. Further, I hope that you will increase the weekly benefit and permanently expand our top-in-the-nation Workshare program

Full Letter embedded below:

Letter to Quadrant 11.25.2020 by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit