LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan is reviewing 31,000 more cases of potential unemployment benefits fraud that were identified by an automated computer system that is under scrutiny.
The Unemployment Insurance Agency made the commitment Friday, a day after the agency’s director was reassigned amid fallout over at least 20,000 claimants being mistakenly accused of fraud between 2013 and 2015.
U.S. Rep. Sander Levin had wanted the state to review all 53,000 cases, not just 22,000 that had a 93 percent error rate.
Talent Investment Agency Director Wanda Stokes says about 7,000 of the 31,000 cases have been reviewed. Unlike the other cases, these had involvement by agency staff and contact with claimants.
The state no longer uses the automated system to issue fraud determinations. Instead, employees investigate and make determinations.
