Gov. Holcomb on unemployment: We have to take it case by case

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After weeks of reaching out, Gov. Eric Holcomb addressed the crisis in unemployment overpayments on Tuesday.

I-Team 8 asked Holcomb what he is doing to fix the issues of thousands of Hoosiers being asked to repay tens of thousands of dollars in pandemic unemployment benefits.

• CLICK HERE for the overpayment waiver form in English
• CLICK HERE for the overpayment waiver form in Spanish

“They might not be getting the answer [they want]. But we have to go through these things one by one by one,” Holcomb said. “When I see hundreds, as reported, of folks who maybe haven’t applied for the waiver, if they were overpaid and they’re unhappy, they should… We are mindful of all the fraud and the millions of times so we can’t just assume anything.”

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Indiana has paid $100 million in insurance overpayments. $26 million has been recovered by the state, however, the state lost less than 5% due to fraud, according to the Labor Department.

Holcomb says the best way to stimulate the economy is to get people off of unemployment benefits, pointing to the increase of job openings. I-Team 8 pressed Holcomb on what should be done if someone does get a job but is still expected to repay their benefits.

“People are trying to get a job and they still have this large bill to pay, which could be a mistake by the state,” I-Team 8 asked Holcomb.

“We have to go through them one by one by one,” Holcomb responded.

Data from the U.S. Department of Labor shows Indiana has not waived a single unemployment overpayment.

• Tell us about your unemployment issues
• I-Team 8 finds people forced to repay more unemployment benefits than they received
• Senators: Indiana leaders need to end silence on unemployment benefit overpayments
• Attorney: Time for Indiana to cut people slack on unemployment benefit repayments
• Surrounding states waiving unemployment repayments, but not Indiana
• News 8 gets 600+ complaints about unemployment benefits; some eye legal action
• News 8 receives 450 complaints about Indiana’s unemployment system in 2 days
• Workforce Development could resume pandemic unemployment benefits by Friday
• Mom’s unemployment Facebook group helping thousands get paid
• Government contractor among Hoosiers told to repay pandemic unemployment benefits
• How the Department of Workforce Development stonewalls Hoosiers
• Hoosiers wait for judge’s decision on federal unemployment benefits
• Self-employed recipients of pandemic aid get requests to pay back money
• Hoosiers in limbo amid court battle over federal unemployment benefits
• Workers to appeals court: let federal unemployment payments resume
• Indiana asks appeals court to block expanded federal unemployment ruling
• DWD: Stay tuned for federal unemployment benefits put in question by judge
• Indiana DWD, Holcomb yet to reveal extent of unemployment fraud, unpaid claims
• Indiana fares better than most states with unemployment fraud
• Jobless benefits delayed 15 weeks and counting for Army reservist from Indianapolis
• Indiana Workforce Development says 23% of jobless claims are fraudulent