By Pacific Island Times News Staff
Recipients of Pandemic Unemployment Assistance or PUA, who received overpayments during the program period, have until Aug. 1 to apply for "a waiver of overpayment," the Guam Department of Labor announced today.
Applications of waivers of overpayment will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, the department said.
“We are waiving about $5 million in overpayments to those who were without work during the pandemic. For many of them, this means they won’t have to pay back hundreds or thousands of dollars to the department and they get to keep the extra cash for necessities,” Labor Director David Dell’Isola said.
“With the exception of cases of fraud or misrepresentation, most of those who apply may get approved. I encourage everyone who gets a letter to come into our office for guidance on their application. This will improve their chances of approval," he added.
PUA recipients should have received notification letters informing them of their total overpayment amount, how much is due and how to make payments. The second part of the letter informs the individual that they may submit an application of waiver of overpayment from the department.
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The notification letters listing the outstanding balance are necessary for individuals to be able to submit an application of waiver of overpayment.
“Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has given us the green light to extend the deadline by a couple more weeks which gives us a chance to not only catch up but also give more people an opportunity to apply for waivers,” Dell’Isola said. “Our staff has been very helpful so I encourage those with a letter to visit our office for guidance, which will improve their chances of approval.”
Application forms are available online at dol.guam.gov and at the Department of Labor office at the GCIC Building in Hagåtña, 8th Floor, 404 West Soledad Ave. Application forms may also be submitted via email to pua.waivers@dol.guam.gov.
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