The New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, in collaboration with Ives & Flores, will conduct a free public webinar on February 13, 2025. The event is aimed at New Mexico workers affected by overpayments of federal pandemic unemployment benefits. Advocates, legal service providers, and media professionals are also invited to learn about the class action lawsuit settlement in Duran v. New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions.
The settlement offers over $100 million in financial relief to approximately 60,000 New Mexico workers impacted by unemployment benefit overpayments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligible individuals may receive blanket waivers for overpayments, options for individualized waiver applications, and refunds for payments already made.
The webinar will take place from 6 pm to 7 pm via Zoom. Spanish interpretation services will be available during the session. "Tenemos interpretación en español," the organizers noted.
According to the information provided, this settlement could forgive up to 100% of overpayments for those who qualify. This ensures that many New Mexicans avoid further collection actions such as tax refund interceptions or liens. Furthermore, eligible participants might receive refunds from the Department of Workforce Solutions (DWS).
Individuals who received federal pandemic unemployment benefits are encouraged to attend, particularly if they have been notified about overpayments. The DWS has begun processing waivers and refunds using existing contact information but advises individuals to update their details and join the webinar for expert guidance on subsequent steps.
For more details regarding the settlement and eligibility criteria, visit https://www.nmpovertylaw.org/ui/. Media inquiries can be directed to Paloma Mexika at (505) 305-2559.
