The Small Business Briefing – November 2, 2026

SBAM’s latest Small Business Briefing covered Michigan’s election, workforce challenges, an important unemployment insurance system transition and a new appointment for one of SBAM’s board members. Watch the full briefing on YouTube for the complete discussion.

Employers: Unemployment insurance system transition

The briefing highlighted the transition from the agency’s legacy MyWAM system to MyUI. Employers who had not yet set up a MyUI account were advised to retrieve their eight-digit employer code from MyWAM before the legacy system was decommissioned. The agency’s planned blackout was expected to affect both systems, along with customer service phone lines and local offices.

Connecting with overlooked talent

SBAM invited employers to its Hidden Talent Workshop in East Lansing. The workshop will explore ways to connect with talent pools that may be overlooked by traditional hiring practices, including veterans, people with disabilities, older workers and returning citizens. The program will also include interactive sessions on building workplaces where employees can thrive.

Michigan election and post-election coverage

The briefing reviewed the U.S. Senate race and recent polling ahead of Election Day. Jacob noted that a large share of voters had already cast ballots and that polling showed a relatively small undecided group, making the impact of late campaign developments uncertain. The discussion also covered polling on the governor’s race and the proposed constitutional convention. SBAM said it would share further analysis through its Watchdog newsletter, a post-election recap and an Owner2Owner event in the Grand Rapids area.

Board member appointed to state council

SBAM congratulated board member Patty Eisenbraun, owner of Brown Iron Brewery, on her appointment to the Michigan Craft Beverage Council. Jacob also encouraged small-business owners to consider serving on state boards and commissions related to their industries.