Jobless claims can now be filed by telephone, Internet or mail

September 19, 2003 – The state is consolidating its unemployment insurance services and will be moving those services from its Petoskey office, 2225 Summit Park Dr., effective Tuesday, September 30.

“While jobless workers in the area will no longer be able to file their unemployment claims at our Petoskey location,” David Plawecki, deputy director for the Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services and responsible for the Bureau of Workers’ & Unemployment Compensation (BW&UC), said, “they can now apply by Internet, telephone or mail.”

To file by telephone, callers can dial a special toll-free telephone number – 1-866-500-0017.  The number is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.  Callers must, however, follow a call-in schedule based on the last two digits of their Social Security numbers when filing by phone.

Plawecki pointed out those calling from Michigan area codes 231, 269, 517, 616, 906 and 989 can file an unemployment claim by telephone.  He said the telephone claims system would be accessible statewide later this year.

“Those with Internet access can apply online,” he noted.  “Our website – www.michigan.gov/bwuc -- accepts applications for jobless benefits weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.”

Internet users, however, must have filed a Michigan unemployment claim within the last 10 years in order to file online.

Unemployed workers who prefer can still apply for their unemployment benefits by mail, although the process is slower and there is less immediacy in learning if an application has been accepted.

“We will continue to accept mail applications for a short while yet,” Plawecki said.  “The application forms are available at our website at www.michigan.gov/bwuc and at many Michigan Works! service centers.”

Unemployment benefit applications are also available at the BW&UC office in Grand Rapids, 3391 Plainfield Ave., NE.

“Our Grand Rapids location serves as a regional problem resolution office,” Plawecki noted.  “The office is open from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and offers one-on-one help in resolving problems and in answering questions about individual unemployment claims.”

Those who have filed claims by telephone or Internet within the past 60 days and have a problem or question about their unemployment claim can call the telephone filed claims hotline (1-866-500-0017) for assistance.  The Bureau also operates a general question toll-free customer service telephone hotline at 1-800-638-3995 between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Michigan’s unemployment program is consolidating its Petoskey office as BW&UC converts to telephone and Internet processes for accepting unemployment claims.  As the telephone process expands statewide, the Bureau will close its remaining local unemployment offices.

“The telephone-filed claims and Internet-filed claims processes will be major conveniences to our customers,” Plawecki said.  “They will save jobless workers the time and expense of traveling to an office and applying for unemployment benefits in person.  In fact, we found that in some areas of the state it took jobless workers about six hours to file an unemployment claim at an office when you included time for their travel, waiting in our office, filling out the application and learning about their rights and responsibilities.”

BW&UC’s Petoskey office has been providing limited unemployment insurance services since November, following the loss of almost 40 percent of the Bureau’s statewide staff to retirement.

The Bureau of Workers’ & Unemployment Compensation is a bureau within the Michigan Department of Consumer & Industry Services.