During the COVID-19 pandemic, Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency issued $6.6 billion in overpayments.
That’s noted among the several findings in a new report from the state Auditor General.
It also found the agency was slow to address problems and consistently did not meet federal standards for processing claims. In all, auditors noted 11 "material conditions" — the most severe assessment the auditor general assigns — and four "reportable conditions" — a lower level of deficiency.
Unemployment Agency Director Julia Dale said she recognizes the concerns, but she said the audit ignores fixes made since she took over the office more than a year ago.
“In many instances, what we are seeing with this report is a rehash of issues that have been addressed, addressed, and addressed again. And not only have been addressed in other audits, and in oversight committees but have also been remediated,” Dale said.
This is the fourth audit released in a five-part series on the handling of pandemic-era unemployment claims.
Senator Ed McBroom (R-Waucedah Twp) co-requested the review in 2020 in response to reports he was hearing of widespread issues.
Speaking Friday, McBroom said he hopes it will lead to policy change to address issues at the agency he says span over a decade.
“They have to get us to statutorily correct these problems so they don’t happen again. And they need to partner with us on that and not just tell us, ‘We cross our hearts that we’ll get it right the next time,”...
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