Got PA UC non-fraud overpayment letter demanding $5,800 back - help for self-employed

Yes, this is happening a lot lately with self-employed people. PA UC is reviewing old claims and sending these notices out. First thing: DON'T PANIC and DO FILE AN APPEAL immediately - you only have 15 days from the date on the letter! The appeal form should have come with your determination letter. When you file the appeal, request a waiver of the overpayment based on financial hardship and explain that you provided all information truthfully at the time. You'll need to gather all your income documentation from that period to prove you were eligible. Did the letter mention any specific reason for the overpayment?

omg i got the EXACT SAME LETTER yesterday saying i owe $4200!!! also self-employed (uber driver) and they're saying i didnt qualify now?? this is such bs. i had no income at all during those months and now 2 years later they want money back???

THEY ARE DOING THIS TO EVERYONE!!!! My cousin got hit with a $7300 bill last month and my neighbor got one for $9000!!! PA UC is DESPERATE for money so they're trying to claw back all the pandemic benefits they can. I don't think they expect everyone to actually pay - they're just hoping some people will panic and start making payments without appealing. DON'T LET THEM BULLY YOU!! Appeal immediately and request a waiver!!!

Self-employed worker appeals involving overpayment notices actually have a decent success rate if handled properly. Here's what you need to do: 1. File your appeal ASAP - within 15 days of the determination date 2. Request a "financial hardship waiver" of the overpayment on your appeal form 3. Gather ALL documentation of your self-employment (tax returns, Schedule C, business license, client invoices, 1099s, bank statements showing business expenses, etc.) 4. In your appeal explanation, focus on how you provided accurate information at the time of application 5. If your hearing is scheduled, be prepared to explain in detail how your business was impacted Section 401 issues usually relate to whether you properly documented your self-employment status and income. Many of these are overturned on appeal when proper documentation is provided.

I went through this exact thing last month. sent in my appeal right away. still waiting on hearing date but the collections letters stopped coming at least. make sure you check the box for "waiver due to financial hardship" - thats super important! good luck!

I tried calling PA UC for THREE WEEKS about my overpayment notice and could never get through - always busy signals or disconnects after waiting for 2+ hours. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. The agent explained exactly why I got the overpayment notice and what specific documents I needed for my appeal. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/CEPETxZdo9E?si=WL1ZzVZWG3KiHrg2 Definitely worth it to actually talk to someone who could explain what was going on with my claim rather than stressing about the vague letter.

@OP - Yes, talking to the agent helped tremendously. They explained exactly which form was missing from my file (turns out they needed my business registration certificate which I never knew I had to submit). They just needed my phone number to connect the call - nothing invasive. After I got the specific info on what was missing, I included it with my appeal and the overpayment was cancelled. Without that conversation I would have been submitting an incomplete appeal.

One more important thing - while your appeal is pending, you should request a "stay of collections" in writing. This prevents them from starting collection activities like garnishing wages or taking your tax refunds while your appeal is being decided. You can include this request right on your appeal form. Also, if your first appeal is denied, you can file a second-level appeal to the Board of Review within 15 days of getting the first appeal decision. Many cases get overturned at this level.

i just checked my mail and got ANOTHER letter saying theyre going to start taking money from my tax refund if i dont pay in 30 days!!! this is insane! im filing the appeal tomorrow but im freaking out

Does anyone know if accepting a payment plan means you're admitting you owe the money??? My friend started making $50/month payments and now they're saying she can't appeal anymore because she "acknowledged the debt" by making payments. THIS SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!!

my cousin got one of these and just ignored it. big mistake! they took his entire tax refund last year with no warning. def file the appeal even if u think u might lose

Following up on this thread - for anyone dealing with a similar situation, here's what happens after you file your appeal: 1. You should receive an acknowledgment letter within 2-3 weeks 2. A hearing will be scheduled (typically 4-8 weeks after filing) 3. You'll receive a hearing notice with date, time, and instructions 4. Most hearings are conducted by phone 5. The Referee will issue a written decision within 2-3 weeks after the hearing If you haven't received an acknowledgment after 3 weeks, contact the UC Appeals Office for your region (there are six regional offices in PA). Remember that you have the right to request a postponement if you need more time to gather evidence, and you can have a representative or witness participate in your hearing.

@casual_commenter Focus primarily on proving you were eligible at the time - that's the most important factor in the Referee's decision. Have your documentation organized and ready to reference. Speak clearly and directly answer questions. Only discuss financial hardship when specifically asked or when presenting your waiver request. Be respectful, don't interrupt, and take notes during the hearing. Good luck!

mine was about 45 minutes. referee was actually pretty nice and let me explain everything. make sure u have all ur documents ready to go and practice explaining your situation clearly. they record everything so try to stay calm and organized when u talk