Unexpected $600 deposit from DEO when I didn't claim weeks - error or legit?

This happened to me back in February! It turned out to be retroactive payment for weeks I claimed earlier but had issues with adjudication. Check your CONNECT account and see if there are any determination letters or notices about weeks that might have been on hold previously. The $600 is likely 2 weeks of benefits at $300/week that were previously denied but got overturned.

DO NOT SPEND THAT MONEY!!! DEO makes mistakes ALL THE TIME and they WILL come after you for it eventually. I got a random deposit last year and 4 months later got an overpayment notice demanding it back WITH INTEREST. Their system is completely broken. Call them immediately and document everything. Take screenshots of your account too as proof you didn't claim anything.

This could be a few different things: 1. Retroactive payment for previously disputed weeks that were resolved in your favor 2. Work search penalty removal if you had weeks reduced previously 3. Income reporting adjustment if they recalculated your earnings 4. System glitch (happens more than they admit) I'd recommend checking your 'Determination and Pending Issue Summary' in CONNECT for any recent activity. Also look at your payment history to see if it shows what weeks this payment supposedly covers. You should definitely contact DEO about this. If it's an error, they'll eventually discover it during their quarterly reviews, and you'll get an overpayment notice which can affect future benefits if you ever need to claim again.

just keep it lol... if they want it back theyll ask for it. free money!!

I've had nothing but problems trying to reach DEO about issues like this. Been calling for weeks about my overpayment dispute and can't get through. Always busy signals or disconnects after waiting forever. I finally used Claimyr.com to get connected to an agent without the wait. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/UzW_hbUy-ss?si=zORd51jeq1GX5Ldj. Got through to a real person in about 20 minutes instead of days of trying. Totally worth it when you need to sort out something important like mysterious money appearing in your account!

Two questions: 1) Did you have any weeks previously that were denied or on hold? 2) Did you report earnings during your last few claimed weeks? Sometimes DEO does retroactive adjustments if they initially calculated your partial benefits incorrectly based on reported earnings. This happens when they get your employer's quarterly wage report and realize they underpaid you.

Yes, they should send a determination letter explaining any adjustment, but their system doesn't always generate or deliver these notifications properly. Based on what you're describing, this sounds like either: 1. A work search penalty reversal for that February week (they've been more lenient about this recently) 2. An income adjustment based on quarterly wage reports I strongly recommend contacting DEO directly. Use the number 1-833-FL-APPLY (1-833-352-7759) and try early morning right when they open. Document the call details and get a confirmation number for the inquiry. Ask specifically for them to research what weeks this payment covers and why it was issued. Keep records of everything in case you need to dispute an overpayment notice later. This kind of documentation shows you acted in good faith by reporting the unexpected payment.

@OP If you keep having trouble getting through on that number, seriously consider using Claimyr. The regular DEO lines are completely overwhelmed. I spent 3 days trying to get through before using their service. When you're dealing with $600 of unexpected money, you want to get it sorted out quickly. Just make sure you have your claimant ID and all your info ready when you do get through to an agent.

this happened to my roomate last yr. turned out they had calculated her wages wrong from her w2 job and it was backpay. but she had to call like 100 times to find out lol. good luck!!