The New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty and Ives & Flores are hosting a free public webinar on this Thursday, February 13, 2025 at 6pm. The Know Your Rights webinar is open to all New Mexico workers who were impacted by overpayments of federal pandemic unemployment benefits, as well as advocates, legal service providers, and media professionals, to learn the details of the recent class action lawsuit settlement in the class action Duran v. New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions.
The settlement provides over $100M in financial relief for 60,000 New Mexico workers who were impacted by overpaid unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic. These workers may now be eligible for blanket waivers of overpayments, individualized waiver applications, and refunds for payments already made.
The webinar will cover:
- Background on the Duran v. DWS lawsuit and settlement
- How will the overpayment waivers and refunds work?
- What can I expect next?
- Q&A
Date: February 13, 2025
Time: 6pm – 7pm
Zoom meeting ID: 81011894392
Link: zoom.us/j/81011894392
Call in: +1 309-205-3325
Spanish interpretation will be available. Tenemos interpretación en español.
The flyer for the webinar is available in English and Spanish here: https://www.nmpovertylaw.org/nmclp_resources/webinar-duran-v-dws/
Presenters:
- Stephanie Welch, New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, Workers’ Rights Director
- Emma O’Sullivan, New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty, Workers’ Rights Attorney
- Adam Flores, Ives & Flores Law Firm, Attorney
- Alicia Clark, NM Legal Aid, Attorney
Why this matters:
This settlement will forgive up to 100% of overpayments for those who qualify, ensuring tens of thousands of New Mexicans do not face further collection actions, such as tax refund interceptions, liens, or deductions from future unemployment benefits. Many New Mexicans will also be entitled to refunds from DWS.
Who should attend:
All New Mexicans who received federal pandemic unemployment benefits, especially if individuals were already notified of overpayments. DWS has started processing waivers and refunds based on the contact information they have on file, but individuals are encouraged to update their details with DWS and join the webinar for guidance on next steps from legal experts. Advocates, direct legal service providers, and media professionals are also encouraged to attend for key information and resources to support and inform those impacted by the case.
For more information about the settlement and eligibility, please visit:
https://www.nmpovertylaw.org/ui/
For media inquiries, contact Paloma Mexika at (505) 305-2559.
