Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency requires 2 documented work search contacts per week — among the lowest requirements nationally. Most states require 3 contacts; Michigan's 2-contact standard reduces the burden while still demanding consistent documentation. Michigan integrates with the Michigan Works! network of career centers, where services and job referrals generate valid contacts. MiWAM bi-weekly certification includes confirmation of 2-per-week contacts for each of the two weeks covered.
- 2 employer contacts per week — lower than most states. Each must target a specific employer for a specific position.
- Michigan Works! career center services — workshops, job referrals, counseling — generate valid contacts.
- Document every contact: date, employer, position, method, result. Michigan UIA audits work search records.
Always verify exact numbers, deadlines, and forms on the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency's official website – this page provides general guidance, not state-specific legal advice.
What Counts in Michigan
Valid Michigan work search contacts: submitting a specific application to a specific employer for a specific open position (online, in person, or by email); attending a job fair and making meaningful employer contact; registering with or contacting a staffing agency; attending Michigan Works! career center services (job referrals, career counseling sessions, skills workshops); interviewing with an employer. What does not count: browsing job boards without applying, updating a resume without submitting it, or general career planning without employer contact.
Michigan Works! Network
Michigan Works! career centers operate throughout the state and provide services that generate valid work search contacts: resume review, job referrals, career counseling, skills assessments, and employer connections. Michigan strongly encourages UI claimants to register with Michigan Talent Connect (michigantalentconnect.com) as part of reemployment assistance. Engagement with Michigan Works! — attending workshops, meeting with employment counselors, receiving job referrals — each generates a valid work search contact in Michigan's system.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Michigan only requires 2 contacts per week. Why document them if the bar is low?
- Because Michigan UIA audits work search records — and during audits, only documented contacts that can be verified count. A contact you made but did not record may not be credited if the employer cannot confirm the outreach. Michigan's 2-contact requirement is easy to meet, but failing an audit due to poor documentation creates an overpayment for the audited weeks. Save all application confirmation emails as your strongest documentation.
- I'm a UAW autoworker on temporary layoff with a recall date. Do I need to do work searches in Michigan?
- Michigan may waive the work search requirement for union members on temporary layoff with a definite employer recall date. Indicate your temporary layoff status and recall date when filing through MiWAM. Michigan UIA evaluates whether a waiver applies — it commonly does for UAW workers with established recall rights. If the recall date changes or the employer cancels the recall, contact Michigan UIA immediately — the work search requirement resumes when your return-to-work date becomes uncertain.
- I am a skilled tradesperson in Michigan. Finding 2 specific job postings in my exact trade can be difficult some weeks. What do I do?
- Broaden the contact approach: staffing and temp agency contacts count even without a specific posted opening. Michigan Works! contacts (meeting with a career counselor, attending a trade-specific job fair) also count. Remote or out-of-state job applications for positions you are willing to accept are valid Michigan contacts. For specialized trades in low-hiring periods, connecting with trade associations, union halls, or industry contacts about project-based work opportunities generates valid contacts. Two contacts per week is achievable in virtually every skilled trade with a broad approach.
- Michigan UIA audited my work search and I can't find documentation for some weeks. What happens?
- Weeks without documentation for both required contacts may be disqualified, and benefits paid for those weeks become overpayments. Appeal within 30 days if you believe the contacts were made. For future weeks, maintain a physical or digital work search log and save every application confirmation email. If you can reach employers who can confirm the outreach via an email thread or application record in their system, that helps support your appeal even after the fact.
- I was offered a job in Michigan paying significantly less than my former position. If I decline, will I lose UI?
- Michigan evaluates declined job offers against its "suitable work" standard — the work must be reasonably comparable to your prior employment. Early in your benefit period (first 8 to 10 weeks), Michigan gives claimants latitude to decline positions substantially below prior wages. Later in the benefit period, the suitability range broadens. Report the declined offer accurately in your MiWAM certification. If Michigan UIA disqualifies you for that week, appeal within 30 days and document the specific wages and conditions of the offer relative to your prior employment and skills.