Hatfield amends bill to help Hoosiers burdened with DWD repayments

INDIANAPOLIS – Yesterday, State Representative Ryan Hatfield (D-Evansville) proposed an amendment to House Bill 1152 that changed what unemployment benefit overpayments claimants would be responsible for repaying to the Department of Workforce Development (DWD). Today, the amended bill passed unanimously through the House.

Hatfield's amendment stated that a claimant should not be required to make a repayment based on a typo, or other innocuous mistake, like a misspelled street name.

“If they didn't intend to misrepresent themselves, they should not be responsible for repaying the money they received in error,” Hatfield said. “These Hoosiers are already struggling – that's why they filed for unemployment benefits. Let's not add to that burden by requiring them to pay for a harmless typo.”