Michigan's unemployment insurance program is a financial haven for employees who have lost their jobs. However, unemployment benefits are just a small percentage of an unemployed worker's previous income. The state uses a strict formula to determine unemployment benefits amounts based on an employee's recent salary. In essence, only high earners receive the maximum amount of benefits. You can apply for unemployment benefits as soon as two days after your last day of work, however there is a specific process that you must follow in order to qualify and receive your unemployment benefits.

Michigan unemployment insurance program issues a maximum of $362 a week. Twenty six weeks is maximum number of weeks for which you can receive these benefits. This makes your total claim amount to $9,412.

The UIA in Michigan calculates your total and weekly unemployment benefits using your base-period wages. Actual base period is defined this way - Of the five completed calendar quarters before your claim, your base period is the first four of those quarters. If you have earned enough salary within the base period to be eligible for unemployment benefits, your weekly benefit amount will be 4.1 % of the salary you earned during your highest-earning base-period quarter. In order for you to receive the maximum $362 per week in benefits, you must have earned $8,829 in your highest-earning quarter.

Eligibility Requirements

Reason for Unemployment - The Michigan UIA evaluates the reason for unemployment to determine if applicants qualify to receive benefits. Applicants who lose their jobs as a result of misconduct cannot receive unemployment compensation in Michigan. Workers who voluntarily leave employment may be considered for unemployment benefits if the reason is attributed to the employer. In Michigan however, the worker must communicate the problem to the employer and give him time to reverse it. If the employer is not liable for employee quitting the job, the employee may not qualify to receive unemployment benefits compensation. The reason that rendered you unemployed may delay benefits while the unemployment agency carries out investigation.

Work Availability - The Michigan Unemployment Agency requires claimants to be available for work while collecting benefits. Claimants also must be physically capable of performing work related duties in order to qualify for unemployment compensation.

Job Search Requirements - The law requires applicants to register with the Michigan Talent Bank two to three business days before a claim for benefits is filed. Then visit the nearest Michigan Works Agency service center to verify your work registration. Applicants taking part-time employment may still receive unemployment benefits. However, if earnings are equal to or less than the weekly benefit amount, the state automatically deducts 50 cents for every dollar earned. Applicants earning salaries that are more than the weekly benefit amount may still qualify for unemployment compensation as long as the salaries are not more than one and a half times the weekly benefit. The state will use one and a half times the weekly benefit as the amount from which to deduct salaries.

Michigan UIA also offers dependent allowance for your dependent children. Each child is allocated an allowance of $6 per week for a maximum of five children. Nevertheless, your total benefits cannot go beyond $362 regardless of the number of children in your family. If your recent earnings qualify you to receive $362, you would therefore not receive dependent allowance.

Unemployment Application Instructions

There are two ways to apply for unemployment insurance benefits in Michigan.

Visit the UIA's website here. Once there you can complete the on-line claims electronic form or apply for benefits over the phone by calling ,b>1-866-500-0017. Claims should be filed the week you become unemployed.

Documents required during the application process:

• Social Security number
• Birth certificate
• Physical address
• Driver's license or state identification number
• Your MARVIN (Michigan's Automated Response Voice Interactive Network) PIN number if you had previously applied for benefits.
• Name and address of your previous employers and amount of you earned from each employer in the previous 18 months.
• Your alien registration number if you are not a US Citizen and the expiry date of your work permit.

Online Application

A more convenient way of making an application for the Healthy and Well Kids Iowa program is by filling out an online application form. This is much easier and much convenient as one can fill out an application at any time, anywhere. Another advantage of an online application is that you can fill it in bits as you will pick up from where you left it the last time you filled.

To complete a New Unemployment claim, visit the Michigan UIA website HERE

Enter your claim information into the electronic form as requested. You may only file your unemployment claim online only if

• You have only worked in the state of Michigan during the last 18 months
• Have been employed by at least one but fewer than 19 Michigan employers in the last 18 months
• Have only worked under one Social Security number in the past 18 months
• Have not filed for unemployment in any other state in the past 18 months

The online application normally asks a number of questions. Depending on your feedback, the system may ask you additional questions in order to complete your claim. The process is likely to take up to 45 minutes depending on your Internet connection speed, the amount and accuracy of information the system may currently be holding about you.

Make a point of Contacting the Unemployment Insurance Agency's MARVIN system every two weeks to report your job search progress. This is required to certify that you are still eligible to receive unemployment benefits.

Please note that Unemployment Online Claim Filing System is available from 7:00 am Monday to 7:00 pm Saturday (Eastern Time).

Visit HERE for more details and demo about online application.

Telephone Application

As soon as you become unemployed, file a new claim or reopen an existing claim for benefits by calling UIA toll-free telephone number at 1-866-500-0017. TTY callers may use 1-866-366-0004.

Time schedule for filing phone claims is based on the last two digits of your Social Security number. If your Social Security number ends in 50, you would phone in your application on Tuesday afternoon. Workers who are unable to call on their appointed day and time can dial the toll-free number anytime between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on Thursday or Friday of the same week.

Visit HERE for more details about telephone application.