Gross Deductions status on DEO CONNECT - am I facing an overpayment issue?

Yes, 'Gross Deductions' typically indicates DEO is applying deductions to your weekly benefit amount, which often happens when there's an overpayment situation. I went through this last year. Check your Determination Letters in CONNECT immediately to see if they sent you an official overpayment notice. There should be one explaining exactly why they think you were overpaid and how much they believe you owe back. Don't panic though - you have 20 days from the date on that letter to file an appeal if you believe it's incorrect.

Oh no... I'm going to check my determination letters right now. I don't understand how this could happen. I was super careful about reporting my hours each week. Do you know if they take the money back all at once or can I set up a payment plan if it comes to that?

Yup happened to me!! Gross deductions = they think u got paid more than u should. Check if u reported some part time work and maybe they processed it wrong?? The system is SOOO glitchy

I did pick up a small side job for 2 days last month, but I definitely reported it when I claimed those weeks. Could that be causing this? I only made like $220 from it.

THEY DO THIS ALL THE TIME!!! The DEO system is BROKEN and they're ALWAYS trying to say people owe money back. I got hit with a $5,700 overpayment last year for no reason at all. Fought it for MONTHS before they finally admitted it was their error. Document EVERYTHING and don't let them intimidate you!!! They hope people just pay without fighting because they make it so complicated on purpose!!!!

Same! They said I owed $3200 because they

Gross Deductions status means DEO is making adjustments to your weekly benefit amount based on earnings or other factors. While it can indicate an overpayment situation, it doesn't always mean that. It could simply be adjusting your benefit amount for the side job you mentioned earning $220.\n\nHere's what you should do:\n\n1. Check your Determination Letters in CONNECT\n2. Review your payment history to see if amounts changed\n3. Look for any \

Thank you for such a detailed explanation. I just checked my determination letters and found one from yesterday saying I have an overpayment of $840. They're claiming I was working full-time when I claimed those weeks with the side job, but that's completely wrong. It was literally just 2 days of handyman work for a friend's rental property. What's the best way to appeal this?

sometimes they mark it gross deductions when they think u didnt do ur work searches right too. happened to my brother last month. u have to go back and show them proof u did the 5 activities per week

This is correct - work search verification can trigger this. Make sure you have documentation of all your work search activities. DEO requires 5 job contacts per week, and each must include the business name, method of contact, contact information, type of work sought, and result of the contact. If you don't have this information saved, try to reconstruct it from your records, emails, or call history.

I definitely did my work searches every week and entered them in the system. I have screenshots of them too just in case. But the determination letter specifically mentions something about me working full-time during weeks I claimed. It's so frustrating because I was very clear about exactly when and how much I worked.

For the appeal, you'll need to submit it through CONNECT. Go to the determination you want to appeal and there should be an appeal button. You'll need to explain why you think the decision is wrong and upload any evidence you have (like texts arranging the side job, payment receipts showing it was just for 2 days, bank deposits matching what you reported, etc.).\n\nHonestly though, getting someone on the phone at DEO to explain the situation might resolve this faster than the appeal process. The problem is it's nearly impossible to get through to them.

I had a similar issue last month and spent days trying to reach DEO. I finally used a service called Claimyr to get through to an agent. It's worth the cost when you're dealing with potential overpayments. The site is claimyr.com and they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj that explains how it works. Basically they hold your place in line and call you when an agent is available. I got through in about 40 minutes versus the days I spent trying on my own. The agent was able to see exactly why my account was flagged and fixed it while I was on the call.

Thank you for this suggestion! I'm going to look into this Claimyr service. I've been trying to call DEO all morning with no luck - just constant busy signals. If I can get someone on the phone who can explain exactly why this happened, I might be able to resolve it without going through the whole appeal process.

wat if they take money from ur next payment?? they did that to my cousin n he didnt even kno till he got way less than normal

You're right that DEO can recoup overpayments by reducing future benefits. If they've determined there's an overpayment, they may reduce future payments by up to 25% until the balance is paid. However, if you have an appeal pending, you should request that they not begin collections until the appeal is resolved. You can also request a payment plan or, in some cases, a waiver of the overpayment if it would cause financial hardship and was not your fault.

I'm definitely going to request they hold off on any collections until my appeal is resolved. This whole situation is causing so much stress - I'm already living paycheck to paycheck and can't afford to have my benefits reduced right now.

Listen, make sure you DOCUMENT the fact that you submitted an appeal!!! When I fought my overpayment, they claimed they never received my appeal even though I submitted it through CONNECT. Take screenshots of EVERYTHING - the confirmation screen after you submit, any case numbers, EVERYTHING. The DEO is not your friend!!

That's a good point. I'll definitely take screenshots of everything. Is there any way to follow up on an appeal after submitting it? Like a status check or something?

To follow up on your appeal, you can check its status in CONNECT under the \

Thanks for that advice. I'll keep claiming my weeks while this gets sorted out. I just submitted my appeal with all the documentation I could find about those 2 days of work - text messages arranging the job, bank deposit screenshot showing exactly $220, and a written statement explaining the situation. I hope that's enough evidence.

my neighbor had this happen and it turned out it was cuz his former employer reported he got paid vacation when he was actually laid off. might wanna check if ur old job reported something weird

That's an interesting point! I hadn't thought about that. My former employer wasn't very happy when I filed for unemployment. I wonder if they reported something incorrectly. Is there a way I can see what they've reported to DEO?

Unfortunately, CONNECT doesn't show you exactly what your employer reported. However, when you speak with a DEO representative, they can tell you what information was provided by your employer. This is another reason why getting on the phone with DEO is important in these situations.\n\nIf you discover your employer provided incorrect information, you'll want to address this specifically in your appeal. Include any documentation that proves your employment ended through no fault of your own (layoff notice, final paycheck stub, termination letter, etc.).\n\nAlso, while you're dealing with this issue, continue documenting your work search activities thoroughly. If DEO is scrutinizing your case for one reason, they may look more closely at all aspects of your claim.

I'll try to get someone on the phone tomorrow to find out exactly what my former employer reported. This is all making more sense now. Thank you all for the help and advice. Will update once I know more or get this resolved!