A Little Unemployment Fraud Leads to Big Trouble

Last year, Morganton resident, Addie Thomas, was charged with 87 counts of unemployment fraud. Thomas reportedly continued to collect unemployment for two years while she was employed. According to Court documents, each time she filed for unemployment benefits she stated that she had no income. However, she allegedly earned an average of $300 a week working for a local doctor.  Under North Carolina General Statutes, reporting false information to the Employment Security Commission (ESC) is a Class 1 misdemeanor. An individual charged with the crime is punishable by up to forty five days imprisonment. Thomas, charged with 87 counts, could be facing up to 3915 days imprisonment. In addition, the ESC has the ability to collect all disbursements made during the fraudulent period. You can read the article here.

Unemployment benefits are paid to eligible employees who have lost their job without fault. Individuals seeking financial assistance must be actively seeking employment. Not all individuals who have lost their job have a right to receive unemployment benefits. The following link provides a list of "Ten Things You Should Know About the UI System When Filing Your Claim" and you can access it by clicking here.