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As Memorial Day inches closer, several area businesses are privately expressing worries about being able to find staffing for the busy summer season. Keweenaw Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Brad Barnett says the topic is not the first priority for companies in their conversations, but it is coming up.
Michigan’s Congressional delegation is weighing in on the unemployment situation. The state’s seven Republican representatives, including Jack Bergman, penned a letter earlier this week asking Governor Gretchen Whitmer to end the supplemental benefits that many believe are the root of the problem. The seven members all belong to the same party, but are fairly diverse in their approaches. Representatives Pete Meijer and Fred Upton famously crossed party lines earlier this year to vote for the impeachment of former President Donald Trump.
No actions have been taken yet on the letter, but the state is tightening procedures again in some areas. Speaking with Michigan Works! Director Debb Brunell last week, she said she was expecting an announcement about reinstating the requirement that anyone receiving unemployment needs to be actively searching for work.
The Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity has since updated its website to reflect that it will be enforced again starting on June 1st. Michigan Works! and the department used to work closely on the topic. Last year when the benefits system was overwhelmed, Michigan Works! stepped in to assist the state in making sure applications were filed in proper order.
