Audit: Michigan Paid $8 Billion in Improper Jobless Benefits During Pandemic

The Michigan seal affixed to the wall above Carniak's seat at the Oakland County District Court in Rochester Hills, Mich., on Dec. 13, 2021, in a still from video. AP/Screenshot via The Epoch Times

An independent audit of the performance of Michigan’s unemployment compensation system during the pandemic gave state officials some good news and some bad news.

The audit estimated that the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) thwarted $44 billion in fraudulent unemployment claims but handed out an estimated $8 billion in improper benefits during the first 19 months of the pandemic.