Financial Wellness
Michigan Unemployment Benefits Now Require 3 Weekly Job Searches
Michigan workers receiving unemployment benefits must now log three work-search activities a week, up from one, under a rule that took effect July 19.
Why it matters: Missing the requirement doesn’t just mean a warning — it means no payment for that week, or benefits you may have to pay back later.
What counts as a work search: Applying for jobs online or in person, attending a job fair, creating a resume or profile on a site like MiTalent.org, or completing a job-search workshop all qualify. Claimants report activities through their online MiWAM account, or by phone through the MARVIN voice line.
By the numbers
The change comes from bipartisan Public Act 238 of 2024, signed in December 2024.
Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency paid roughly $106 million in benefits in April 2026 alone, giving a sense of how many households this touches.
A companion law raises the maximum benefit period from 20 to 26 weeks, and will lift the maximum weekly benefit from $530 to $614 starting Jan. 1, 2027 — after which it’ll be tied to the Consumer Price Index.
State of play: The stricter search requirement arrived alongside several other changes effective this month: leaving a job due to domestic violence now qualifies as a reason for benefits; multiple appeal cases can be combined into a single hearing; claimants who were overpaid can now request a financial hardship waiver up to four times a year, up from once every six months; and employers using the Work Share program can now reduce hours by 10%–60% while employees collect partial benefits.
What this means for you: If you’re currently on Michigan unemployment, missing this new documentation requirement can interrupt your benefit check at exactly the wrong time. Set a weekly reminder to log your searches before your certification day, and save confirmation emails or screenshots as proof in case of a dispute. If a missed week does delay a payment, Copiafy’s bill tracker can help you see what’s due and reprioritize before anything is late.
Bottom line: Michigan unemployment now comes with more paperwork — but also more benefit weeks and a higher weekly cap on the way.
Sources: Michigan UIA official announcement; BridgeDetroit — “Unemployed workers must show 2 more work searches or risk losing benefits”
