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Michigan officials applaud federal pandemic unemployment assistance waiver decision

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Michiganders who wrongfully received pandemic unemployment assistance from the state might not have to pay that money back.

The federal government has new eligibility rules for waivers that would let people keep that money.

"So, this point, it’s just this analysis of the data we have, of the claimants that we have, making sure that we are really taking a comprehensive look of all of the different potential categories that exist where individuals received overpayment notices." said Michigan’s Unemployment Insurance Agency, Julia Dale.

Dale says residents who may have gotten those notices should hold tight while keeping a lookout for communication from the department.

A September report from the state Auditor General found the state lost nearly 4 billion dollars in wrongful pandemic unemployment assistance payments.