Feb. 20, 2016.  After months of kicking a draft around – and nearly a year after defects in the Michigan UIA system triggered a federal lawsuit and put State administration on notice – the Michigan Legislature finally took up the issue of Unemployment Agency fraud accusations run wild.  Thursday (2/18) the State House Ethics and Oversight Committee held a last minute hearing to take testimony from the Unemployment Agency and from those who have been affected by the baseless fraud accusations in recent years.  Blanchard & Walker immediately went to work notifying the public and potential victims of robo-fraud accusations that the Michigan Legislature needs to hear from them:

“Over the years, we’ve heard from numerous victims of these practices who’ve had to fight against bogus fraud findings and unwarranted financial penalties from the UIA. Our state legislators need to hear from citizens who have been impacted.”

Thank you to those who could clear their schedules and participate in this important process. It is absolutely essential that your state representatives hear from their constituents on this issue.

That same day, Blanchard & Walker also submitted a comment, LEG Comment McBroom Letter 2016-02-18, sharing with the Committee the great problems we have encountered representing unemployment claimants in response to these automated and mostly baseless accusations of fraud.  Lives have been upturned simply by the accusations, and then by the wage garnishments, tax seizures and bankruptcies that follow.  In an open letter, we provided explanations of how the problem got to where it is, and we proposed solutions on how the Unemployment Insurance Agency must be reformed through new legislation to curb abuses.

In court, in administrative hearings, and in the legislature, Blanchard & Walker continues the fight for Michigan’s unemployed workers and the challenges they face.