Can you get unemployment if you were fired michigan

What You Need to Know About Unemployment Benefits in Michigan

This site provides clear, accurate information on collecting unemployment benefits in Michigan, including:

  • whether you are eligible for benefits
  • how to apply for benefits
  • how much you'll get (and how long your benefits will last)
  • what you'll have to do to keep collecting benefits, and
  • what to do if your application is denied.

Here are three key things to keep in mind as you get started:

1. You can apply for benefits -- and find helpful resources -- at the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency website.

Before you file for unemployment, you may want to learn more by reading our articles on benefit amounts, who qualifies for benefits, and so on. Once you're ready to file, you can do it online. And, you can find detailed information and resources at the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency website, including:

  • Michigan's online portal where you can file your claim for benefits
  • the Claiming Unemployment Benefits in Michigan: Fact Sheet page, where you can learn how to file your weekly claims for benefits in Michigan once your application is approved
  • Completing Your Work Search, which explains the work search requirements you will have to meet in Michigan in order to keep receiving benefits
  • Unemployment Benefits in Michigan, a detailed guide to collecting unemployment in Michigan, and
  • information about how and when to file an appeal in Michigan if your application for benefits is denied.

2. Eligibility rules, benefit amounts, and duration differ from state to state.

Unemployment insurance works pretty much the same everywhere: Employers pay into a fund or purchase insurance, then former employees receive benefits when they lose their jobs. But the rules about who qualifies for unemployment, how long unemployment lasts, and especially how much you will receive in benefits vary a lot from state to state. 

Our site covers every state and the District of Columbia; this page gives you information specific to Michigan. 

3. You may be eligible for benefits even if you quit, you were fired for cause, or you are still working part-time.

Some people mistakenly believe that unemployment is available only to employees who are laid off. However, you don't have to lose your job in a layoff to qualify for benefits. The key question is whether you are out of work without fault on your part. So, if you were forced to quit your job in lieu of being fired, or you were fired because you don't have the necessary skills for your job, you could still be eligible for benefits. 

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In order to collect unemployment, you must meet two basic requirements. First, you must have earned at least a minimum amount, set by state law, in the time before you lost your job. Second, you must be out of work through no fault of your own. (For more information on each of these requirements, see Who is Eligible for Unemployment Benefits in Michigan?)

If you lose your job in a layoff, reduction-in-force (RIF), or downsizing, you will be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits. But what if you are fired? And, what if you are wrongfully terminated -- that is, fired for illegal reasons?  

If You Were Fired 

In some situations, you may still qualify for unemployment benefits in Michigan even if you are fired from your job. For example, if you were fired because you were just a poor fit, you may still be eligible for benefits. 

In Michigan, you may be disqualified from receiving benefits if you were fired for job-related misconduct, including but not limited to intoxication at work, refusing to take a drug test, theft, or property destruction. 

You may be disqualified either for a set number of weeks or until you get another job and earn a minimum amount, depending on state law. In some states, the length of the disqualification period depends on why you were fired. You can learn more about how disqualification works in Michigan in the Unemployment Benefits in Michigan. 

If You Were Wrongfully Terminated

Sometimes employers fire employees for reasons that are illegal, such as an employee’s refusal to submit to sexual harassment or reporting unsafe working conditions to a government agency. If you were fired for protected reasons like these, you may have been wrongfully terminated. 

The definition of “wrongful termination” varies from state to state. If you believe your employer fired you without a good reason or for an illegal reason, you may be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits in Michigan. In this situation, you may want to speak to an employment lawyer, not only to find out whether you can collect unemployment, but also to learn about your other legal rights. For example, if you were wrongfully terminated, you may be entitled to reinstatement, money damages, and more. See Do I Need a Lawyer to Get Unemployment Benefits in Michigan? to learn more; if you decide to talk to a lawyer, see How Can I Find an Unemployment Lawyer in Michigan?

If you believe you were fired because you complained about your employer's violation of wage and hour laws (like the laws entitling employees to overtime, the minimum wage, tips, breaks, and so on), visit our site on minimum wage and overtime law, which includes information on your rights to fair pay and how to find a lawyer if you think your employer owes you wages.

If you were denied unemployment benefits and you believe you were wrongfully terminated, you may want to appeal the decision. See Can I Appeal a Denial of Unemployment Benefits in Michigan? for information on filing an appeal.

Can an employer deny unemployment Michigan?

If a job has a production quota and the employee is not able to meet it, but is in all other ways cooperative, it is unlikely that an employer cannot disqualify the employee from receiving unemployment benefits.

What are the rules for unemployment in Michigan?

To be eligible, for unemployment benefits, you must be unemployed and able, available for, and actively seeking suitable full-time work. Unless instructed otherwise by UIA staff, you must also register for work at www.mitalent.org and visit a Michigan Works! Agency (MWA) service center.

What reasons can you quit a job and still get unemployment in Michigan?

Collecting Unemployment After Quitting You may also remain eligible if you quit because your job was harmful to your mental or physical health, but only if you get a note from a medical professional to that effect and you tried unsuccessfully to secure alternative work with your employer or go on leave.

How long do you have to work to qualify for unemployment in Michigan?

To be eligible for this benefit program, you must a resident of Michigan and meet all of the following: Unemployed, and. Worked in Michigan during the past 12 months (this period may be longer in some cases), and. Earned a minimum amount of wages determined by Michigan guidelines, and.