An overpayment happens when you were paid benefits for which you were not eligible. Overpayments can occur for many reasons. Here are some of the common causes of overpayments:
- Incorrectly reported earnings on a weekly claim
- Unreported or incorrectly reported retirement pay
- An administrative decision allowing you benefits was reversed on appeal
- Payment made before we learned about an issue with your claim
- Misrepresented or withheld information to receive benefits for which you were not eligible
- Benefit amount changed due to a correction on base-year wages
- Administrative error on your claim
- Unintended mistake when filing
If you have been overpaid, we will mail you an administrative decision. It states the reason for the overpayment and the total amount you owe. It will also include instructions for how to request a hearing if you disagree with the amount overpaid. After that, we will send you a billing statement. The billing statement will let you know that you must pay by a certain date or active collections will begin. The statement might sound alarming, but it will give you options on how to respond to the notice of the debt.
If you caused the overpayment, and you want to pay the debt in full, follow instructions on the statement to make a payment. You can also make payments through the Online Claim System. If you have questions or need to set up a payment plan, call us at 503-947-1710 to discuss your options.
If you did NOT cause the overpayment and cannot afford to repay it, you may apply for a waiver so you don’t have to pay back the debt. Find out more about waivers.