Thousands may owe NC for unemployment overpayments

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina agency says thousands of long-term unemployed people could owe the state money because the agency mistakenly overpaid them.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reports Tuesday that the Employment Security Commission made about $28 million in overpayments to jobless North Carolinians over the last two years.

The agency last week began sending letters to about 38,000 people who it says were either overpaid or underpaid through no fault of their own.

The agency estimates about 15 percent of recipients were underpaid and will be eligible for additional benefits.

Overpayments could be forgiven if people apply for a waiver, but the commission wasn't able to say how those requests would be evaluated.

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Information from: The News & Observer, http://www.newsobserver.com