Dear Friend,
I am proud to serve the people of western Wayne County every day in the Michigan Senate. Wayne County is a great place with incredible career opportunities. If reaching your goals means going back to school, learning new skills in your field, acing an interview, or starting a whole new career path, we have resources to help. I’ve put this newsletter together to make it easier to learn about available state and local programs, and to let you know what my colleagues and I have been doing to support working folks across the state.
When you call, email, or write a letter to my office, you are helping me better represent the issues you value. If you would like to share your ideas or if you need help with navigating our state government, you can contact my office by email at SenDPolehanki@senate.michigan.gov or by phone at (517) 373-7350, including a toll-free option at (855) DIST007 (855-347-8007).
If you would like to be more informed about my work at the Capitol and in-district activities, consider signing up for my biweekly email updates online at SenatorPolehanki.com. It’s an honor to continue to serve you in the legislature as your state senator.
Working for you,
Dayna Polehanki
State Senator
7th District
Website: SenatorPolehanki.com
Email: SenDPolehanki@senate.michigan.gov
Toll-Free: (855) DIST007 (855-347-8007)
Working for You!
Senate Democrats are working hard every day to ensure that when you are without work, you’ll still have the support you need to keep food on the dinner table. Whether it’s increasing the minimum wage, requiring earned paid sick time, or protecting employees from dishonest employers, we’re working for YOU. Here are some of the bills we’ve introduced to support workers who are on the job or looking for one:
Senate Bill 2
Increases the maximum number of unemployment benefit weeks.
Senate Bill 161
Expands workers’ compensation for all essential employees who contract COVID-19 by creating a presumption that they were exposed at work.
Senate Bills 162-164
Protects workers from adverse action if they report unsafe work conditions or cannot come to work because of COVID-19 exposure.
Senate Bill 165
Requires employers to publish a list of COVID-19 testing sites for their employees
Senate Bill 173
Removes rules that prevent seasonal employees from collecting unemployment benefits during the off-season.
Senate Bill 174
Allows certain lower-wage school employees to collect unemployment
Senate Bill 175
Expands unemployment benefits during a declared emergency.
Senate Bill 208
Expands Michigan’s Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act by adding sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes.
Senate Bill 863
Restores the film incentive tax credits.
Wayne County
Michigan Works! Programs
The Southeast Michigan Community Alliance (SEMCA) Michigan Works! Agency administers a variety of workforce programs and services. In partnership with employers, educators, economic developers, and community organizations, it seeks to create a qualified workforce that meets the current and future talent needs of the county’s businesses.
Services provided for job seekers include:
- Job Search Assistance
• Tuition Assistance for Education/Training
• Career Coaching
• Workshops – Interviewing, Resume Development and Job Searches
• Job Fairs and Events
Services provided for employers include:
- Talent Recruitment
• Training Funds
• Apprenticeship Programs
• Candidate Pre-Screening
• Hiring and Training Support
• Employee Retention Programs
Visit SEMCA.org for more information on any of these topics or to find an office near you.
CHANGING CAREERS? NEED TO UPGRADE YOUR SKILLS?
TRY MICHIGAN RECONNECT!
The new Michigan Reconnect program provides eligible adults aged 25 or older with the opportunity to earn a tuition-free associate degree or skills certificate at their local, in-district community colleges or select private training schools.
Certifications and licenses often can be obtained in less than a year, and many skilled trades can be learned through apprenticeships or short-term training. Visit Michigan.gov/Reconnect to learn more.
UNEMPLOYMENT 101
Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency urges Michiganders to use Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) to file unemployment claims and to check the status of those claims. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, folks are experiencing longer wait times, but filing online remains the fastest way to apply for unemployment benefits.
TO FILE A CLAIM:
Go online at to Michigan.gov/UIA to use the MiWAM portal, OR
Call (866) 500-0017, select Option 1; TTY callers: 1-866-366-0004
TO SUBMIT A CLAIM, YOU WILL NEED YOUR:
- Social Security number
• Employment information from the past 18 months, including employer name and address, first/last day worked, and gross earnings
• Your address, phone number, date of birth
• Non-citizens registration and the expiration date of your work authorization card
• Driver’s license or state ID
• Your most recent employer’s UIA account number or Federal ID number, especially if you have not filed a claim within the last three years or have been employed for less than six months. (Your employer’s federal ID number can be found on your annual W-2 form and having this information may speed up the processing of your claim.)
WORK SEARCH REPORTING/GETTING PAID
In order to get paid, EVERY TWO WEEKS you must report (certify) that you are still unemployed by answering some questions. Michigan also requires that you show proof you are actively searching for work while unemployed. A “work search activity” includes:
- Applying for jobs in person or online,
• Attending job fairs,
• Creating a profile or resume on a professional networking or job site, or
• Participating in online job search workshops or seminars.
A waiver of the work search requirement may be granted due to certain COVID-19 related reasons. The preferred method for reporting work search activities is online using your Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) account, but you can also call (866) 638-3993.
COVID-19 RESOURCES
MICHIGAN COVID-19 HOTLINE
FAQs, latest information, testing sites near you
Michigan.gov/Coronavirus | (888) 535-6136
MICHIGAN COVID-19 VACCINE
FAQs, information, distribution plan and guidance
Michigan.gov/COVIDvaccine | (888) 535-6136
SMALL BUSINESS RESOURCES
Michigan Economic Development Corporation
MichiganBusiness.org | (888) 522-0103
CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION
How to protect your health, what to do when sick
CDC.gov | (800) 232-4636
REPORT PAYROLL FRAUD
Michigan Attorney General, Payroll Fraud Enforcement Unit
Michigan.gov/AG | (833) 221-1099
WAYNE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Local dashboards, information, COVID-19 help hotline
WayneCounty.com/COVID19 | (734) 287-7870
Business & Childcare Resources
Business Resources
Entrepreneurship and/or owning a business has never been more challenging: Finding cash flow, hiring workers, paying taxes, social media, advertising, and COVID-19 all make running a business incredibly challenging. Fortunately, there is help through the state and Wayne County that can help you reach your next business milestone.
As a resident of Wayne County, you have a competitive advantage over many other businesses in Michigan and around the world. We have access to incredible talent, a great business environment, and access to the Great Lakes and Canada. The Wayne County Economic Development Department and the Michigan Economic Developmental Corporation are great assets for anyone running or starting a business in Wayne County. You can find access to business development opportunities, including funding networking, and so much more.
Wayne County offers a variety of resources to help you take the next steps in developing your business and career. For more information, visit waynecounty.com/departments/econdev.
The Michigan Economic Development Corporation has access to startup help, incentives, and tax benefits that can help companies of all sizes. For more information, visit: MichiganBusiness.org.
Childcare Resources
Access to quality childcare is fundamental for working people in Michigan. Good childcare shouldn’t require a full-time job to afford, but costs have been increasing nonetheless, making quality care unattainable for many.
If you’re not familiar with it already, the Great Start Readiness Program is the state-funded preschool program for more than 35,000 4-year-olds across Michigan and that helps parents who meet income eligibility requirements. Just last year, we passed the largest education investment in our state’s history, which included an additional $168.5 million for Great Start — setting the program on a historical path whereby the state will seek to ensure access to another 22,000 additional income-eligible children within the next three years.
If you are looking for resources on eligibility and access to the GSRP, visit Michigan.gov/GSRP or call the Great Start to Quality Resource Center at (877) 614-7328.
Having difficulty paying for childcare? You may be eligible for assistance through the MI Bridges program. Visit Michigan.gov/MIBridges to learn more.