UIA announces new Community Ambassadors Program to strengthen services across Michigan

Online work registration access, increased job search help also coming

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) Director Jason Palmer today announced several new initiatives at the 2026 Michigan Works! Annual Conference in Mount Pleasant to expand support and improve access to unemployment services statewide.

Palmer unveiled the Community Ambassadors Program, which will place eight UIA ambassadors across Michigan to bring services directly into local communities, and announced claimants can now get help without an appointment at any UIA Local Office. He also shared that individuals seeking benefits will soon be able to complete their work registration entirely online without needing to verify their job-seeker profile in person and the expansion of a key reemployment program to support people as they work to return to stable employment.

"There is real power in meeting people where they are," Palmer said of the Community Ambassadors Program. "By placing ambassadors directly in the communities they serve, we're making UIA more accessible and strengthening the relationships that help people, businesses, and local organizations get support when and where they need us."

The Community Ambassadors Program builds a statewide network of trained UIA staff and partners to address issues in areas with the greatest need. Anchored in access, partnership, and trust, the program is designed to support Michiganders navigating unemployment benefits and related services.

The program aims to reduce barriers such as limited internet access, transportation challenges, digital literacy needs, unstable housing, veteran support needs, language differences and challenges experienced by migrant, seasonal and older workers.

Beginning in October, ambassadors will hold walk-in hours at locations across the state to assist individuals facing layoffs, plant closures, reductions in hours, or other workforce disruptions.

The eight ambassadors and the regions they serve are:

• Felisa Thornton, Wayne County
• Katrina Burton, Oakland County
• Jill Watters, Macomb County
• Anna Marie Valle, Genesee County
• Christopher Easton, Ingham County
• Andrea Heckenmueller, Kent and Ottawa counties
• Lauren Oman, Washtenaw and Monroe counties
• Nicole Grim, Northern Michigan

UIA now welcomes walk-in appointments

For the first time since the pandemic, UIA now welcomes walk-in appointments at all 12 of its Local Offices across the state for anyone who needs help filing for unemployment benefits or managing an existing claim.

This change gives claimants more flexibility and immediate access to in-person assistance. The Local Offices in Detroit, Lansing, Saginaw, Grand Rapids, and Sterling Heights also offer kiosk computers for the public to use, with some equipped with assistive devices for individuals with low vision or impaired hearing, ensuring greater accessibility for all who need support.

While walk-ins are now available, the agency still encourages scheduling appointments online at Michigan.gov/UIA for priority service.

Employers can also find help at Local Offices but are reminded of the Office of Employer Ombudsman phone line at 1-855-484-2636, option 4, for questions about benefits eligibility, protests and appeals, employer accounts and other general unemployment and tax-related issues.

Work registration to be available online for all

Registering for work is a key step for receiving unemployment benefits. After applying for benefits, qualified individuals must create an online job-seeker profile on Pure Michigan Talent Connect and then verify that profile either in person or virtually at a Michigan Works! office.

Later this year, changes will allow claimants to complete work registration entirely online without needing to verify their job-seeker profile in person. People can always visit a Michigan Works! office for support ranging from job search assistance to career counseling, résumé writing, and interview preparation. To find a location near you, visit MichiganWorks.org.

All unemployment claimants must register for work unless they receive an exemption from UIA. For more details on work registration and other required steps, visit the UIA's Claimant Roadmap, a step-by-step guide to applying for and understanding unemployment benefits.

Michigan's RESEA program expands

To help more claimants return to work and avoid exhausting their unemployment benefits, Michigan's Reemployment Services and Eligibility Assessment (RESEA) program is being expanded. Select individuals who are receiving benefits will be provided an opportunity to receive individualized support through their local Michigan Works! office designed to help them secure employment.

RESEA provides customized, proactive support to claimants most at risk of using all their benefits. Services are delivered through Michigan Works! Agencies (MWAs) in partnership with UIA and the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity's (LEO) Workforce Development Bureau.

Helpful resources for workers and employers

The Community Ambassadors Program is one of many resources UIA offers for help navigating the unemployment landscape and are part of the agency's commitment to being a national model for fast, fair, and fraud-free service:

• The UIA Claimant Roadmap, a six-step, user-friendly guide to applying for and understanding benefits. Access the roadmap at Michigan.gov/UIAClaimantRoadmap.
• A website explaining recent changes in Michigan unemployment law, including the increase in the number of required weekly work search activities and a provision that allows domestic violence victims who quit their job to receive benefits if they also meet other eligibility requirements. Find out more at Michigan.gov/UIALawChanges.
• Online Coaching Sessions, which are web-based group sessions led by UIA staff on topics such as filing a first-time claim, understanding a Monetary Determination letter, the protest and appeals process, and seeking work and registration requirements. The First-time Filer Coaching Session is also available in Spanish.
• Language Assistance Services offer free support in all languages to help individuals better understand the services and information provided by the UIA.
• Performance Dashboards. Interactive tools provide a deep dive into underlying data and trends in unemployment insurance in Michigan as well as core metrics that measure UIA's success.
• 2025 Annual Report. Data-driven insights into UIA's initiatives to improve the unemployment experience for workers and employers across Michigan.
• The Advocacy Program, which provides free legal help for unemployed workers and employers who appeal UIA redeterminations.
• Phone, virtual, or in-person appointments that can be scheduled up to 14 days in advance at Michigan.gov/UIA.
• Answers to frequently asked questions, toolkits, detailed information, and other resources for workers and employers can be found at Michigan.gov/UIA. Helpful instructional and informational videos are posted on YouTube.
• A new, modern user platform. MiUI will be easy to use, speed claims processing, and provide a modern user interface. It will replace the decade-old MiWAM computer system used by workers to apply for benefits and employers to pay unemployment insurance taxes. For information, see Michigan.gov/MiUIUniversity.

Need help with a claim or have questions about unemployment?

Ask online: UIA's chatbot at Michigan.gov/UIA can answer many questions.

Search online: FAQs, videos, toolkits, and other resources at Michigan.gov/UIA.

Chat with us: Available through MiWAM Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Meet with us: Schedule an in-person, phone, or virtual meeting at Michigan.gov/UIA.