Kristin Evans, a daycare owner in Springfield, says she is on the hook for close to $10,000 due to the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, or PUA Program.
The state began sending out PUA funds in May for individuals like Evans who are self-employed, independent contractors, or part-time workers who are not eligible for traditional jobless benefits in Ohio.
Evans was shocked when she was approved right away for the benefits, but she was even more shocked when she was notified by the state about a slashed benefit payment and an overpayment bill she owed.
“It changed my benefit amount from 582 to 268, I believe what it was, and that was retroactive,” said Evans. “So that went back to the first week of April when I started.”
She now owes $9,848 to the state.
Evans stated that this is not an “isolated” incident and wants answers for other individuals in the same situation.
Her situation is similar to another Springfield woman who also says she owes the state close to $10,000.
“Have those things, whatever happened, fixed so somebody else doesn’t have to go through this,” said Evans.
Cox Media Group
