Temporary expansions in unemployment eligibility and cost-sharing extended

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer on Wednesday issued Executive Order 2020-57, extending and building upon her earlier executive order expanding eligibility for unemployment benefits during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

The order expands the state’s workshare program, offering more tools to employers to reduce layoffs. It also extends unemployment benefits to workers who voluntarily left a job after accepting new employment but were unable to start their new position due to the pandemic.

The executive order is the third expansion of unemployment benefits since the pandemic hit Michigan, with the first coming on March 16 and the second on March 25. 

The order also:

• Allows anyone with an active unemployment claim to receive up to 26 weeks of benefits

• Suspends the requirement for an individual seeking unemployment to request a registration and work search waiver from their employer

• Allows Unemployment Insurance Agency retirees to keep their retirement benefits if they return to work to process unemployment claims or serve on the Occupational Health and Safety Commission

• Expands cost-sharing with employers to reduce layoffs

“No one should have to worry about how to make ends meet during this unprecedented public health crisis” Whitmer said. “By extending eligibility for unemployment benefits, we can help give hard-working Michiganders some financial peace of mind as we continue flattening the COVID-19 curve across Michigan.”

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.