State's Unemployment Agency Keeps Doors Open Into The Weekend To Assist Customers

Contact: Chawn Greene-Farmer (517) 373-9280

Agency: Licensing and Regulatory Affairs

Customer Service Saturday planned for Saturday, February 18

UIA is opening its doors, phone lines and Internet site on Saturday, February 18, 2012, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. to service customers who have been unable to interact with the agency during its normal business hours. Currently, the agency is experiencing high call volumes due to seasonal layoffs, recent changes in eligibility for extended benefits programs and shortened work weeks due to holidays.

"Agency staff will be assisting customers in-person at our Problem Resolution Offices (PRO), answering inquiries by phone at multiple call centers and responding to online inquiries, said UIA Director Steve Arwood." Customer Service Saturday gives customers an opportunity to interact with the agency outside of our regular hours and it gives the agency an opportunity to respond at a time when it's convenient for many of our customers." Individuals can call the UIA Customer Service Line at 1-866-500-0017, submit inquiries to the agency's Virtual Problem Resolution agents or visit one of the following PROs that are scheduled to be open that day:

PRO Location	Address
Southeast Michigan	Detroit - 3024 W. Grand Blvd, Cadillac Place  Detroit, MI 48202  Mt. Clemens - Macomb County Dept of Human Services 21855 Dunham Road, Suite 7, Clinton Township, MI 48036
Tri-Cities	Saginaw - 614 Johnson St., (across from Bus Terminal) Saginaw, MI 48607
West Michigan	Grand Rapids - 3391 Plainfield Road, NE, Grand Rapid, MI 49525
Mid-Michigan	Lansing - 5015 S. Cedar at Jolly Road (in the Jolly-Cedar Plaza) Lansing, MI 48910
Northern Michigan	Gaylord - 400 W. Main Street, Suite 102 (west of S. Michigan Ave.) Gaylord, MI 49735
Upper Peninsula	Marquette - 2833 U.S. 41 West (across from Westwood Mall) Marquette, MI 49855

Additionally, UIA's Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) staff will be accepting calls at 1-866-241-0152 to assist with inquiries about federal unemployment programs available to those who have lost wages or employment due to foreign competition.

In addition to interacting with the agency by phone or in-person on Customer Service Saturday, online claim web account users can take advantage of the self-service options that are available through the UIA website, www.michigan.gov/uia including: certifying with MARVIN Online, reviewing their benefits history, changing their benefit payment options or their CWAM password, resetting their MARVIN PIN, and more.

To register for an online claim web account, visit http://www.michigan.gov/uia and select "UIA Online Services for Unemployed Workers." Users will be taken to a login page where they can register and start the process of creating their own online account with the agency. UIA will instantly give new online users a temporary password, which is good for 10 days that will allow them to immediately certify through MARVIN online. A permanent password will be mailed to the individual that will give them full access to all of the web account features. Customers can also call the MARVIN toll-free line at 1-866-638-3993 to certify or obtain information regarding the balance of their benefits weeks.

For more information about LARA, please visit www.michigan.gov/lara
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