How long do I have to pay back unemployment overpayment from NYS Department of Labor?
Got hit with an overpayment notice from NYS Department of Labor yesterday saying I owe back $2,800 from benefits I received 8 months ago. The letter mentions something about a repayment schedule but doesn't give clear timeframes. Does anyone know how long they typically give you to pay this back? I'm freaking out because I definitely don't have that kind of money sitting around right now. Also wondering if there's any way to dispute this since I'm pretty sure I reported everything correctly when I was filing my weekly claims.
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Miguel Alvarez
NYS Department of Labor usually gives you options for repayment. You can set up a payment plan that can stretch over several months or even years depending on your financial situation. The key is to contact them immediately - don't ignore the notice. If you let it go without responding, they can start garnishing future benefits or even your wages. You also have appeal rights if you believe the overpayment determination is incorrect.
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CyberSiren
•Thanks for the info! Do you know if there's a minimum monthly payment amount they require?
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Zainab Yusuf
I had this same thing happen to me last year with a $1,900 overpayment. Called NYS Department of Labor and they let me pay $75 per month. Took forever but at least it was manageable. The important thing is to call them before the deadline on your notice - I think mine said 30 days to respond. They were actually pretty reasonable about working with me on the payment amount.
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Connor O'Reilly
•Did they charge you any interest on the payment plan?
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Zainab Yusuf
•No interest charges that I noticed, just had to stick to the monthly payment schedule they set up.
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Yara Khoury
ugh this is my worst nightmare. I've been so careful about reporting my part time work when I file my weekly claims but I'm always worried I'm going to mess something up and get one of these letters. What usually causes the overpayments? Was it because you didn't report work or something else?
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CyberSiren
•Honestly I'm not even sure what I supposedly did wrong. The notice is super vague and just says 'received benefits while not eligible' but doesn't explain the specific weeks or reasons.
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Keisha Taylor
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to set up a payment plan, I had good luck using claimyr.com to get connected to an actual agent. They have this system that calls you back when an agent is available instead of you sitting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Definitely worth trying if you keep getting disconnected when calling the regular way.
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Miguel Alvarez
•That's actually a pretty good suggestion. Getting through to discuss repayment options is crucial and the regular phone lines are notoriously difficult.
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StardustSeeker
Same boat here! Got an overpayment notice three weeks ago and still haven't been able to get anyone on the phone to explain what happened. This whole system is such a mess.
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Aisha Mahmood
I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago with a $3,200 overpayment. Here's what I learned: First, you absolutely have the right to request a hearing to dispute the overpayment if you believe it's wrong - there should be appeal instructions on the back of your notice. Second, even if you can't dispute it successfully, NYS DOL is usually pretty flexible with payment plans. I was able to negotiate a $50/month plan over 5 years. The key is calling them ASAP and being honest about your financial situation. Don't wait - the sooner you contact them, the more options you'll have. Also keep all your documentation from when you were filing claims, you might need it for the appeal process.
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