The Upjohn Institute is helping the state of Michigan improve its unemployment insurance system for workers and employers.
Institute staff will serve on the Unemployment Insurance Agency Modernization Workgroup, whose members also include labor, business and advocates for jobless people. The workgroup holds its first meeting Feb. 3.
As an organization dedicated to understanding the causes of unemployment and efforts to mitigate its effects, the Upjohn Institute has a wealth of knowledge around unemployment insurance from both the research and practice sides. The Institute will help plan the workgroup’s activities and research the likely effectiveness of options for reforming the unemployment insurance system.
“This is incredibly important work that we hope will have a positive and lasting impact on the unemployment insurance system and all its stakeholders — unemployment insurance-eligible applicants and recipients, business and labor,” said Upjohn Institute President Michael Horrigan.
The workgroup will focus on reforms such as improving customer service, fighting fraud and reducing case backlogs.
The workgroup has four priorities:
- Setting modernization goals.
- Understanding users’ experiences and needs.
- Supporting Michigan workers and economy.
- Stabilizing the Trust Fund and continued partnership.
It will also provide informal recommendations on other unemployment insurance issues identified by the agency.
“Upjohn is proud to contribute its expertise to this endeavor,” Horrigan said.