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Repay unemployment benefit debt

If you have been overpaid unemployment benefits, you will receive a Notice of Determination from the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA). You will be required to repay the amount of benefits that you were overpaid.
The full balance owed is due immediately. You will continue to receive a Monthly Statement of Account until your balance is paid in full.
Log in to Unemployment Services for claimants  File an overpayment waiver with DUA 

Contacts

Department of Unemployment Assistance

Phone

Call Center Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, Call Center at (617) 626-6800

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Voice Relay Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, Voice Relay at 711

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

TeleCert Line Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, TeleCert Line at (617) 626-6338

To request weekly benefits, daily 6 a.m.–10 p.m.

Payment Status Line Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, Payment Status Line at (617) 626-6563

To check your claim or benefit payment status

PIN Selection Line Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, PIN Selection Line at (617) 626-6943

Select or reset your 4-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN)

Direct Deposit Line Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, Direct Deposit Line at (617) 626-6570

Set up, change, or cancel direct deposit

Online

Unemployment Services for Workers Log in as a claimant 
Reset your password 
Visit mass.gov/RECappointment to make an appointment to visit the Boston Re-Employment Center 
Learn more about this organization 

The Details

What you need

To repay your overpayment electronically, you will need:

  • The login information for your Unemployment services account
  • Credit card details, or the routing and transit number of your checking or savings account
  • Your claimant ID, if paying through your bank’s Bill Pay

To repay your overpayment by mail, you will need:

  • A check or money order, made payable to the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA)
  • Your claimant ID
  • The repayment voucher included with your Monthly Statement of Account

Fees

Interest

Overpayments for which you were determined to be at fault accrue interest. The annual interest rate is 12% of the unpaid principal per year and begins accruing 30 days after the Notice of Determination is issued.

Penalties

Overpayments that were determined to be at fault may be assessed a one-time 15% penalty. In some cases, you may also be required to serve penalty weeks for each week you were at fault for being overpaid benefits.

  • Your penalty weeks will begin the next time you file a claim or request weekly benefits and are determined eligible
  • Regardless of the penalty, you should continue to request weekly benefits for each week that you are unemployed in order to successfully serve the penalty weeks
  • During the penalty week period, you will be disqualified from receiving benefit payments
  • You will not receive any future benefits until all penalty weeks are served

How to pay

Credit card payments and electronic payments from your checking or savings account can be made using your UI Online account.

  1. Log in to the Unemployment Services website. 
  2. In the "Benefits details" section, select "View more benefits details."
  3. Select the "Additional services" tab.
  4. Select "Make a one-time repayment."
  5. Follow the on-screen prompts to pay by credit or your checking or savings account. Be sure to include your Claimant ID in the memo area of your transfer. 

Payments by mail can be made by check or money order only. Do not send cash.

  1. Write a check or money order, payable to the Department of Unemployment Assistance, for the exact amount owed. Do not pay more.
  2. Write your Claimant ID on the check or money order.
  3. Include the completed repayment voucher on your Monthly Statement of Account with your payment.
  4. Send your payment to the following address:
    Department of Unemployment Assistance
    P.O. Box 9699
    Boston, MA 02114

More info

Repayment plan

If you cannot repay the overpayment in full, you may request a repayment plan or file an overpayment waiver by logging in to your Unemployment Services account or by calling the DUA Benefits Collection Department at (617) 626-6300.

A Request for Waiver of Overpayment does not replace the appeals process. You must still file an appeal if you disagree with the Notice of Determination before submitting a request for waiver. To file an appeal, you must follow the instructions included with the determination notice.

Contact

Address
Boston Re-Employment Center (by appointment only, to make an appointment, visit mass.gov/RECappointment)
2 Avenue de Lafayette, Boston, MA 02111
Directions 
Phone
Call Center Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, Call Center at (617) 626-6800

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Voice Relay Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, Voice Relay at 711

Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

TeleCert Line Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, TeleCert Line at (617) 626-6338

To request weekly benefits, daily 6 a.m.–10 p.m.

Payment Status Line Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, Payment Status Line at (617) 626-6563

To check your claim or benefit payment status

PIN Selection Line Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, PIN Selection Line at (617) 626-6943

Select or reset your 4-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN)

Direct Deposit Line Call Department of Unemployment Assistance, Direct Deposit Line at (617) 626-6570

Set up, change, or cancel direct deposit

Online
Unemployment Services for Workers Log in as a claimant 
Reset your password 
Visit mass.gov/RECappointment to make an appointment to visit the Boston Re-Employment Center 
Learn more about this organization 

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