News 6 helps Florida mom collect $6K in unemployment benefits taken by DEO

State reviews records, reverses overpayment status

When Nedda Ryan first turned to News 6 in late January, her bank account was nearly $500 in the red with a refrigerator barely running and an empty space where her broken-down kitchen oven was thrown out months ago.

The married mother of three, who resides outside of Miami, contacted News 6 and Make Ends Meet when the Department of Economic Opportunity suddenly rerouted her unemployment benefits to cover thousands of dollars in overpayments.

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“We don’t have any money for anything, even to go places to apply for jobs,” she told News 6 in January, “They (DEO) took the money and they applied it to an overpayment … which I was never aware of.”

Make Ends Meet contacted the DEO’s reemployment team to review Ryan’s case and found the overpayment red flag was a mistake.

Ryan received $5,775 in back benefits on March 9, a moment she told News 6 she was convinced would never happen.

“I really, really, from the bottom of my heart, myself and my family, appreciate what you have done for us,” she told News 6. " I was jumping up and down I was so happy.”

Ryan said she was able to repair the refrigerator, kitchen oven and pay her cell phone bill.

“God bless what you do for the community,” she said. “It’s amazing, our life is going back to normal, little by little.”

Ryan told News 6 she has a new job with an accounting department and the money she received was the miracle she was hoping for.

To date, Make Ends Meet has helped families in Florida, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania collect unemployment benefits or have a benefits overpayment bill reversed.

If you have an unemployment issue email: makeendsmeet@wkmg.com or text the words “make ends meet” along with your issue to 407-676-7428.


About the Author:

News 6’s Emmy Award-winning Investigative Reporter Mike Holfeld has made Central Florida history with major investigations that have led to new policies, legislative proposals and even -- state and national laws. If you have an issue or story idea, call Mike's office at 407-521-1322.