Macomb Today

In a recent address, Sen. Michael MacDonald (R-Macomb Township) ridiculed the inaction of the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA), calling on those in leadership positions to fulfill their duty to Michigan's residents.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented impact on the state and our people,” MacDonald said in a YouTube video capturing his address. “Sixty-two thousand residents have been infected; more than 5,800 people have lost their lives. On top of that, millions of Michigan workers have lost their jobs, and our unemployment rate skyrocketed to 24% in April.” 

MacDonald said that this is the second-highest unemployment rate in the country and the worst since the Great Depression. 

MacDonald said that the entire situation was worsened due to the failures of the UIA, which failed to process claims in a timely manner and provide those in need with assistance.

“Under the governor’s leadership, the UIA has been unresponsive to the people they serve and has mismanaged the potential fraud in the system, halting payments to over half a million residents, without warning or any regard to the impact to people’s lives,” MacDonald told the Michigan Senate.  

Even though the virus initially impacted Michigan months ago, people have not been given the support that they need, MacDonald said, or even as little as a phone call.  

“Gov. Whitmer has demonstrated a lack of preparedness, responsiveness and leadership in addressing issues at the UIA,” MacDonald said in his address to the state Senate. “The situation is unacceptable and was absolutely preventable. It was a failure of the governor to understand the gravity of the problem and take quick and decisive action to fix it, which is what leaders do.”

MacDonald closed by urging his fellow senators to support the resolution Senate Bill 690, which would give the UIA the ability to immediately hire additional employees. MacDonald is hopeful that the increase of employees would mean more available resources to serve families of those impacted by job changes from the coronavirus pandemic.