Unemployment Extension Signed Into Law
Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed into law legislation restoring COVID-related changes to Michigan’s unemployment program following a Michigan Supreme Court ruling that vacated the Governor’s pandemic executive orders.
MMA-supported Public Acts 229 and 230 (Senator Ken Horn, R-Frankenmuth) provide flexibility in unemployment claims during the pandemic and protect employers from a spike in their unemployment taxes. The bills ensure that Michigan maintains access to federal funding for extended unemployment benefits by temporarily maintaining a 26-week state benefit duration and allows employers a full year to protest unemployment claims made between 3/15/20 and 1/1/21. Importantly, the requirement that a claimant be actively engaged in a work-search as a condition of receiving benefits has been restored.
MMA President Urging State to Keep Michigan’s Economy Open
MMA President & CEO John Walsh joined with his counterparts in organizations representing Michigan businesses to urge policymakers to work together to enact policies that ensure that Michigan businesses can continue to operate safely. The letter sent today to Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey and Speaker of the House Lee Chatfield encourages a transparent, precise and data-driven approach to decisions made about controlling the spread of COVID-19, with consideration for the diversity of Michigan’s economy.
MMA-Driven Pandemic PPT Fix Introduced
With many employees working from home during the COVID-19 crisis, and likely taking with them company personal property such as laptops, monitors, printers or even chairs, a new challenge of tracking that equipment for Personal Property Tax purposes will present a serious administrative problem for both manufacturers and local units of government. An MMA-driven solution introduced in the Michigan Senate yesterday will fix the problem before reporting is required for this year, avoiding an administrative nightmare for manufacturers.
Senate Bill 1203 (Senator Jim Runestad, R-White Lake) would establish that all personal property is assumed to be in its original location as it was on tax day, 12/31/19. MMA has secured the support of the Department of Treasury and anticipates action when the legislative session resumes after the General Election.
New & Notable
ICYMI: Deep Dive on New
Workplace Safety Rules
Michigan’s Director of COVID-19 Workplace Safety Sean Egan joined MMA for an in-depth discussion of new emergency workplace safety rules issued by MIOSHA in the wake of the Michigan Supreme Court invalidating Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s COVID-related executive orders.
Watch the recorded webinar and contact MMA’s David Worthams, at worthams@mimfg.org, with your questions.
Webinar: Navigating Through Turbulent Times
Host: Prometis
(MMA Premium Associate Member)
Thurs, Nov 5 • 8:00 a.m. • Register online.
Plenty of companies haven’t made it through tough times while some have not only survived but emerged stronger than ever.
Learn the difference between the companies that limp along and those that thrive in this virtual workshop.
Resources for Manufacturers
Stay updated and compliant with the many changes imposed over the last few weeks. Find state, federal and member resources on MMA’s COVID-19 Resources.