Hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents are receiving notices that they must repay unemployment benefits they received during the COVID-19 pandemic, with collections set to resume as soon as the end of this month.

The Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency says approximately 350,000 Michiganders will have to return pandemic-era unemployment benefits beginning Friday. The state is seeking to collect $2.7 billion from families who were overpaid during the pandemic.

"Attention, claimant," David Hotz read from an email he received. "You are receiving this notice because you may have an outstanding balance owed to the Michigan Unemployment Insurance Agency."

Hotz is among the hundreds of thousands of Michigan residents wishing they didn't have to read such notices.

"At first, you're lik

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