How do i owe unemployment?
A) There are several reasons why you may owe unemployment:
- Overpayment: If you received more unemployment benefits than you were entitled to, you may owe money back to the state. This can happen if you fail to report wages or income, or if you continue to receive benefits after you’ve returned to work.
- Fraud: If you were found to have committed fraud, such as providing false information on your unemployment application or continuing to collect benefits after returning to work, you may be required to repay the full amount of benefits you received, plus penalties and interest.
- Appeals: If you appealed a decision and were later found to be ineligible for benefits, you may be required to repay any benefits you received during the appeals process.
If you owe money to the unemployment agency, you should receive a notice in the mail with instructions on how to repay the debt. You may be able to set up a repayment plan if you are unable to pay the full amount at once.
NOTE: A Notice of Over-payment is mailed to you when you have been paid Unemployment Insurance Benefits that you were not eligible to receive. The Notice shows the amount of the over-payment and penalties, if any. It explains why you were overpaid and gives you information about your appeal rights.
If you are still requesting unemployment benefits, you can continue to submit biweekly payment requests. Your State unemployment office will apply each eligible payment toward reducing your over-payment. You must repay all of your over-payment before you can be paid further benefits. Additional payments should be mailed to your state unemployment office.