Michigan Work Share Program May Help Struggling Businesses

May 14, 2020

EDA's CEO, Dan Casey, discusses how the federal Work Share program that Michigan is participating in may help employers retain skilled workers, while reducing payroll expenses.  Employers can reduce hours from 10-60%, with unemployment wages making up the difference.  Employers must maintain an employee's fringe benefits.  Under the unemployment under the CARES act, employees may also be eligible to receive the extra $600 a week currently available through July.  

Watch Dan explain in this video how the Michigan Work Share program could help your business.

Watch the Michigan Work Share video for full details on the program.

Employees enrolled in the work share program get a portion of the state's maximum $362 weekly unemployment compensation, ranging from $36 for a 10 percent reduction in hours to $217 for a 60 percent reduction in hours.

Workers who go back to work part time through the work share program also can continue collecting the federal government's $600-a-week pandemic unemployment benefit through the end of July.

Michigan’s Work Share program allows employers to restart their business and bring employees back from unemployment. Employers can bring employees back with reduced hours - while employees collect partial unemployment benefits to make up a portion of the lost wages. Employers can also retain their current workforce and are given the flexibility to choose which of their employees are part of a Work Share plan.

Michigan Work Share Fact Sheet (Bringing Laid Off Employees Back To Work)
Michigan Work Share Fact Sheet (April 2020 - Reducing Hours / Employer Resource)