I've needed unemployment just once in my life.
Longest 3 months ever.
Reading the very complicated rules on "underemployment" at the time, you can do the math to see what the minimum you need to make to be able to collect it, and still be able to collect anything from them.
The thing is, if you were making decent money, its not very much.
I chose at the time to not look for underpaying jobs for that moment because I wanted to have a fully free schedule to interview and search for jobs that actually made what I needed. If it had gone on much longer, I'd have taken what I had to. At the time, I had a pretty good lead on a job though, and staying available paid off for me. I've been working for that company now for about 5 years.
The other problem for Michigan folks right now is that a lot of low paying jobs arent even as available as youd think, either. I know a lot of people trying to get a job, or a second job, in Michigan. Theres such high competition for even the shit paying jobs, it's not as easy as you're making it out to be, unfortunately. The other problem thats hitting everywhere as well now, is the employers themselves. They know there are so many desperate, unemployed people out there.... people are posting for low paying entry level jobs, asking for higher amounts of education and experience *because they can get it*. People who may have been pulling very good wages in the past for their experience and education are desperate enough to take shit jobs with shit wages.