EDD sent overpayment letter for $25K PUA benefits - will I face legal trouble?

Take a deep breath. This is happening to a lot of people right now. EDD is reviewing old pandemic claims and sending these notices out in batches. What you're describing was actually a valid reason to qualify for PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance) at that time - childcare disruption due to COVID was specifically covered. \n\nYou need to appeal this decision ASAP. The notice should have information about how to appeal (usually within 30 days of the date on the notice). Make sure to gather any documentation you have about your child's preschool closures, emails about COVID outbreaks, etc. Also write a detailed statement explaining exactly what you told EDD during your interview.

Thank you so much for this info. The appeal deadline is in 2 weeks. Do I need a lawyer for this? I'm worried I won't be able to properly defend myself.

omg this is litterally happening to me to!!! got a letter last week saying i owe $27k for my benefits from 2021. i also had childcare issues with my kids. this is such BS!!!

Have you appealed yet? This is so scary. I can't believe they're coming after people who were legitimately struggling during the pandemic.

I went through something very similar last year. They sent me a notice saying I owed $19K in overpayments because they determined I wasn't eligible. I appealed and won. Here's what you need to do:\n\n1. File the appeal immediately using the form DE 1000M. Don't wait.\n2. Gather EVERY piece of evidence showing your childcare situation - emails from the preschool about closures, texts with your employer, anything showing you had no reasonable alternatives.\n3. Write a clear timeline of events.\n4. Explain that childcare disruption was a specific qualifying reason under PUA.\n\nFor the hearing, be organized and stick to the facts. The judge in my case was actually very understanding once I explained my situation with proper documentation. They reversed the overpayment completely.

This is so helpful, thank you!! I think I have emails from my daughter's preschool about the closures. Was your hearing in person or over the phone?

Mine was over the phone. It was actually pretty straightforward - about 30 minutes total. Just make sure you have all your documentation ready and organized. And don't worry about needing a lawyer for this type of appeal. Most people represent themselves successfully.

they're doing this to everyone to try to get money back. my cousin's neighbor got the same letter and she had 3 kids at home during covid with no school. total scam if u ask me

I know you're stressed, but just to reassure you - they usually don't pursue criminal charges for these kinds of cases unless there's evidence of deliberate fraud (like working full-time while collecting benefits or using fake identities). Simple eligibility misunderstandings or disputes don't typically result in criminal prosecution.\n\nThat said, you absolutely need to appeal this determination. The pandemic programs had specific provisions for parents who couldn't work due to school/childcare closures. This was explicitly covered under PUA.\n\nWhen you write your appeal statement, be very specific about the timeline of events, the frequency of the preschool closures, and why you had no reasonable alternative childcare options. Mention that you were fully transparent about your situation in both your application and phone interview.\n\nAlso important: if you lose the appeal, you can request a waiver of overpayment based on financial hardship. This won't work if they determine fraud, but it sounds like your case was an honest claim.

Do u know if we can do the hardship waiver thing BEFORE the appeal? I literally cant afford a lawyer or to pay back anything

Unfortunately, you typically need to go through the appeal process first. If the overpayment determination is upheld after appeal, then you can apply for the waiver. The system requires that the overpayment be

I've been trying to reach EDD for THREE WEEKS about a similar issue and can't get through to anyone! Busy signals, disconnections, or being on hold for hours only to get cut off. It's INFURIATING! I need to talk to a real person about my overpayment notice before my appeal deadline and it's literally impossible!!!

Have you tried using Claimyr? I was in the same situation last month and couldn't get through to EDD for days. Someone on this forum recommended this service that gets you through to an EDD rep, and it actually worked! I got connected within an hour. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km\n\nThe rep I spoke with was able to explain exactly what documents I needed for my appeal and even noted in my file that I had called about the issue. Definitely worth it when you're facing appeal deadlines.

Just checked out the video. Going to try this tomorrow morning. Thanks!

Update: I managed to get through to EDD this morning after trying for days. The rep actually pulled up my file and said that my case is part of a large batch review they're doing of pandemic claims. She confirmed that I do need to go through with the appeal, but also said that having documentation of the preschool closures will really strengthen my case. Feeling slightly less panicked now.

That's great news! Make sure to submit copies (not originals) of all your documentation with your appeal paperwork. Also write down the date/time of this call and the representative's ID number if you have it - this can be helpful if you need to reference the conversation later.

did they tell u anything about if they might put u in jail??? thats what im most scared about honestly

Just to jump in here - criminal prosecution is extremely rare for these cases, especially when you were upfront about your circumstances. The vast majority of these situations are handled as civil/administrative matters, not criminal ones. EDD is primarily focused on recovering funds, not pursuing criminal charges against parents who needed support during a pandemic.

Anyone else notice how the EDD suddenly cares about all these \

It does feel that way! I feel like I'm being punished for being honest about my situation. I really hope the appeal judge actually listens to our side of the story.

Just wanted to add - when you go to your appeal hearing, bring a chronological list of all the preschool closures with dates. I created a simple spreadsheet showing all the closure dates, the reason (COVID outbreak), and what communications I received. The judge in my case really appreciated having this organized information. Also, if you have any emails or texts with your employer where you discussed your childcare situation, bring those too. The more documentation you have showing you were transparent about your situation from the beginning, the better your case will be.

This is super helpful advice. I'm going to start putting together a timeline this weekend. I think I still have all the emails from the preschool about the COVID exposures and closures, plus texts with my boss explaining why I couldn't come in.

I'm going through almost the exact same situation right now! Got my overpayment letter three days ago for $22K in PUA benefits from 2021. Like you, I had to leave my job because of childcare issues when my son's daycare kept closing due to COVID outbreaks. I was completely honest during my phone interview and provided all the details they asked for. The thing that's really getting to me is how they're treating people who were genuinely struggling during the pandemic like we're criminals. We followed the rules, told the truth, and now we're being punished for it. I'm definitely going to appeal - reading through all these comments has given me some hope that there's a real chance to win if we have proper documentation. I've already started gathering all my emails from the daycare about closures and COVID cases. Has anyone here actually received their appeal hearing date yet? I'm curious how long the process typically takes once you submit the paperwork.

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress - I can completely understand the panic you're feeling right now. I went through something very similar last year with a $18K overpayment notice for PUA benefits I received in 2021 when my kids' school kept switching to remote learning due to COVID outbreaks. The most important thing is to NOT ignore this notice. You absolutely need to appeal, and based on what you've described, you have a really strong case. Childcare disruption due to COVID was explicitly covered under PUA guidelines, and the fact that you were completely transparent during your phone interview works in your favor. Here's what helped me win my appeal: - I gathered every email from the school about closures and COVID cases - I wrote a detailed timeline showing exactly when closures happened and how they affected my work - I included text messages with my supervisor explaining my childcare situation - I emphasized that I had been honest from day one about why I needed benefits My hearing was conducted over the phone and lasted about 45 minutes. The judge was actually very understanding once I presented my documentation in an organized way. They completely reversed the overpayment determination. Regarding criminal charges - that's extremely unlikely in cases like yours where you were upfront about your situation. They reserve criminal prosecution for clear fraud cases, not eligibility disputes. You've got this! Start gathering your documentation and get that appeal filed ASAP. The system was designed to help parents exactly like you during the pandemic.

This whole situation is absolutely maddening! I'm dealing with something very similar - got an overpayment notice last month for $21K in PUA benefits from 2021. Just like you, I had to leave work because of constant childcare disruptions when my twin boys' daycare kept shutting down for COVID exposures. What really gets me is that I was completely honest throughout the entire process. I explained my situation in detail during the phone interview, submitted all the documentation they requested, and never tried to hide anything. Now they're making it sound like I committed some kind of fraud when I was just trying to keep my family afloat during an impossible time. Reading through all these comments has been both terrifying and encouraging. It's scary to see how many people are dealing with this, but also reassuring to know that people like @AstroAlpha and @Madison Allen have successfully appealed these decisions. I've already started my appeal paperwork and I'm gathering every piece of documentation I can find - emails about daycare closures, texts with my manager, even receipts showing I was actively looking for alternative childcare options. The stress is unreal though. Like you, I'm a single parent and there's absolutely no way I could pay back that amount. I keep having nightmares about them garnishing my wages or worse. But everyone here seems to agree that criminal charges are extremely rare for honest cases like ours. Stay strong and don't let them intimidate you! We were eligible for those benefits and we have the right to appeal these unfair determinations.

I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare - I can completely relate to the panic and stress you're feeling right now. I received a similar overpayment notice just two weeks ago for $26K in PUA benefits from 2021-2022, also due to childcare disruptions when my son's daycare kept closing for COVID exposures. Like you, I was completely transparent during my phone interview and explained everything in detail. I had to quit my job at a medical office because I literally had no childcare options when his daycare would suddenly close for 1-2 weeks at a time due to positive cases. It happened repeatedly throughout 2021 and made it impossible to maintain steady employment. Reading through all these comments has been incredibly helpful - especially seeing that @AstroAlpha, @Madison Allen, and others have successfully won their appeals in similar situations. It gives me hope that we can fight these unfair determinations. I've already started gathering my documentation: emails from the daycare about closures, text messages with my supervisor explaining why I couldn't come in, even photos of closure notices posted at the facility. I'm creating a chronological timeline of events just like @AstroAlpha suggested. The criminal charges fear is so real - I've been terrified they might try to prosecute me for fraud when I was just an honest parent trying to survive an impossible situation. But everyone here seems to agree that criminal prosecution is extremely rare for legitimate cases like ours where we were upfront from the beginning. We followed the rules, told the truth, and qualified for benefits under the PUA guidelines. Don't let them intimidate you - we have every right to appeal these decisions and fight for what we're entitled to. Stay strong!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress - I know exactly how terrifying it feels to get one of those overpayment letters! I went through the same thing about 6 months ago with a $19K notice for PUA benefits I received in 2021 when my daughter's school kept going remote due to COVID outbreaks. The good news is that I successfully appealed and won! Like you, I had been completely honest about my childcare situation from the very beginning. The key was gathering solid documentation and presenting it in an organized way during the hearing. Here's what worked for me: - Collected every email from the school about closures and remote learning days - Created a simple timeline showing how the disruptions made it impossible to work consistently - Included text messages with my boss explaining my situation - Wrote a clear statement emphasizing that I had been transparent throughout the process My hearing was over the phone and lasted about 40 minutes. The judge was actually very understanding once I explained the situation with proper documentation. They completely reversed the overpayment determination. Regarding criminal charges - that's extremely unlikely in cases like yours where you were upfront about your circumstances. They focus criminal prosecution on clear fraud cases, not honest parents who needed help during the pandemic. Start gathering your documentation ASAP and get that appeal filed before the deadline. Childcare disruption due to COVID was explicitly covered under PUA, and you have every right to fight this unfair determination. You've got this!

I'm so sorry you're going through this terrifying situation - I completely understand the panic you're feeling right now. I just went through something very similar and wanted to share my experience to hopefully give you some hope. I received an overpayment notice 4 months ago for $23K in PUA benefits from 2021. Like you, I had to leave my job due to childcare issues when my 2-year-old's daycare kept shutting down for COVID exposures. I was completely honest during my phone interview and provided all the documentation they requested. The stress was overwhelming - I couldn't sleep, couldn't focus at work, and kept imagining worst-case scenarios. But after reading stories on forums like this one and talking to others who had successfully appealed, I decided to fight it. I gathered everything I could find: emails from the daycare about closures, text messages with my manager explaining why I couldn't come in, even photos of the closure notices they posted. I created a simple timeline showing exactly when each closure happened and how it affected my ability to work. My appeal hearing was last month - conducted over the phone and lasted about 50 minutes. The judge was actually very reasonable and asked fair questions about my situation. When I explained that I had been transparent from day one and provided all my organized documentation, they ruled completely in my favor. The overpayment was reversed entirely. Don't let them intimidate you! Childcare disruption was explicitly covered under PUA, and you were honest throughout the process. Criminal charges are extremely rare for legitimate cases like yours - they focus on clear fraud, not honest parents who needed help. File that appeal ASAP and stay strong. You've got this!

I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare - I know exactly how scary and overwhelming it feels to get one of those overpayment letters. I just wanted to add my voice to all the encouragement you're getting here because I went through something almost identical last year. I received an overpayment notice for $28K in PUA benefits from 2021-2022 when my son's daycare kept closing due to COVID outbreaks. Like you, I was completely transparent during my phone interview and explained that I had to leave my job because I literally had no childcare options. Reading through all these success stories from @AstroAlpha, @Madison Allen, @Maya Jackson and others has been so helpful - it shows that when we have proper documentation and were honest from the beginning, these appeals can absolutely be won. What really struck me about your post is how you mentioned being "a single mom" - I'm in the same situation, and I think that actually strengthens our cases. We weren't trying to game the system or commit fraud. We were parents in impossible situations during a pandemic, doing everything we could to take care of our children while following the rules. The fact that you were transparent during your phone interview and wrote everything on your application shows you acted in good faith. PUA was specifically designed for situations like yours - childcare disruption due to COVID was explicitly covered. I'm still in the middle of my appeal process, but I feel much more confident after seeing how many people have successfully fought these determinations. Don't let them make you feel like a criminal for being an honest parent who needed help during an unprecedented crisis. Get that documentation together and file your appeal ASAP. You've got this, and we're all rooting for you!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress - I completely understand the panic you're feeling right now. I went through almost the exact same situation 8 months ago when I received an overpayment notice for $24K in PUA benefits from 2021. Like you, I had to leave my job due to childcare disruptions when my daughter's preschool kept shutting down for COVID exposures and outbreaks. I was completely honest during my phone interview and provided all the documentation they requested at the time. The good news is that I successfully appealed and WON! Reading through all these amazing success stories from @AstroAlpha, @Madison Allen, @Maya Jackson and others gives me so much hope for your case too. Here's what worked for me during my appeal: - I gathered every single email from the preschool about closures and COVID cases - Created a detailed timeline showing exactly when closures happened and how they made work impossible - Included all text messages with my supervisor explaining my childcare situation - Emphasized that I had been completely transparent from day one My hearing was over the phone, lasted about 45 minutes, and the judge was actually very fair and understanding. When I presented my organized documentation and explained my honest situation, they completely reversed the overpayment determination. Regarding criminal charges - that fear kept me up at night too, but everyone here is right that it's extremely rare for honest cases like ours. They focus criminal prosecution on clear fraud, not legitimate parents who needed help during the pandemic. You were eligible for those benefits under PUA guidelines, you were honest throughout the process, and you have every right to appeal this unfair determination. Start gathering your documentation ASAP and get that appeal filed before the deadline. Stay strong - you've absolutely got this! We're all rooting for you.

I'm so sorry you're going through this terrifying experience - I can completely relate to the panic and sleepless nights you're having right now. I just went through something almost identical about 6 months ago when I received an overpayment notice for $21K in PUA benefits from 2021. Like you, I had to quit my job due to childcare disruptions when my twin daughters' daycare kept shutting down for COVID exposures. I was completely honest during my phone interview and explained everything in detail, just like you did. The stress was absolutely overwhelming - I kept imagining worst-case scenarios and couldn't focus on anything else. But I want to give you hope: I successfully appealed and WON my case! The overpayment was completely reversed. Reading through all these incredible success stories from @AstroAlpha, @Madison Allen, @Maya Jackson, @Emily Sanjay and others shows that when we have proper documentation and were honest from the beginning, these appeals can absolutely be won. Here's what worked for me: - Gathered every email from the daycare about closures and COVID cases - Created a chronological timeline of all disruptions and how they affected my work - Included text messages with my manager explaining my situation - Wrote a detailed statement emphasizing my transparency throughout the process My hearing was over the phone, lasted about 50 minutes, and the judge was actually very reasonable and fair. When I presented my organized evidence and explained my honest situation, they ruled completely in my favor. You were following the rules, you qualified under PUA guidelines, and you deserve to have your case heard fairly. Don't let them intimidate you - file that appeal ASAP and fight for what you're entitled to. You've absolutely got this!