DETROIT (WXYZ) — Fiat Chrysler is telling employees to return hundreds of dollars of company-paid supplemental unemployment benefits after the company says workers were overpaid.
Since some employees received $600 in unemployment through the CARES Act and on top of that, company-paid supplemental unemployment benefits as per the terms of the collective bargaining agreement, they're being asked to return a portion of those funds.
The employees who the company says were overpaid received an average of about $500, which is expected to be returned either by lump sum or through payroll deductions of no more than $100 per pay period until paid off.
FCA says many employees have already returned the overpayment in lump sums.
Read the FCA statement below.
FCA U.S. hourly employees on layoff are entitled to state unemployment benefits and company-paid supplemental unemployment benefits as per the collective bargaining agreement.
The $600-a-week in economic support provided as part of the Federally approved CARES Act is an offset to the company-paid supplemental unemployment benefits an employee may be entitled to receive. Because the CARES Act benefit was paid retroactively, some FCA employees received an overpayment of their supplemental unemployment benefits, averaging about $500, which they are now being asked to repay.
Employees have the option of repaying these overages either in a lump sum, which many have already done, or through payroll deductions of no more than $100 per pay period until fully paid.
The UAW responded to the situation saying, “This is a contractual matter and the UAW is closely monitoring how it is being applied. Any member who thinks that they have received an overage letter in error should talk to their local union representative to look into these questions.”
Additional Coronavirus information and resources:
Read our daily Coronavirus Live Blog for the latest updates and news on coronavirus.
Click here for a page with resources including a COVID-19 overview from the CDC, details on cases in Michigan, a timeline of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's orders since the outbreak, coronavirus' impact on Southeast Michigan, and links to more information from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC and the WHO.
View a global coronavirus tracker with data from Johns Hopkins University.
Find out how you can help metro Detroit restaurants struggling during the pandemic.
See all of our Helping Each Other stories.
See complete coverage on our Coronavirus Continuing Coverage page.