§ 594. Reduction and recovery of benefits and penalties for wilful false statement. * (1) A claimant who has wilfully made a false statement or representation to obtain any benefit under the provisions of this article shall forfeit benefits for at least the first four but not more than the first eighty effective days following discovery of such offense for which he or she otherwise would have been entitled to receive benefits. Such penalty shall apply only once with respect to each such offense. * NB Effective until the first Monday after April 1, 2024 or 30 days after the commissioner of labor certifies that the department of labor has an information technology system capable of accommodating the amendments in chapter 277 of 2021, whichever occurs earlier * (1) A claimant who has wilfully made a false statement or representation to obtain any benefit under the provisions of this article shall forfeit benefits for at least the first one but not more than the first twenty effective weeks following discovery of such offense for which he or she otherwise would have been entitled to receive benefits. Such penalty shall apply only once with respect to each such offense. * NB Effective on the first Monday after April 1, 2024 or 30 days after the commissioner of labor certifies that the department of labor has an information technology system capable of accommodating the amendments in chapter 277 of 2021, whichever occurs earlier * (2) For the purpose of subdivision four of section five hundred ninety of this article, the claimant shall be deemed to have received benefits for such forfeited effective days. * NB Effective until the first Monday after April 1, 2024 or 30 days after the commissioner of labor certifies that the department of labor has an information technology system capable of accommodating the amendments in chapter 277 of 2021, whichever occurs earlier * (2) For the purpose of subdivision four of section five hundred ninety of this article, the claimant shall be deemed to have received benefits for such forfeited effective weeks. * NB Effective on the first Monday after April 1, 2024 or 30 days after the commissioner of labor certifies that the department of labor has an information technology system capable of accommodating the amendments in chapter 277 of 2021, whichever occurs earlier(3) The penalty provided in this section shall not be confined to a single benefit year but shall no longer apply in whole or in part after the expiration of two years from the date of the final determination. Such two-year period shall be tolled during the time period a claimant has an appeal pending.
(4) A claimant shall refund all moneys received because of such false statement or representation and pay a civil penalty in an amount equal to the greater of one hundred dollars or fifteen percent of the total overpaid benefits determined pursuant to this section. The penalties collected hereunder shall be deposited in the fund. The penalties assessed under this subdivision shall apply and be assessed for any benefits paid under federal unemployment and extended unemployment programs administered by the department in the same manner as provided in this article. The penalties in this section shall be in addition to any penalties imposed under this chapter or any state or federal criminal statute. No penalties or interest assessed pursuant to this section may be deducted or withheld from benefits.
(5) (a) Upon a determination based upon a willful false statement or representation becoming final through exhaustion of appeal rights or failure to exhaust hearing rights, the commissioner may recover the amount found to be due by commencing a civil action, or by filing with the county clerk of the county where the claimant resides the final determination of the commissioner or the final decision by an administrative law judge, the appeal board, or a court containing the amount found to be due including interest and civil penalty. The commissioner may only make such a filing with the county clerk when:
(i) The claimant has responded to requests for information prior to a determination and such requests for information notified the claimant of his or her rights to a fair hearing as well as the potential consequences of an investigation and final determination under this section including the notice required by subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (b) of this subdivision. Additionally if the claimant requested a fair hearing or appeal subsequent to a determination, that the claimant was present either in person or through electronic means at such hearing, or subsequent appeal from which a final determination was rendered;
(ii) The commissioner has made efforts to collect on such final determination; and
(iii) The commissioner has sent a notice, in accordance with paragraph (b) of this subdivision, of intent to docket such final determination by first class or certified mail, return receipt requested, ten days prior to the docketing of such determination.
(b) The notice required in subparagraph (iii) of paragraph (a) of this subdivision shall include the following:
(i) That the commissioner intends to docket a final determination against such claimant as a judgment;
(ii) The total amount to be docketed; and
(iii) Conspicuous language that reads as follows: "Once entered, a judgment is good and can be used against you for twenty years, and your money, including a portion of your paycheck and/or bank account, may be taken. Also, a judgment will hurt your credit score and can affect your ability to rent a home, find a job, or take out a loan."
