Governor’s Office responds to I-Team 8 investigation

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Over the past month, at the direction of the Governor’s Office, the Department of Workforce Development has gone through 1,233 emails from WISH-TV viewers who claim they were unjustly ordered to repay unemployment overpayment to Workforce Development.

 More than 800 of the cases are now closed, they said. Those cases include:

• 168 cases listed as overpayments that have been resolved — the Governor’s statement did not include a dollar amount, or how many, if any, overpayments were waived. 
• 90 cases closed and the appeal completed.  
• 169 cases closed and appeal denied.  
• 394 cases are considered closed by Workforce Development and the claimants have been notified. Again, no explanation on why the cases have been closed.  

The cases still “open” include:

• 64 that are waiting for a hearing — I-Team 8 is told the waiting time varies from 4-8 weeks for pandemic unemployment insurance cases and 6-9 months from regular unemployment insurance cases.  
• 28 that are being investigated for fraud, investigations that can take up to six months to resolve. 
• 6 that have been flagged and under investigation for possible Identity theft. 
• 128 that are being reviewed for proof of employment.

I-Team 8 is told that some of the claimants submitted the wrong documentation. Workforce Development is giving them time to submit the proper paperwork. Others missed deadlines and Workforce Development is offering them an extension.  

I-Team 8 is still receiving complaints and will forward them to Workforce Development for their review.