The Unemployment Agency has suggested that employers place employees on temporary unpaid leave as opposed to termination.

Employers should provide laid off employees with Form 1711 Unemployment Compensation Notice and information on how to obtain unemployment insurance benefits. A factsheet can be found here.

Employers who place all employees on temporary unpaid leave are encouraged to complete a Seeking Work Waiver through their MiWam account. Doing so will waive employees from requirements to seek work and will minimize the time it takes for employee’s unemployment claims to be approved.

The Unemployment Agency also recommends the Work Share Program as a potential option for employers who experience a decline in regular business activity and would like to avoid laying off workers. With the plan, eligible employees work a reduced number of hours in the work week and receive a portion of weekly unemployment benefits. Employers can apply for the Work Share Program through their MiWam account. A factsheet can be found here.

More information and resources can be found on Michigan’s coronavirus webpage and on Michigan.gov/UIA. 

Please contact your AHP contact with any questions or if you would like help with this process.

Any accounting, business, or tax advice contained in this communication, including attachments and links to outside sources, is not intended as a thorough analysis of specific issues, nor a substitute for a formal opinion, nor was it written to be used to avoid tax related penalties.