Oregon unemployed get to keep jobless benefits paid by mistake

[catabryna]

Source: The Oregonian, November 8, 2011

"More than 600 Oregonians who received unemployment payments in error can keep the money -- which totals $615,000 so far -- under a state law passed this year.

In each case, the Oregon Employment Department determined that recovering the overpayments from people enduring financial hardships would violate equity and good conscience. The total amount forgiven will increase under the system as more people request and receive repayment waivers. The money comes from a state jobless-benefits trust fund financed by employers, not taxpayers.

State Sen. Diane Rosenbaum, D-Portland, the Senate majority leader who co-sponsored the bill authorizing the waivers, stands by the new system.

"It's a mistake to keep referring to this money as ill-gotten gains or a windfall," Rosenbaum said. "The only people who qualify for this are people who did not commit fraud, did nothing wrong and were deemed eligible but later were found not to be."

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2011/11/oregon_unemployed_get_to_keep.html

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Just a nice story.

[Suich]

1. That's a GREAT story!

Thanks for posting!

:)