Unemployment overpayments and collections

You may have received an overpayment of unemployment benefits during the pandemic — between Feb. 2, 2020, to Sept. 4, 2021 — but don’t worry. We’re here to help! We want to waive overpayments for people who qualify. And, if you’ve already paid us back, and we waive your overpayment, you’ll likely get a refund!

We’ll review your case soon, but you can help by providing us with more information. If you do not, we’ll still check if you are eligible for a waiver based on available information.

What is an "overpayment?"

Overpayments of unemployment benefits occur when someone received benefits that they are later found to have been ineligible to receive.

This can happen for two main reasons:

1. If you received more benefits than you are entitled to. For example:
   • You were being paid on a conditional basis while we reviewed your claim.
   • After review, we then found you to be ineligible for that amount.
   • If this happens, we will send you a decision with an Overpayment Assessment, which will say how much you owe.

1. If you fail to respond to requests for information from us. For example:
   • You receive a notification that we need more information from you. Examples could be that we need to verify your identity or we need more information about why you left your job. You must respond within a 10-day window.
   • If you do not respond within that timeframe then we must stop additional payments, issue a denial of benefits already paid, and then send an overpayment notice.
   • Note: This overpayment may be overturned once you complete the original request for information and are found eligible for benefits. If you missed the deadline, appeal our decision and provide the requested information. Based on your appeal, the overpayment may be removed when we can confirm you are eligible.

You may appeal an overpayment decision by following the instructions on the letter we send to you. You can also learn more about appeals on the Benefits Denials and Appeals page of our website.

Please do not ignore overpayment notices

Unless you were a recent victim of imposter fraud, outlined below, it is important you read the overpayment notice thoroughly and follow the instructions. If the overpayment is a result of missing information, then contact us as instructed in the letter so we can fix the issue, or work out a payment plan that works for you.

Contact the Employment Security Collections Unit:

866-697-4831