Do you pay unemployment benefits back once you get a job?

  • People don't have to pay back benefits once they have a new job
  • Overpayment, fraudulent claims can lead to repayment of benefits
  • Reporting a late change in job status can also lead to repayment

WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 1: A sign is displayed at the U.S. Department of Labor Frances Perkins Building on June, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)

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(NewsNation) — Unemployment benefits can be a tricky thing to navigate for people once they are back working again.

Yes, those benefits stop once a person is employed again, but does a person have to pay that money back?

In most cases, people do not have to pay back benefits they were receiving once they have a new job. Any individual who has met all the eligibility requirements for unemployment and received benefits can keep them without penalty. Also, finding a new job does not automatically trigger a requirement to repay benefits.

However, some exceptions will make someone have to pay back some of their benefits. They include overpayment — anyone who is overpaid unemployment benefits due to an error will have to repay the overpaid amount. Also, if a person worked while receiving benefits without reporting their income, they could have to repay the benefits or face penalties.

Fraudulent claims and late reporting on a change in employment status can also lead to repayment of benefits.

Intentionally working while claiming unemployment benefits and failing to report your income means someone is committing fraud. The ramifications of this are possible repay of benefits received and disqualification from future benefits.

Reporting a late change in your employment status that resulted in a reduction or cessation of your benefits, a person might be required to repay the benefits for the period they were not eligible.

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