UIA MAKES UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC THROUGH LOCAL MICHIGAN WORKS! AGENCIES

Contact: Mario L. Morrow 517-373-9280

Agency: Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

FEBRUARY 17, 2009 - To make information about the state's unemployment insurance program available to as many people as possible, the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) has created a video about the state's Unemployment Insurance program for use at Michigan Works! Agencies (MWA) and public libraries across the state.

"Over the past several weeks, Michigan Works! Agencies have been flooded with questions about unemployment insurance from jobless workers who haven't been able to reach UIA staff because the heavy call volumes we've been experiencing," UIA Director Stephen Geskey said. "To help answer many of the general questions that people have about Michigan's UI program, we developed, in cooperation with the MWAs, a video for use in their offices."

In developing the video entitled "Filing Your Claim for Unemployment Benefits & Finding a Job: A UIA & MWA Partnership," UIA sought feedback about the script from Michigan Works! and shot some of the scenes for the video in one of their offices. The Agency has begun distributing the 17-minute video to MWA service centers around the state and will soon begin issuing it to the nearly 700 public libraries in Michigan.

In addition to the video, the Agency recently provided MWAs with a desk aid for Michigan Works staff to use in answering some of the more commonly asked questions about unemployment benefits.

"We know that MWAs have been receiving many questions about unemployment benefits from their customers," Geskey said, "and we want to ensure that staffs at Michigan Works agencies and public libraries have the correct information to share with their customers."

The Agency also has plans for placing the video on its website (www.michigan.gov/uia).

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