Policy & Politics

Goal: Ensuring Fair and Balanced Employment Laws

CHAMBER MEMBERS ADVOCATE:

• Reforming Michigan’s insolvent unemployment insurance (UI) system with a focus on cost-saving reforms, including recovery of fraudulent payments and administrative efficiencies, while opposing efforts to further deteriorate solvency by increasing the current level of UI benefits or lowering eligibility.
• Protecting employers’ rights to manage their workplace by reducing governmental involvement and regulations on issues including, but not limited to, employment-at-will, leave time, communication, wage and hour compliance and drug or weapons policies.
• Supporting efforts to reform the workers’ compensation system in ways that would reduce employer costs and increase efficiency. 

WHY?

In today's volatile economy, it is the Michigan Chamber’s position that fair and affordable employment laws, including the state’s employer-financed unemployment and workers’ compensation programs, are more important than ever. As of November 2010, Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund had borrowed more than $3.8 billion from the federal government to continue paying benefits. Left unchecked, Michigan businesses’ total additional tax burden will automatically increase by over $230 million in 2011 and increase progressively over the next decade or longer to repay the federal debt plus interest. The current crisis represents an opportunity to work proactively to overhaul and reform the UI system and eliminate the debt incurred.  Furthermore, governmental involvement and regulations should be reduced to give employers the flexibility they need to manage their workplace and address their employees’ needs and allow Michigan to be attractive, competitive and a better place to do business.

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