Reminders about MiUI: Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Security Among Michigan Small Businesses
October 17, 2026
Article courtesy of SBAM’s Advocacy Team
As Cybersecurity Awareness Month draws attention to the growing threat of online fraud, Michigan officials are encouraging residents and businesses to take proactive steps to protect sensitive information and recognize common scam tactics.
The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) recommends maintaining strong, unique passwords for online accounts; regularly reviewing account activity for unauthorized access; and fully logging out of accounts when using shared or public computers. Monitoring accounts and reporting suspicious activity promptly can help limit the impact of fraud attempts.
The warning comes as scammers increasingly use government agencies as cover for fraudulent schemes. Earlier this year, the UIA alerted Michiganders to a phone scam in which callers falsely claimed that unpaid unemployment benefits could be released for a fee. The agency emphasized that it does not charge fees to release benefits and does not contact individuals demanding payment or personal information.
As a reminder, Michigan employers that have not yet activated their MiUI accounts should act now, even if an outside payroll provider or third-party administrator handles their unemployment insurance responsibilities.
The UIA is scheduled to launch benefits functions in MiUI on November 9, 2026. Employers must maintain their own accounts to access benefit claim information and file protests and appeals in the new system. Using a third-party administrator does not eliminate that requirement.
This is the final phase of the transition from the UIA’s legacy system, MiWAM. MiUI tax functions launched February 23, 2026, and employers can already use the platform for quarterly wage reports and other tax responsibilities. The November rollout brings benefits functions into the same system.
According to UIA’s latest activation guidance, MiWAM will shut down permanently at 4:30 p.m. Monday, November 2. Employers need to retrieve their 8-digit MiUI activation code from MiWAM before that shutdown to initiate their new account in advance of the benefits launch.
UIA has scheduled downtime from that cutoff through 8 a.m. Monday, November 9. During the transition, MiWAM and MiUI will be unavailable, customer-service and Office of Employer Ombudsman phone lines will be unavailable, and local offices will be closed. UIA’s website and chatbot will remain available for general information.
To learn more about changes to the Unemployment Insurance Agency and how to sign into your MiUI Account, visit our page.
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