Insider Intelligence

This week two pieces of legislation were reported by the House Workforce and Talent Development committee making changes to civil service guidelines.  The first piece is a joint resolution, introduced by Speaker Kevin Cotter (R-Mount Pleasant) that would allow heads of departments to dismiss state classified civil workers for conduct negatively impacting the duties of […]

This week it was announced that Tim Becker, chief deputy at the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is resigning his position after accepting a position as executive vice president of Hope Network.  He has served in several roles throughout state government, including chief deputy director at the Department of Community Health.  His last […]

On Thursday, following a request by Attorney General Bill Schuette, Governor Rick Snyder requested that the internal investigation into the Flint water crisis be placed on hold.    According to the Attorney General and Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton, the investigations may cause an obstruction to the criminal investigation.  Following their request, the Governor asked the […]

This week, Court of Claims Judge Cynthia Stephens ruled that a lawsuit filed against the State of Michigan can proceed.  The lawsuit was filed by a group of residents who received unemployment benefits, only to have the state claim they fraudulently obtained said benefits and then imposed fines on the plaintiffs. The lawsuit comes on […]

This week, Attorney General Bill Schuette, announced the first individuals to be charged as a result of actions in the Flint water contamination crisis.  Felony and misdemeanor charges have been filed against two employees of the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality and the City of Flint Laboratory and Water Quality Supervisor.  The charges filed against […]

The landscape of Michigan’s job market continues to evolve, and Michigan business owners are ready to hire. Of those with openings, two-thirds report difficulty filling the positions. The ongoing diversification of industries and an increasing focus on attracting technology firms to the state means many of these are highly technical roles that require niche expertise. […]

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has undertaken a major reorganization of the department’s structure.  Under the new configuration, the Population Health and Community Services Administration will oversee the Office of Local Health Services and it will be renamed the Bureau of Health and Wellness.  This change moves it within the DHHS […]

On Thursday, the Office of the Auditor General released a performance audit of the Grand Rapids Home for Veterans, which provides nursing care and services to military veterans, windows, spouses, former spouses and parents of State veterans.  The home has been plagued with issues and complaints over the years, leading to the legislature providing additional […]