WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – A big change is coming for people in Michigan filing for unemployment.
You will now be required to meet with Michigan Works! either in-person or virtually.
Here’s how it works: after you make a claim with the state’s Michigan Unemployment Agency, you have to create a profile on Pure Michigan Talent Connect, then you have to meet with staff at Michigan Works! Association.
While it may be new to some, Greg Pitoniak who runs seven Michigan Works! job centers in Wayne and Monroe counties said this was a requirement before the pandemic.
“That was a downside of of the suspension of a requirement during the pandemic, is that it did not create that automatic connection to the reemployment system that Michigan Works is,” Pitoniak said.
The point of adding the requirement back in is to fill a gap we all see unfold with now hiring signs everywhere, including in front of the Michigan Works! job center in Wayne.
In a release announcing the requirement, the state’s UIA director Julia Dale said, “... it also provides unemployed workers with a great advantage in landing one of the 114,000 available jobs listed by employers on Pure Michigan Talent Connect.”
When it comes to training for high demand jobs, Michigan Works! will cover the bill Pitoniak said.
“Truck drivers is a great example. It’s a very high demand occupation right now very many openings for truck drivers, and we can find training for most people for to get the CDL license,” Pitoniak said.
While people already receiving benefits won’t have to meet these new requirements, the hope is they’ll use the resource too.