Received $100 EDD overpayment - Do I report it or cash the check?

DON'T cash that check if you think it's an overpayment! Trust me, EDD will eventually catch it and then you'll owe it back PLUS potential penalties. You need to contact them directly to report it. Call the main EDD number (1-800-300-5616) and explain the situation. They'll give you instructions on how to return the payment. Sometimes they'll have you write 'VOID' on the check and mail it back with a letter explaining the situation. Make sure to keep copies of everything!

same thing happened 2 me last yr... ended up cashing it cuz i needed the $ tbh... then like 4 months later got a notice saying i had an overpayment n had to pay back $100 plus $30 penalty... not worth it lol

U can report it on ur UI Online account. Log in, go to Contact EDD, then select "Payments" as the category and "Overpayment" as the topic. Explain the situation in the message box. They might take forever to respond tho

I had a really similar situation back in January - got an extra payment of $450 after I'd already gone back to work. The UI Online message system is hit or miss for getting a response. After waiting two weeks with no reply, I finally got through to an EDD rep by using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me through to an actual EDD agent in about 20 minutes instead of endless redials. The agent set up the overpayment return process right away and I mailed the check back with their form. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/JmuwXR7HA10?si=TSwYbu_GOwYzt9km - was worth it to get this resolved properly and have documentation that I returned the money.

when i got my new job last month i forgot to do my last certification properly & accidentally said i didn't work that week. got an extra payment & freaked out just like you! ended up going to the actual EDD office in person (the one in Sacramento) and they helped me fill out the overpayment form right there. might be an option if you live near an office?

IMPORTANT: Document everything while you're trying to resolve this. Take screenshots of your UI Online messages, note dates/times of your calls, and if you mail anything back, use certified mail with tracking. I recommend writing a brief letter explaining the situation to include with the voided check. You want a clear paper trail showing you tried to return the money proactively. And just to clarify something from an earlier comment - there are different types of overpayments (fraudulent vs. non-fraudulent). Since you're reporting this immediately, it would be considered non-fraudulent even if you cash it and repay later. However, it's still best to return the check uncashed if possible to avoid complications.

Do NOT cash that check!! My cousin did that with a $275 overpayment and ended up with a PENALTY WEEK when he needed to file for unemployment again 8 months later. It wasn't worth it at all.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to resolve this through UI Online or did you need to call? For anyone else reading this thread in the future, EDD has a specific form for returning overpayments: DE 2025, "Notice of Overpayment." You can download it from their website if needed.

Great to see this getting resolved properly! For anyone else who might be dealing with EDD overpayments, here's a quick summary of the best practices from this thread: 1) DON'T cash the check if you suspect it's an error, 2) Try UI Online messaging first (Contact EDD > Payments > Overpayment), 3) Keep detailed records of all your attempts to resolve it, 4) If you need to mail anything back, use certified mail with tracking, and 5) Be patient - the system is slow but following the proper channels protects you from penalties later. The DE 2025 form mentioned is definitely the official way to handle returns. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here - this kind of community knowledge is invaluable when dealing with EDD's confusing processes!

Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - definitely don't cash it! I made that mistake a couple years ago with a $200 overpayment and it was such a headache. Not only did I have to pay it back with interest, but it also caused issues when I had to file again later. The UI Online messaging system has actually gotten better lately - I used it last month for a different issue and got a response in about 5 days. Make sure when you write your message to be very specific about the amount, date you received it, and that you believe it's an error. Also include that you're willing to return it immediately. They seem to respond faster when you're being proactive about fixing their mistakes rather than asking them to fix something that went wrong on your end.