BOSTON — After our story Monday about unemployment payment delays, several viewers wrote in to not only say their claims were denied but that the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) has told them they were overpaid and now owe money.
Many say they are now forced to enroll in repayment plans. This, on top of not receiving unemployment checks for months.
One school bus driver tells Boston 25 News she now owes the state $17,000 — money she says she doesn’t have.
On Tuesday, the DUA said there are several reasons people could be overpaid, including inaccurate reporting of availability to work, or an employer’s protest of UI charges.
The department says claimants are notified of these investigations and given a chance to provide more information. The DUA also says they are reviewing feedback to enhance customer experience.
On Monday, the DUA launched a new pilot program to help streamline the claims process on August 1. A spokesperson for the department said in part:
“The Department of Unemployment Assistance understands that losing a job is a stressful time for individuals and their families. DUA is working diligently to ensure the agency delivers benefits to eligible claimants while maintaining program integrity. DUA also remains committed to improving response times and communication with claimants, and DUA has, and continues to, implement enhancements to deliver a better customer service experience that claimants deserve.”
Some claimants, however, remain frustrated with the departments responses.
“At first it was like a lot of people applying, just have to be patient. Okay, time goes on, you keep hearing the same response, and it’s almost like word for word every week when you call, you hear the same exact response, so, it’s like they’re reading a form letter to you,” one viewer told Boston 25 News.
The new program will adjust call center hours to Monday through Thursday, dedicating Fridays to addressing delay concerns among other issues.
“You’re going to have one less day to call to ask a question, so I am sure the wait times and what not from Monday to Thursday, if their going to do it on a Friday, wait times will be a lot longer,” another viewer told Boston 25 News.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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