BUFFALO, N.Y. — Throughout all of this, we've heard from hundreds of you who haven't gotten your unemployment benefits. So, this story is something new — a Cheektowaga woman received too much money and all she wants to do is return it.
Julie Shields was out of work for two weeks in April. She filed for unemployment online, and the system told her someone from the New York State Department of Labor would call her. She says the call never came, and she went back to work.
By the time Shields was able to get through on the online system to certify her benefits, it was May. She says the system would not let her change her last day of unemployment to the correct date in April.
When Shields received her benefits, she got paid for five weeks instead of two. She told the NYS Department of Labor right away, but says she hasn't been able to get an answer about what to do.
“On June 9, I was told by two different employees there that they had no idea how to return money, how I could return money," Shields said. "That they only knew how to certify me to receive money. And I kept saying, I get that, it's already happened, but you overpaid me. There must be someone there who can tell me how to give it back."
They transferred Shields to a specialist and she says that person couldn't help her either. They told her they'd call her employer, and so far, Shields says that hasn't happened.
Shields says the same thing happened to one of her co-workers.
"So, you're in this strange situation of owing the government money and, most people I've talked with have had a problem not getting their benefits. You got too much money," said 2 On Your Side’s Kelly Dudzik.
"I did, and no one seems to want to take it back," Shields said. "I didn't think it was going to be quite this difficult to give the government back their money, but I don't know what I'm supposed to do next."
Shields is concerned about what could happen if she can’t return the money.
"The reason why I am so adamant about returning this money quickly is because I do not want to be penalized in the form of taxes, or a fine, for taking money that does not belong to me," says Shields.
Wednesday, a NYS DOL spokesperson told 2 On Your Side that “Issues like this are extremely rare, and likely occur after a New Yorker improperly submits certifications."
If you think you've received more benefits than you were supposed to get, you should contact the DOL. 2 On Your Side was also told that if someone has been overpaid or took benefits improperly, that person would get a written Notice of Determination explaining how to pay back the benefits or request a hearing if they disagree with the decision.