The Vermont Department of Labor is refunding businesses after discovering a computer glitch that resulted in overpayments for almost a decade.
The computer glitch, first reported Sunday by the Burlington Free Press, existed since at least 2008. The error resulted in overpayments of about $26,000.
State officials said interest on past-due balances for unemployment insurance and health care assessments was improperly calculated. Vermont Department of Labor Commissioner Lindsay Kurrle called it a “decade old coding error.”
Businesses that overpaid in the last three years are receiving a refund automatically. Businesses that overpaid before 2014 have been directed to contact the department for assistance.
Vermont residents use the department to file for unemployment insurance, to find work and for a whole host of other services. Vermont enjoys a relatively low unemployment rate of about 3.1 percent, with a population of approximately 625,000 people.
News of the mistake raises broader questions about the computer systems used by government agencies, both federal and state.
The Daily Caller News Foundation reached out to Kurrle and the department for further information, but did not hear back by press time.
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