Idaho attempting to recover overpaid unemployment benefits

BOISE, Idaho (AP) - The state of Idaho is trying to recover overpaid unemployment benefits disbursed as part of an effort to mitigate the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Idaho Department of Labor said there were 11,222 weekly overpayments in the third quarter of this year, affecting thousands of residents, The Idaho Statesman reports.

The labor department said 97% of the excess payments resulted from mistakes by people claiming unemployment benefits.

An example of a claimant error would be taking a vacation and traveling outside their residential area, which is prohibited under the program's regulations.

Some mistakes were made by the department and state law says those who were unaware they were being overpaid can keep the funds.

In April as the pandemic flared, more than 103,000 Idaho workers were jobless at one point, pushing the state's unemployment rate up to a record 11.8%.

The latest unemployment report for October showed an unemployment rate of 5.5%, representing 50,000 jobless residents.

The average weekly overpayment during the third quarter was $127, said Larry Ingram, the head of Idaho Labor's Unemployment Insurance Compliance Bureau.

Idaho recovered 132% of overpayments in the 12 months ending July 31, compared with 63.5% nationally, the U.S. Department of Labor reported.

"Idaho is very good at recovering the overpayments," Ingram said.

The state has asked those who were overpaid to commit to a voluntary repayment plan that could include monthly installments.

For those who do not agree, the state expects to engage a nationwide program authorized by federal law to take money out of income-tax refunds or Social Security payments.

"Most people cooperate," Ingram said. "A lot don't."

For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some - especially older adults and people with existing health problems - it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.