HOW THE CHIEF STOPPED A FLEEING SUSPECT USING SOME SKILLS HE LEARNED BACK IN HIGH SCHOOL,
THAT’S AT 6:00.
>> THE MICHIGAN UNEMPLOYMENT
AGENCY HAS BEEN RIDDLED RIDDLED
WITH PROGRAMS SINCE THE START OF
THE PANDEMIC.
RAMPANT FRAUD AND A CHANGE IN
LEADERSHIP.
>> NOW UNI HAS A NEW LEADER
PROMISING BIG CHANGES BUT WILL
IT BE ENOUGH TO HELP THE
THOUSANDS STILL STRUGGLING.
LIVE AT THE DETROIT UIA OFFICE.
SHE’S GOT A LOT ON HER PLATE.
>> DEVIN, KIMBERLY, SHE
CERTAINLY DOES.
SHE’S THE THIRD UIA DIRECTOR IN
JUST THE LAST 18 MONTHS.
UIA HAS BEEN A MESS.
THAT’S THE BOTTOM LINE SINCE THE
PANDEMIC STARTED.
BIG CHANGES ARE COMING.
ONE OF THEM BEING OFFICES LIKE
THIS ONE.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO
HAVE FACE-TO-FACE MEETINGS AND
INTERACTIONS WITH PEOPLE TO GET
ANSWERS.
THAT’S JUST ONE CHANGE COMING
SOON.
>> UIA THE STATE’S UNEMPLOYMENT
INSURANCE AGENCY UNDER FIRE
DURING THE PANDEMIC AND TONIGHT
WE’RE GETTING ANSWERS FROM THE
NEW DIRECTOR.
>> WHY SHOULD PEOPLE THINK
ANYTHING IS GOING TO BE
DIFFERENT NOW?
>> ANSWERS FOR MICHIGANDERS WHO
JUST CAN’T GET PAID.
>> IT IS UP TO $20,000 NOW.
>> I’M CLOSE TO GIVING UP.
>> MANY LAWMAKERS HAVE SIMPLY
HAD ENOUGH.
>> RIGHT NOW, I HAVE NO
CONFIDENCE IN THE AGENCY.
>> I HAVE BEEN TRACKING THE
PROBLEM SINCE THE BEGINNING OF
THE PANDEMIC AND EXPOSING THE
ISSUES THAT HAVE CAUSED FRAUD
AND FINANCIAL DIFFICULTY FOR SO
MANY.
NOW, ANOTHER CHANGE AT THE TIME.
TONIGHT JULIA DALE, THE NEW
DIRECTOR IN HER FIRST INTERVIEW.
>> WHY WOULD ANYBODY WANT TO
JUMP INTO THIS POSITION REALLY.
>> IT IS A GOOD QUESTION, ONE
THAT I HAVE BEEN ASKED A FEW
TIMES.
I HAVE DEVOTED MY ENTIRE
PROFESSIONAL CAREER.
>> SHE’S WORKED IN GOVERNMENT
ROLES MOST OF HER CAREER IN
LANSING, BUT THIS POSITION
UNLIKE ANY OTHER.
SHE KNOWS EVERYONE IS WATCHING
AND WAITING.
>> YOU DO YOUR HOMEWORK LIKE ANY
GOOD ATTORNEY DOES AND TRYING TO
UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE
CHALLENGES THAT THE ORGANIZATION
HAS FACED.
>> WHAT WILL CHANGE AND WHEN.
DIRECTOR DALE HOPES A LOT AND
QUICKLY.
THE FOCUS NOW IMPROVING
TECHNOLOGY, UPDATING THE OLD
DATED SYSTEM AND FOCUSING ON
TRAINING THE EXISTING EMPLOYEES
AND THE NEW HIGHER, THEY SIMPLY
NEED TO KNOW HOW TO SOF YOUR
PROBLEM.
>> WE HAVE ALREADY GONE THROUGH
TWO DIRECTORS DURING THE
PANDEMIC, YOU’RE NOW THE THIRD,
WHY SHOULD PEOPLE THINK ANYTHING
IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT NOW.
>> I THINK THAT THE OVERSIGHT
COMMITTEE HAS ASKED THAT SAME
QUESTION.
WHY DO WE TRUST YOU?
>> FIRST, AS YOU POINTED OUT, IT
IS A RISK FOR ME TO COME OVER.
RIGHT?
THIS ISN’T SOMETHING I COME INTO
WITH EYES CLOSED.
I COME INTO THIS RECOGNIZING
THAT THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
CHANGE.
>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE
PEOPLE WHO SAY I HAVE HAD ENOUGH
WITH UIA?
>> WE NOTICED IN EVALUATING WHAT
WE HAD ONLINE THAT A LOT OF THE
INFORMATION WAS SCATTERED
AMONGST DIFFERENT PAGES, SO WE
REALLY WORKED TO PULL THAT
INFORMATION TO ONE PLACE.
>> Reporter: TECHNOLOGY, A DATED
SYSTEM AND STAFF UNABLE TO KEEP
UP.
THEY HAVE BEEN HUGE PROBLEMS.
BUT HOW DO YOU FIX IT?
>> RIGHT NOW WE’RE IN THE
PROCESS OF UPDATING THE EXISTING
DATA PLACE THAT WE HAVE.
THE GOAL IS TO SEE THOSE IN
PLACE THIS COMING SUMMER.
>> IF YOU’RE STILL HAVING
ISSUES.
>> WHAT’S THE BEST FOR SOMEBODY
WHO IS STILL STRUGGLING?
>> WE DO HAVE APPOINTMENTS
AVAILABLE.
THOSE APPOINTMENTS CAN BE MADE
ONLINE AND ALL OF THOSE
APPOINTMENTS ARE NOT BEING
FILLED.
>> WHAT DO YOU THINK THE SINGLE
BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH UIA IS
RIGHT NOW.
>> A LACK OF CONSISTENT AND
STEADFAST LEADERSHIP.
>> DIRECTOR DALE BELIEVES THAT
SHE’S THE PERSON NOW TO MOVE
FORWARD AND MAKE THOSE CHANGES
THAT ARE SO NECESSARY.
WE ALL KNOW THOSE CHANGES NEED
TO COME AND THEY NEED TO COME AS
SOON AS POSSIBLE.
TONIGHT AT 6:00, I’M TAKING A
LOOK AT ONE BIG ISSUE.
ONE BIG PROBLEM THAT HUNDREDS OF
YOU HAVE BEEN EMAILING ME ABOUT
AND THERE’S ACTUALLY A PRETTY
EASY QUICK FIX.
WE’RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT
TONIGHT AT 6:00.
WE PUT TOGETHER A GREAT RESOURCE
PAGE FOR YOU RIGHT AT
clickondetroit.com, HELP ME HANK
PAGE, INSIDER INFORMATION TO
HELP YOU NAVIGATE THESE
DIFFICULT TIMES AND ALSO THE
UNCERTAINTY WITH UIA.
>> A QUICK FIX IS ALWAYS GOOD