New Jersey Unemployment overpayment mess (2013, unemployment benefits, theatre)

[kscarlett39]

Hi....if anyone has any advice on this subject, I'd appreciate it.

I worked in New Jersey for 8 years and left my job in Feb 2012. I received unemployment until I got a seasonal job in west virginia (I work in theatre and almost all contracts are short). I continued to receive NJUI benefits and when the initial claim was over, I was automatically given an extension, which I did not apply for.

Fast forward to February 2013, when my extension was over, I reapplied for part time benefits because i had gotten a gig in Michigan. At that time I was told by NJUI that I never should have received an extension from NJ and that I owed them over 5000 dollars. I was shocked. I ended up setting up a retroactive claim with west virginia and they paid New Jersey back $2300. I still owe over $3000. I'm starting to get more notices about the possibility of collections.

Is there anything I can do to get this waived or get a judgement that it was an agency error? I was completely honest and I actually had claims agents tell me that it was not my fault, but a glitch in the system. I don't have that much money to pay for New Jersey's system glitches. Any advice?

[sonetlumiere]

I suggest you repost to the Work/Unemployment forum. Someone there will likely weigh in.

[HalfFull]

Originally Posted by kscarlett39

Hi....if anyone has any advice on this subject, I'd appreciate it.

I worked in New Jersey for 8 years and left my job in Feb 2012. I received unemployment until I got a seasonal job in west virginia (I work in theatre and almost all contracts are short). I continued to receive NJUI benefits and when the initial claim was over, I was automatically given an extension, which I did not apply for.

Fast forward to February 2013, when my extension was over, I reapplied for part time benefits because i had gotten a gig in Michigan. At that time I was told by NJUI that I never should have received an extension from NJ and that I owed them over 5000 dollars. I was shocked. I ended up setting up a retroactive claim with west virginia and they paid New Jersey back $2300. I still owe over $3000. I'm starting to get more notices about the possibility of collections.

Is there anything I can do to get this waived or get a judgement that it was an agency error? I was completely honest and I actually had claims agents tell me that it was not my fault, but a glitch in the system. I don't have that much money to pay for New Jersey's system glitches. Any advice?

I'm confused... you didn't have to make a claim every 2 weeks certifying that you weren't working, while you did have this seasonal work?

[aedubber]

So if you didn't apply for it and still received it then why didn't you just contact them ?

[kscarlett39]

Sorry, I think I was confusing in how I phrased it. I got unemployment, stopped the claim when I got a job that lasted 2 months, the claim wasn't exhausted yet, so when the job was over, I reopened the claim. When That claim ended, they automatically gave me an extension.

I had planned on contacting them when my claim was over to see what my options were. Since they automatically renewed it, I figured everything was in order.

[bradykp]

there was a story about this type of think in the star ledger in april:

Bamboozled: Here's your $17,000 in unemployment benefits -- now pay it all back | NJ.com