EDD sent overpayment notice demanding $7,200 back - totally freaking out!
I just opened my mail to find an EDD Notice of Overpayment claiming I received $7,200 in benefits I wasn't entitled to from Jan-Mar 2025. They're demanding I repay the ENTIRE AMOUNT within 30 days!!! I don't understand what happened. I reported all my part-time income correctly every time I certified. The letter mentions something about "unreported wages" but doesn't specify which employer or which weeks. I literally can't afford to pay this back - I'm still struggling paycheck to paycheck after being laid off. Has this happened to anyone else? What can I do? Do I need a lawyer? Will they garnish my wages if I can't pay? I'm seriously having a panic attack right now.
25 comments


TillyCombatwarrior
Deep breath. This happens more often than you'd think. First, you need to appeal this decision ASAP - you only have 30 days from the notice date. Don't wait! Go to your UI Online account and look for the appeal option, or use the form that should have come with your notice. Make sure to clearly explain why you believe the overpayment is incorrect and include any documentation you have of your income reporting (screenshots of your certifications, pay stubs, etc.). Request a waiver of the overpayment if repaying would cause financial hardship.
0 coins
Dyllan Nantx
•Thank you!! I'm going to file the appeal today. The notice was dated May 2, so I think I still have time. Do you know how long the appeal process takes? And should I start making payments while waiting for the appeal decision?
0 coins
Anna Xian
omg same thing happened to me!!! they said i owed $4000 from last year, i was like NO WAY. turns out my employer reported different wages than what i reported. check ur pay stubs against what u told edd when u certified
0 coins
Dyllan Nantx
•That's a good idea. I'm pulling all my pay stubs now to compare. Did you end up having to pay back the full amount or were you able to get it reduced?
0 coins
Jungleboo Soletrain
You absolutely need to file an appeal right away. If the overpayment is non-fraud (meaning they don't think you intentionally misreported), you can request a waiver based on financial hardship. If it's determined to be fraud, that's much harder to deal with and can include penalties. The most common causes of overpayment notices are: 1. Employer reporting different wages than you certified 2. Working for multiple employers but not reporting all income 3. EDD determining you weren't eligible for a period you claimed (like if you weren't available for work) 4. System errors on EDD's part You'll need to gather all evidence showing you reported correctly - certification confirmations, pay stubs, bank statements showing deposits, etc.
0 coins
TillyCombatwarrior
•Great advice. Also worth noting they can set up payment plans if it turns out you do have to repay some amount. But definitely appeal first - I've seen many overpayment notices reduced or eliminated through the appeal process when people had good documentation.
0 coins
Rajan Walker
THIS IS WHY I KEEP TELLING EVERYONE TO SAVE SCREENSHOTS OF EVERY CERTIFICATION!!! EDD's system is a MESS. They'll blame YOU for THEIR mistakes and expect you to have proof from months ago. They did this to my cousin and he ended up having to pay back $2,500 cause he couldn't prove what he reported!!
0 coins
Anna Xian
•fr fr they make it so confusing on purpose i swear
0 coins
Nadia Zaldivar
I went through this nightmare back in January. The key is getting through to an actual EDD representative who can look at your account and explain exactly which weeks they're claiming were overpaid and why. But good luck getting through to anyone - I tried for TWO WEEKS straight calling that 1-800 number. Finally I discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an EDD agent in about 25 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km Once I actually spoke to someone, they identified that my employer had reported quarterly wages instead of bi-weekly like I was reporting, which made it look like I wasn't reporting all income. The agent helped me understand exactly what documentation I needed for my appeal, and I ended up only having to repay a small portion of what they initially claimed.
0 coins
Dyllan Nantx
•Thank you! I've been calling nonstop since yesterday and just getting the "we're experiencing high call volume" message. I'll check out that service because I really need to talk to someone and understand what's going on before the appeal.
0 coins
Lukas Fitzgerald
I had almost the exact same situation happen to me last year, but my overpayment was for $5,800. I went through the appeal process and actually WON. The trick is being super organized and specific in your appeal. I think what helped me was that I wrote a very detailed timeline showing exactly what I reported each week vs. what my pay stubs showed. I also included a spreadsheet calculating all the numbers. During my appeal hearing (which was over the phone), the judge seemed impressed with how organized my documentation was. It also helped that I could prove I called EDD multiple times asking for clarification on how to report my specific work situation. The whole appeal process took about 10 weeks from start to finish, which was stressful, but worth it in the end!
0 coins
Dyllan Nantx
•This gives me hope! I'm going to start putting together a detailed timeline right now. Did you have to make any payments during those 10 weeks while waiting for the appeal decision?
0 coins
Lukas Fitzgerald
•No, you don't have to make payments while the appeal is pending. They'll put collection activities on hold until after your hearing and decision. That's why it's so important to file the appeal quickly - once you do that, you get some breathing room.
0 coins
Ev Luca
when i got my overpayment notice i thought it was for my disability claim not unemployment and i ignored it for like 2 weeks lol. make sure you know which program they're talking about in the letter. sometimes the wording is confusing.
0 coins
TillyCombatwarrior
•This is actually a really good point. EDD handles both UI and SDI claims, and sometimes people confuse which program the notices are referring to. The letterhead should specify which department it's coming from.
0 coins
Avery Davis
Happened to me but it was all my fault. I didn't report some freelance income because I didn't know I had to report income that wasn't from a regular employer. Had to set up a payment plan for $120/month for like 2 years. It sucks but at least they work with you on the repayment.
0 coins
Nadia Zaldivar
I'm dealing with an overpayment issue right now too. One thing I learned is that you should request an "Overpayment Interview" in addition to filing an appeal. Sometimes the interview can resolve things faster than waiting for the appeal process. Call and specifically ask for this, and make sure to have your documentation ready to discuss during the interview.
0 coins
Dyllan Nantx
•I didn't know about requesting an interview! That sounds like it might be faster than waiting for an appeal hearing. I'll definitely try to get one of those set up. And it sounds like using that Claimyr service might be the way to actually get through to someone. Has anyone else used it?
0 coins
Jungleboo Soletrain
•Yes, overpayment interviews can sometimes resolve issues without needing a formal appeal hearing. But be prepared - have all your documentation organized and be very specific about dates, amounts, and what you reported. Take notes during the interview too.
0 coins
TillyCombatwarrior
Update us on how your appeal goes! The success rate is actually pretty decent for people who have good documentation and a legitimate case. Don't get discouraged by the formal language in the notices - they make everything sound very final and scary, but the appeal process exists for a reason and is used successfully by many claimants.
0 coins
Dyllan Nantx
•I will definitely update! I've spent all day organizing my documents and screenshots. I found certification confirmations for most weeks and my pay stubs seem to match what I reported. I'm feeling a little more hopeful now, though still stressed. Thanks everyone for the support and advice!
0 coins
Mei Zhang
I went through something similar last year - got hit with a $5,400 overpayment notice that made me physically sick to my stomach. Like others have said, appeal IMMEDIATELY and don't panic. In my case, it turned out EDD had a glitch in their system that was double-counting some of my reported wages. Here's what saved me: I kept a simple Excel spreadsheet throughout my entire claim period tracking what I earned each week vs what I reported when certifying. When I appealed, I submitted this spreadsheet along with all my pay stubs and certification screenshots. The appeals judge could clearly see I had been reporting accurately. Also, definitely try to get through to an actual EDD rep before your appeal hearing if possible. Sometimes they can spot obvious errors in their system that caused the overpayment. Don't make any payments until you exhaust the appeal process - once you start paying, it's much harder to get that money back even if you win your appeal later. You've got this! The system is broken but the appeal process does work when you have good documentation.
0 coins
Kyle Wallace
•This is so reassuring to hear! I'm kicking myself for not keeping a spreadsheet like you did, but I do have most of my pay stubs and screenshots saved. The idea that it could be a system glitch gives me some hope - I was so careful about reporting everything correctly because I was terrified of exactly this situation happening. Did your appeal hearing happen over the phone or was it in person? And how long did it take from filing the appeal to getting a decision?
0 coins
Saanvi Krishnaswami
•My hearing was over the phone, which was actually less intimidating than I expected. From filing the appeal to getting the final decision took about 8 weeks total. The hearing itself was only about 20 minutes - the judge asked me to walk through my documentation and explain my reporting process. Having those pay stubs and screenshots will definitely help your case! Even without a spreadsheet, if you can show consistency between what you earned and what you reported, you should be in good shape. The fact that you were being careful about reporting shows you were acting in good faith, which matters a lot in these hearings.
0 coins
Ava Garcia
I know this is terrifying right now, but you're not alone in this! I went through a similar overpayment scare about 6 months ago - $4,100 that they claimed I owed. The good news is that many of these notices turn out to be mistakes or system errors that can be resolved through the appeal process. Here's my advice based on what worked for me: 1. File your appeal TODAY if you haven't already - don't wait even one more day 2. Gather EVERYTHING - pay stubs, certification screenshots, bank statements showing your actual income 3. Create a simple week-by-week comparison showing what you earned vs what you reported 4. Don't make any payments while your appeal is pending - you're not required to The hardest part for me was actually getting through to speak with someone at EDD to understand what triggered the overpayment notice. Once I finally connected with a rep, they were able to explain that my employer had submitted a wage correction that made it look like I under-reported income, when actually I had reported everything correctly based on my pay periods. Stay strong and document everything. The appeal process exists because these errors happen frequently, and you have rights as a claimant. Keep us posted on how it goes - we're all rooting for you!
0 coins