In 2015, Congress made changes to the disability insurance program administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to stave off depletion of its financial reserve. However, this did not address underlying problems with the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program. Seven years ago, forecasts predicted that SSDI reserves would be depleted in 2016 for Michiganders and residents of other states. This would cut benefits for 11 million SSDI beneficiaries by almost 20 percent.
Sick leave benefits cut by legislature
Late last month, the Michigan Senate voted to amend paid sick and minimum wage laws that were adopted in September This proposed change to a new employment law that did not take effect would exempt over 160,000 small businesses in the state from providing paid sick leave to their workers.