HOUSE BILL No. 4449

 

 

March 16, 2011, Introduced by Rep. Somerville and referred to the Committee on Commerce.

 

     A bill to amend 1936 (Ex Sess) PA 1, entitled

 

"Michigan employment security act,"

 

by amending section 62 (MCL 421.62), as amended by 1995 PA 125.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 62. (a) If the commission unemployment agency determines

 

that a person has obtained benefits to which that person is not

 

entitled, the commission it may recover a sum equal to the amount

 

received plus interest by 1 or more of the following methods: (1)

 

deduction from benefits payable to the individual, (2) payment by

 

the individual to the commission in cash, or (3) deduction from a

 

tax refund payable to the individual as provided under section 30a

 

of Act No. 122 of the Public Acts of 1941, being section 205.30a of

 

the Michigan Compiled Laws 1941 PA 122, MCL 205.30a. Deduction from

 

benefits payable to the individual shall be is limited to not more


 

than 20% of each weekly benefit check due the claimant. The

 

commission unemployment agency shall not recover improperly paid

 

benefits from an individual more than 3 years, or more than 6 years

 

in the case of a violation of section 54(a) or (b) or sections 54a

 

to 54c, after the date of receipt of the improperly paid benefits

 

unless : (1) the unemployment agency filed a civil action is filed

 

in a court by the commission within the 3-year or 6-year period; ,

 

(2) the individual made an intentional false statement,

 

misrepresentation, or concealment of material information to obtain

 

the benefits; , or (3) or the commission unemployment agency issued

 

a determination requiring restitution within the 3-year or 6-year

 

period. Furthermore, except Except in a case of an intentional

 

false statement, misrepresentation, or concealment of material

 

information, the commission unemployment agency may waive recovery

 

of an improperly paid benefit or interest if the payment was not

 

the fault of the individual and if repayment would be contrary to

 

equity and good conscience.

 

     (b) For benefit years beginning before the conversion date

 

prescribed in section 75 October 1, 2000, if the commission

 

unemployment agency determines that a person has intentionally made

 

a false statement or misrepresentation or has concealed material

 

information to obtain benefits, whether or not the person obtains

 

benefits by or because of the intentional false statement,

 

misrepresentation, or concealment of material information, the

 

person shall, in addition to any other applicable interest and

 

penalties, have all of his or her uncharged credit weeks with

 

respect to the benefit year in which the act occurred canceled as


 

of the date the commission unemployment agency receives notice of,

 

or initiates investigation of, the possible false statement,

 

misrepresentation, or concealment of material information,

 

whichever date is earlier. Before receiving benefits in a benefit

 

year established within 2 years after cancellation of uncharged

 

credit weeks under this subsection, the individual, in addition to

 

making the restitution of benefits established under subsection

 

(a), may be liable to the commission, by cash, deduction from

 

benefits, or deduction from a tax refund, for an additional amount

 

as determined by the commission unemployment agency under this act,

 

which may be paid by cash, deduction from benefits, or deduction

 

from a tax refund. Restitution resulting from the intentional false

 

statement, misrepresentation, or concealment of material

 

information is not subject to the 20% limitation provided in

 

subsection (a). For benefit years beginning after the conversion

 

date prescribed in section 75 on or after October 1, 2000, if the

 

commission unemployment agency determines that a person has

 

intentionally made a false statement or misrepresentation or has

 

concealed material information to obtain benefits, whether or not

 

the person obtains benefits by or because of the intentional false

 

statement, misrepresentation, or concealment of material

 

information, the person shall, in addition to any other applicable

 

interest and penalties, have his or her rights to benefits for the

 

benefit year in which the act occurred canceled as of the date the

 

commission unemployment agency receives notice of, or initiates

 

investigation of, a possible false statement, misrepresentation, or

 

concealment of material information, whichever date is earlier, and


 

wages used to establish that benefit year shall not be used to

 

establish another benefit year. Before receiving benefits in a

 

benefit year established within 2 years after cancellation of

 

rights to benefits under this subsection, the individual, in

 

addition to making the restitution of benefits established under

 

subsection (a), may be liable to the commission, by cash, deduction

 

from benefits, or deduction from a tax refund, for an additional

 

amount as otherwise determined by the commission unemployment

 

agency under this act, which may be paid by cash, deduction from

 

benefits, or deduction from a tax refund. Restitution resulting

 

from the intentional false statement, misrepresentation, or

 

concealment of material information is not subject to the 20%

 

limitation provided in subsection (a).

 

     (c) Any determination made by the commission unemployment

 

agency under this section is final unless an application for a

 

redetermination is filed with the commission in accordance with

 

section 32a.

 

     (d) The commission unemployment agency shall take the action

 

necessary to recover all benefits improperly obtained or paid under

 

this act, and to enforce all interest and penalties under

 

subsection (b).

 

     (e) Interest recovered under this section shall be deposited

 

in the special fraud control fund created in section 10.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless all of the following bills of the 96th Legislature are

 

enacted into law:

 

     (a) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4450(request no.


 

01743'11).

 

     (b) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4451(request no.

 

01744'11).

 

     (c) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4448(request no.

 

01745'11).