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Woman Gets Notice for Owing a Nickel
EAST WENATCHEE, Wash.
When the Washington state Department of Employment Security notified Sandi Bryan that she owed money for an unemployment compensation overpayment more than six years ago, she picked up the phone.
Little good that did _ until word that she was being threatened with court action over a nickel reached the right ears.
Bryan told The Wenatchee World she asked the state employee who took her call on a toll-free line whether she should mail in a nickel taped to a piece of paper.
"I said, 'Do you realize for this nickel, you paid an employee to type this ... (spent) 37 cents for postage, and you want me to pay for a money order and the postage?'" she said.
The response was that the money had to be paid properly. End of discussion.
Bryan said she was overpaid when she was on unemployment for about three months more than six years ago but thought she had paid it all back.
Then, out of the blue, she got a notice dated June 18 that demanded payment of five cents, after which "the Superior Court warrant will be satisfied immediately."
Employment Security spokeswoman Kristin Alexander said the overpayment notices are sent to about 70,000 people a month with the average amount about $1,000.
"Typically we do require payment to be made in whole, (but) in the case of a nickel, we would usually make an exception," Alexander said. "Had she spoken to me, I would have taken a nickel out of my purse and paid it for her."
Bryan apparently was included in a recent mailing for small balances that Alexander said resulted in collection of more than $17,300. Alexander said she didn't know how much that mailing cost.
Officials plan to use recently acquired technology to review the use of automated billings for minuscule sums, Alexander said.
"We should have procedures that make sense," Alexander said. "(We) want to apologize for the situation and for the woman's frustration."
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Information from: The Wenatchee World
EAST WENATCHEE, Wash.
When the Washington state Department of Employment Security notified Sandi Bryan that she owed money for an unemployment compensation overpayment more than six years ago, she picked up the phone.
Little good that did _ until word that she was being threatened with court action over a nickel reached the right ears.
Bryan told The Wenatchee World she asked the state employee who took her call on a toll-free line whether she should mail in a nickel taped to a piece of paper.
"I said, 'Do you realize for this nickel, you paid an employee to type this ... (spent) 37 cents for postage, and you want me to pay for a money order and the postage?'" she said.
The response was that the money had to be paid properly. End of discussion.
Bryan said she was overpaid when she was on unemployment for about three months more than six years ago but thought she had paid it all back.
Then, out of the blue, she got a notice dated June 18 that demanded payment of five cents, after which "the Superior Court warrant will be satisfied immediately."
Employment Security spokeswoman Kristin Alexander said the overpayment notices are sent to about 70,000 people a month with the average amount about $1,000.
"Typically we do require payment to be made in whole, (but) in the case of a nickel, we would usually make an exception," Alexander said. "Had she spoken to me, I would have taken a nickel out of my purse and paid it for her."
Bryan apparently was included in a recent mailing for small balances that Alexander said resulted in collection of more than $17,300. Alexander said she didn't know how much that mailing cost.
Officials plan to use recently acquired technology to review the use of automated billings for minuscule sums, Alexander said.
"We should have procedures that make sense," Alexander said. "(We) want to apologize for the situation and for the woman's frustration."
___
Information from: The Wenatchee World
