New Yorkers Are Being Asked to Give Back Unemployment Payments

If you received unemployment payments last year, you could have to give them back.

WGRZ reports that some New Yorkers received duplicate unemployment payments. This occurred in April and May of 2020. This was also at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when over 13 million people across the U.S. had lost their jobs. These extra payments were often referred to as "mystery payments".

Now, those "mystery payments" need to be paid back. Well, at least New York State is asking for them to be paid back. According to WGRZ, the New York State Department of Labor has begun sending letters and emails to people who received duplicate unemployment payments last year. They even posted about it on their Twitter account.

WGRZ reports that while some people fear it is a scam, it's not. But if you are unable to pay back the duplicate payments, you can apply for a waiver to forgive New York State's overpayment. New York State says they will primarily consider if repaying the duplicate payment would cause financial hardship like an inability to pay for shelter, food, or medicine.

The New York State Department of Labor tweeted again on April 22, 2021, about the matter. Clarifying that some people had been overpaid by $600 or $1200. There is now a DocuSign form for people who received the duplicate payments and apply for a waiver to not pay it back. For more information about the duplicate payments, and if you're expected to pay it back, the safest place to find information is the New York State Department of Labor website.