Richmond---The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) will resume collections of overpayments beginning this month. An overpayment is the sum of benefits under title 60.2 of the Code of Virginia that a claimant was not entitled to receive. The VEC was provided authority from the General Assembly to temporarily suspend outside collections activities until July 1, 2022, to allow for the ongoing processing of claims and waivers. Customers who have a pending waiver or appeal will not be referred to billing and collections until all other options have been pursued. During this period, the agency has continued to pursue recovery through repayments or installment plans for customers who owe money. For those who do not enter in a repayment plan, they will now be referred to collections. 

The VEC works with the Attorney General’s Office, an outside collection agency, and other governmental agencies to collect funds in those situations where a customer does not enter into a payment plan and make regular payments. Customers will receive an “Overpayment Billing Statement” including instructions on making payments. Customers who have questions about their billing statement should contact the VEC’s Benefit Payment Unit at 804-786-8593. 

The VEC, in partnership with the Virginia Attorney General’s Office, will continue to work with law enforcement to prosecute and pursue recovery of fraudulent claims.  For eligible customers who did not commit fraud, but were overpaid through no fault of their own, the VEC has approved 23,310 overpayment waivers and waived over $80 million in payments.  

About the Virginia Employment Commission
The Virginia Employment Commission, a state agency under the Secretary of Labor, is dedicated to promoting economic growth and stability by delivering and coordinating workforce services to include: policy development; job placement services; temporary income support; workforce information; and transition and training services. To accomplish this mission, the agency partners with stakeholders; develops and empowers staff; improves its processes; embraces innovative solutions and technologies; and continually renews the organization. Additional information can be found on VEC’s webpage at: https://www.vec.virginia.gov/unemployed

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