The Oregon Employment Department made almost 80,000 decisions regarding overpayments in 2022, finding that thousands of individuals had received unemployment benefits they weren’t eligible for. Around $230 million in payments didn’t go recovered, marking a sizeable increase in cases compared to previous years. This jump in decisions is believed to be connected to the department catching up on backlogged work due to the historic need for unemployment benefits during the pandemic.

However, the process of establishing overpayments has been challenged in a lawsuit filed against the Oregon Employment Department and its director. Six Oregonians say the agency’s process denies people their constitutional right to due process.

Given the complexity of these issues, if individuals need assistance getting through to a representative to discuss their status or any issues they face, a site like EDDCaller.com can be beneficial. This autodial program assists people in reaching representatives for unemployment, paid family leave, and disability departments by phone.

During the pandemic, OED distributed more money in benefits than it had in the prior decade, according to the communications director. Although the number of people getting benefits has continued to decline, overpayment decisions haven’t followed suit. The agency is now asking for a large proportion of the $10.9 billion in benefits it paid during that time back.

The increase in overpayment decisions in 2022 could also be attributed to the growth in staff at the Benefit Payment Control team, along with newly trained staff from the previous year. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are requesting a halt to overpayment decisions and payments until a new system is implemented by OED. The case is currently pending a decision from a judge.