Nevada unemployment office waives nearly all overpayment requests
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) has waived nearly 96% of overpayment requests as some Nevadans await their date to have their appeals heard.
On Wednesday, the 8 News Now Investigators profiled Nadine Simmons, 51. Simmons worked as a customer service representative for a travel business when the pandemic hit and she lost her job, she said. Soon after, she, like hundreds of thousands of Nevadans, started receiving unemployment money. In 2022, her unemployment payments stopped, leading to her eviction and her now living in her car. Simmons then found out she owed DETR $5,000 in overpayments.
As of Thursday, Simmons was still awaiting the appointment for her latest appeal as to why she would not only receive benefits as she looks for a job but also why they should wait for that $5,000 bill.
“This is just not right, the things DETR are doing to people — this is not right,” Simmons said.
DETR has received more than 55,000 waiver requests for overpayments, a spokesperson said. The agency approved the majority of those overpayments – about 95.5%.
As of earlier this week, about 100 appeals remained pending. Some people who have exhausted all avenues have gone on to sue the department, though that in itself costs money.
Between those appeals and other claims, plus ongoing unemployment, DETR’s director told the 8 News Now Investigators that he is committed to clearing the pandemic backlog. After years of delays, DETR is meeting federal Department of Labor standards in timeliness for reviewing unemployment claims and hearing appeals, Sewell said.
“We’re going to get it done. We will get it done this year,” DETR Director Chris Sewell said. “I’m sorry. This shouldn’t have happened. This is something that should have never happened but unfortunately, the pandemic overwhelmed our system.”
The majority of the state’s unemployment money comes from the federal government.
DETR offers several services to help Nevadans find a job and enter or renter the workforce. The department has dozens of EmployNV Career Hubs across the state.
As of April, Nevada’s unemployment rate was 5.1% — the nation’s third highest after California and Washington, D.C.
8 News Now Investigator David Charns can be reached at dcharns@8newsnow.com.
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