How to write an appeal letter for unemployment overpayment - NYS Department of Labor demanding $2,100 back

You absolutely can appeal this overpayment determination! The key is being thorough with your documentation. You'll need to gather: 1) All pay stubs from the period in question, 2) Screenshots or printouts of your weekly claim certifications showing the hours you reported, 3) Any correspondence from NYS Department of Labor about your claim, and 4) Your work schedule or timesheet records if you have them. In your appeal letter, clearly state that you disagree with the overpayment and explain that you reported all earnings accurately. Reference specific dates and amounts to show you were compliant with reporting requirements.

Make sure you submit your appeal within 30 days of the overpayment notice date - this deadline is strict! I went through something similar last year. In your letter, be specific about WHY the overpayment determination is wrong. Don't just say 'I reported everything' - show them exactly what you reported and when. Include a timeline that matches your pay stubs to your weekly certifications. Also request a hearing if you want to present your case in person.

I had the worst time trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor to discuss my overpayment before filing my appeal. Spent literally hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me actually reach an agent to understand what went wrong with my claim calculation. They have this video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Turned out there was a system error that caused my overpayment notice. Worth checking out claimyr.com if you're having trouble getting through to clarify what they think you did wrong.

ugh same thing happened to my neighbor last month, NYS Department of Labor is just going after everyone now trying to claw back money. she said her appeal letter was like 3 pages long and included copies of everything. took forever but they eventually dropped it

Make sure you organize your evidence chronologically! I made the mistake of just throwing all my documents together and it made my case confusing. Create a simple chart showing: Date of work, Hours worked, Amount earned, Date you certified, Hours you reported. This visual comparison will make it obvious if there are any discrepancies (and hopefully prove there aren't any). Also keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit - the appeal process can take months.

Wait, are you sure you reported your gross earnings and not your net pay? That's a common mistake that leads to overpayments. NYS Department of Labor wants to know your total earnings before taxes, not what you actually took home. Double check your weekly certifications against your pay stubs to make sure you used the right numbers.