Michigan Offers Support to State’s Federal Workers Affected by Layoffs

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) is highlighting resources to help support federal workers who have recently lost their jobs at the hands of the Department of Government Efficiency.

For example, a new webpage is designed to provide impacted federal workers with “easy access to unemployment, job search and community resources, according to a recent LEO statement.

These same recently terminated employees may be eligible to apply for temporary financial assistance through the state’s Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA), which offers a number of resources to help laid off federal workers who lost their jobs through no fault of their own, such as:

• UIA Claimant Roadmap: A six-step guide to applying for and understanding unemployment benefits.
• Online coaching sessions: Web-based guidance from UIA staff, who walk users through the steps needed to complete an application and qualify for payments.
• UIA Community Connect: This program partners with local groups to provide guidance for workers from underserved groups who have faced barriers when filing for jobless benefits.

In partnership with LEO’s Office of Employment and Training, Michigan Works! agencies are also able to assist affected federal employees, providing a variety of career services as well as training designed to equip workers with the skills needed to obtain and retain employment—occupational skills, on-the-job training and skill upgrading and retraining, for instance.

“Federal workers who reside in Michigan and have been impacted by recent layoffs can tap into our resources to ensure they have what they need at this time,” said LEO Director Susan Corbin, in a statement.

“Our department is working to ensure laid off federal workers can access services—including filing for unemployment and searching for a new job—to help them on a pathway to new opportunities and a brighter future in Michigan.”