LANSING, Mich. — Michigan has a new front door for unemployment benefits. The state Unemployment Insurance Agency switched on its MiUI system at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9, after nearly a week in which certifications were down during the changeover.
MiUI takes the place of the Michigan Web Account Manager, known as MiWAM, which had been in use for 14 years and is now shut down for good. The MARVIN phone line that claimants once used to certify at assigned times is also gone.
The biggest change for people out of work is the calendar. Claimants now certify every week instead of every other week, and payments arrive weekly too. Direct deposit and U.S. Bank debit card setups carry over, so nobody has to re-enter payment details.
Anyone already collecting does not need to start over. The agency said current and past account records were moved into MiUI, so existing claims continue.
Getting in takes a few steps: start at Michigan.gov/UIA and click through to MiUI, log in with a state MiLogin account or create one, then open MiUI through the Pure Michigan Talent Connect site. In-person registration with Michigan Works! is still required.
Some workers may get notices saying a certification was late because of last week downtime or the new weekly schedule. The agency told claimants to certify for any open weeks, answer fact-finding questionnaires quickly, and said most such cases will be found on time or excused for good cause.
Phone help runs seven days a week, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., including Veterans Day on Wednesday, Nov. 11, when the 12 local offices are closed. The claimant number is 1-866-500-0017; businesses should use 1-855-484-2636, option 4, which reaches the employer ombudsman. Daily coaching webinars run through Dec. 8. Agency Director Jason Palmer said in the launch announcement that the system works on phones and uses plainer forms and letters.
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