PUA mistakes are showing up by the dozens. Even though I am hopeful that there is relief to be had, these issues are causing tremendous stress amongst the unemployed.
The problem is applicants near and afar do not know how to correct PUA mistakes created by Minnesota’s Unemployment Office.
This is a problem that dates back many months when people applied for unemployment benefits when the COVID-19 pandemic started. During the early stages of this process, applicants were pushed towards the wrong online application.
Now, applicants are appealing issues they didn’t imagine and told their account has an overpayment. Luckily, there might be an answer.
Without getting overly technical, Unemployment Insurance Program Letter NO. 16-20 offers guidance.
As stated in the UI letter, Minnesota must identify individuals who are potentially eligible for PUA and provide them with written notification of their potential entitlement. This includes applicants who were found ineligible as far back as January 2020. This is significant for any person managing an overpayment due to PUA mistakes.
With PUA mistakes running rampid, the good news is that after an applicant is disqualified from regular unemployment benefits, the PUA process supports backdated claims. On the other hand, time is of the essence.