Michigan Unemployment Benefits to Increase in 2026
Michigan residents who are unemployed will see an increase in their benefits starting in 2026. Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed a law last year that initiated a series of step-wise raises in jobless benefits, marking the first increase in state jobless benefits since 2002, as reported by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity.
The maximum weekly benefit for unemployed workers will rise to $530 from the current $446. However, not all recipients will receive the highest amount as the benefit is based on their wage history. Additionally, households with children or other dependents will see an increase in the stipend from $12.66 per dependent to $19.33 in 2026.
Alongside the benefit increase, jobseekers will face a higher work search requirement in the new year. Instead of showing one work search activity per week, they will now need to demonstrate at least three activities per week.
These changes come as Michigan’s jobless rate is predicted to increase. The University of Michigan Research Seminar in Quantitative Economics forecasts that the state unemployment rate will rise to 5.6% by the second quarter of 2026.
