Summary of 2008-09* Amendments to the
Michigan Employment Security Act

Amendment Act

Effective Date of Act

Section of MES Act Amended

Details of Amendment

2008 PA 479

January 12, 2009

20

Provides that, for new claims effective after March 30, 2009, there will be no charge to employer's account if benefits are paid when military spouse quits to follow spouse reassigned by military.

2008 PA 480

January 12, 2009

29

Provides that, for weeks beginning after January 12, 2009, military spouse who quits to follow spouse will not be disqualified for voluntary leaving.

2009 PA 1

March 11, 2009

11

Requires public official to act as legal recipient of requests for confidential information to be used by public research entity; Provides details of knowing waiver of confidentiality.

2009 PA 1

March 11, 2009

19a

Suspends applicability of solvency tax during any year when interest is forgiven on federal interest-bearing loan.

2009 PA 18

April 13, 2009

17

Removes the provision that charged benefits to the nonchargeable benefits account (NBA) when EB is paid using the "total unemployment rate" (TUR) trigger. This amendment prevents the NBA from being charged, since the charge under the ARRA is to the federal government.

2009 PA 19

April 13, 2009

64

In addition to the existing "insured unemployment rate" trigger, provides that Extended Benefits (EB) are triggered using the "total unemployment rate" (TUR) as long as EB is 100% federally funded. The TUR trigger allows for payment of 80% (up to 20 weeks) of regular benefits.

2009 PA 20

April 13, 2009

20

Removes the reference to noncharging of EB, which makes EB again chargeable to an employer if the EB is not otherwise chargeable to the federal government. Since EB under the ARRA is not federally sharable for governmental entities, this again makes them chargeable for EB.