On Monday morning, The Detroit News announced University of Michigan clinical assistant law professor Steve Gray will be taking over the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency effective June 3. The agency is designed to detect and prevent unemployment insurance fraud. Currently, the agency is undergoing controversy due to a faulty fraud detection system which falsely accused over 20,000 Michigan residents of fraud.
Gray is currently the director of the University Law School’s Unemployment Insurance Clinic which provides Unemployment Insurance advocacy, advice and assistance to Michigan workers. Gray was appointed to be head of the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency partially due to his involvement in passing a package of bills in 2017 to reform the state’s unemployment insurance system following the false fraud accusations.
“As director of the Unemployment Insurance Agency, I am committed to continual growth and improvement in the approach and policy that protects and serves both Michigan employees and their employers so they can easily and effectively navigate these waters,” Gray said.
Gray will replace Michelle Beebe, appointed in 2017 by former Gov. Rick Snyder. Beebe is leaving to pursue a position as project coordinator for the National Association of State Workforce Agencies National Integrity Center.