Section R. 400.3123 - Refusing offer of suitable employment; penalties; good cause explainedRule 23.
(1) An applicant or recipient shall not refuse employment without good cause. Any of the following actions constitute refusing employment: (a) Refusing a bona fide offer of employment of at least minimum wage.(b) Voluntary leaving a job.(c) Limiting hours of employment.(d) Otherwise reducing earnings.(e) Being terminated from employment for misconduct or absenteeism.(2) The department shall impose a penalty if an applicant or recipient refuses employment without good cause.(3) If an applicant refuses employment within 30 calendar days before the date of application, then the penalty is applied as follows:(a) The group is ineligible for family independence assistance for 30 calendar days from the date of refusal.(b) Benefits shall not begin any earlier than the first pay period after the 30 calendar days have passed.(4) A person refusing employment or quitting a job for any of the following reasons is determined to have good cause:(a) The person suffers from a temporary debilitating illness or injury, or an immediate family member has a debilitating illness or injury and the person is needed in the home to care for the family member.(b) Lack of child care as defined in Section 407(e)(2) of Public Law 104-193, 42 U.S.C. §607(e)(2).(c) Commuting time is more than 2 hours per day or more than 3 hours per day when there are unique and compelling circumstances such as a salary at least twice the applicable minimum wage or it is the only available job placement within a 3-hour commute per day, not including the time necessary to transport a child to child care facilities.(d) Transportation is not available to the participant at reasonable cost.(e) Employment or participation involves illegal activities.(f) The person is physically or mentally unfit to perform the job, as documented by medical evidence or by reliable information from other sources.(g) The person is illegally discriminated against on the basis of age, race, disability, gender, color, national origin, or religious beliefs.(h) Credible information or evidence establishes 1 or more unplanned or unexpected events or factors that reasonably could be expected to prevent or significantly interfere with the individual's compliance with employment and training requirements.(i) The person voluntarily left employment to obtain comparable employment.Mich. Admin. Code R. 400.3123