How to file for unemployment in Michigan
The fastest way to file for unemployment in Michigan is online through Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) at www.michigan.gov. Michigan pays up to $530 per week (up to $626 with dependents), has no waiting week before benefits begin, and regular state benefits run up to 26 weeks. File the week your job ends, since claims generally do not backdate, and choose "laid off / no fault" as your reason.
HOW MUCH YOU CAN GET
Up to $530 / week
Up to $626 with dependents.
4.1% of your best recent quarter's wages plus $19.33 for each dependent (up to five), up to the caps; a 2025 law raises the base max again to $614 in 2027.
Effective January 2026. Your exact amount comes from your wage history; Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) calculates it when you file.
Just laid off? Unemployment is one of five clocks
Severance review, COBRA, health coverage, and the rest: every first-week deadline in one place. Free, no account needed.
Michigan unemployment at a glance
Agency
Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA)
Official portal
www.michigan.gov
Ways to file
Online · Phone · In person
Max weekly benefit
$530/week ($626 with dependents)
Waiting week
No waiting week
Max benefit weeks
Up to 26 weeks
You file online through the Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) portal, signing in via MILogin; phone filing is 1-866-500-0017.
File in the state where you worked, not where you live. Worked in more than one? Start with the agency where you live now.
Filing is always free. No real state or federal program charges a fee to file. If a site asks for payment, it's a scam.
How to file, step by step
1
Gather your documents (see the checklist below) before you start.
2
Go to the official state portal: www.michigan.gov.
3
Create an account and complete any identity verification the state requires.
4
File your initial claim. For the separation reason, choose "laid off / no fault," not "fired" or "quit."
5
Then certify each week (answer the weekly questions) to keep benefits coming, and set up direct deposit.
What to have ready
Your Social Security number and a government photo ID.
Employer details for the last 18 months: each company's name, address, and your dates there.
The reason you left each job. For this one, that's "laid off / no fault," not "fired" or "quit."
Your most recent pay stubs and last year's W-2.
Bank routing + account number, if you want benefits paid by direct deposit.
Michigan unemployment FAQ
How do I file for unemployment in Michigan?
File online through Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) at www.michigan.gov. Have your Social Security number, photo ID, and 18 months of employer details ready, and choose "laid off / no fault" as your reason for leaving. You can also file by phone or in person.
How much is unemployment in Michigan?
Michigan pays up to $530 per week (up to $626 with dependents). 4.1% of your best recent quarter's wages plus $19.33 for each dependent (up to five), up to the caps; a 2025 law raises the base max again to $614 in 2027. Figure effective January 2026; confirm your exact amount with Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) when you file.
Does severance affect unemployment in Michigan?
Michigan reduces the weekly benefit in weeks the employer allocates severance to: fully ineligible at 1.5x the weekly benefit or more, partial between 1x and 1.5x; the employer generally picks the allocation. File the week your job ends either way and answer the portal's questions honestly; the agency applies the rule. (Researched July 2026; confirm current treatment with Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA).)
Is there a waiting week for unemployment in Michigan?
Michigan: no waiting week. A waiting week is an unpaid first week of a claim; where it applies you still file and certify during it.
How many weeks of unemployment can I get in Michigan?
Michigan pays regular state benefits for up to 26 weeks. Federal extensions can change this in a downturn; confirm the current rule with Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA).
Official references
How unemployment insurance works (US DOL)
Plain-language overview of eligibility, the unpaid waiting week, and weekly certification.
Unemployment is taxable (IRS Topic 418)
Benefits count as income. Consider asking Michigan to withhold so tax time isn't a surprise.
Keep going
The unemployment guide
Waiting weeks, weekly certification, and the timing that trips people up.
Not your state? See all states
The official place to file in every other state.
Reviewed July 2026. State rules change; confirm the current waiting week and benefit weeks on the official Michigan portal (www.michigan.gov) before you rely on them.