Summary of Bill & What It Means to You
SB 161 (Sen. McCann): Retroactive Workers’ Compensation Coverage Mandate for COVID Claims. This legislation seeks to require workers’ compensation to cover all COVID-19 related medical claims for “essential workers” retroactive to March 10, 2020. This mandate would apply regardless of whether the worker could prove he or she contracted COVID-19 in the workplace.
OPPOSE: This proposal could unleash unintended negative consequences for employees and employers alike. Expanding workers’ compensation coverage ignores another far superior avenue for getting income replacement to workers who become ill. In most circumstances where the need is simply for short-term income replacement, state and federal unemployment benefits are a much better deal for workers. In addition, research shows a move to mandate coverage will destabilize and overburden Michigan’s well-managed and financially stable workers’ compensation system, pushing it to the brink. To pay for these additional claims, workers’ compensation premiums will need to increase dramatically, which will further hurt businesses while they are recovering from the economic toll of COVID-19, making a bad situation even worse.
HB 5525 (Albert): Hold Employers Harmless for State’s Errors Related to Unemployment Program. This appropriation bill would make a $250 million deposit into Michigan’s 100 percent employer-financed Unemployment Trust Fund, to hold it harmful for the fraudulent benefits and improper payments the Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) made out over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn More….
The Going Pro Training Fund is aimed at helping employers address their unique talent needs. It does so by allowing employers to apply for awards to assist them in the training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. Training funded by the Talent Fund must be short-term and fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer. Training must lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by the industry.
SBs 360, 361, 363, 364, 422, 432 and HBs 4646, 4648, 4649, 4650, 4827 would create and expand tools for local governments to support the development or rehabilitation of housing supply that is attainable to more of our citizens and workers. This legislative package is focused on creating and expanding tools for local governments to support the development or rehabilitation of housing supply that is attainable to more of our citizens and workforce.
HB 5244 would eliminate the mandatory isolation/quarantine provisions under Michigan’s anti-retaliation law.
In addition to the Biden Administration’s proposed COVID-19 vaccine mandate, the Legislature has introduced a number of bills aimed at preventing private sector employers from requiring the COVID-19 vaccine (HBs 4471, 4791, 4792) and/or holding employers liable for adverse reactions to the vaccine if they mandate it (HB 5352).
HB 4338, SB 172 – Allow Independent Contractors to Collect Unemployment. This legislation would allow independent contractors to be eligible to collect state unemployment benefits during a state-declared emergency and replaces the IRS 20 Factor Test to an ABC test for determining if a worker is an independent contractor.
HB 4337, SB 171 – Increase the Number of Individuals Eligible for Unemployment Benefits. Drops the high quarter earnings eligibility requirement from $4,744 to $1,235. Today, to be eligible for benefits you must, among other things, either have wages in at least two quarters in the base period totaling the amount set in statute. This bill would have the net effect of allowing more claimants, particularly those with little or an unstable attachment to the job market, to collect UI benefits.
HB 4334, SB 170 – Increase Unemployment Benefit Payout. This legislation would increase unemployment insurance (UI) benefit duration from a maximum of 20 weeks to 26 weeks, increases the dependent allowance from $6 per child to $20 per child and increases the number of acceptable dependents from fix to six under the unemployment insurance (UI) program. The dependent allowance gives claimants an extra amount in their UI benefit checks based on the number of dependents they claim.
SB 161 (Sen. McCann): Retroactive Workers’ Compensation Coverage Mandate for COVID Claims. This legislation seeks to require workers’ compensation to cover all COVID-19 related medical claims for “essential workers” retroactive to March 10, 2020. This mandate would apply regardless of whether the worker could prove he or she contracted COVID-19 in the workplace.
HB 4047 (Beson): Help For Struggling Businesses. This $3.5 billion appropriation bill includes several provisions aimed at providing much-needed and direct relief to Michigan businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 public health emergency. The bill also includes appropriations for vaccines and to return kids to in-person learning.
SB 2 (Sen. Wojno): Increase Unemployment Benefit Duration. This legislation would increase the number of weeks an unemployed worker is eligible for state unemployment insurance (UI) benefits from 20 to 26.
