Oregonians contend with repaying excess unemployment benefit payments

 Thousands of Oregonians are dealing with having to pay back some unemployment benefits the state now says they shouldn't have received. The Oregon Law Center filed a lawsuit in 2022 arguing that the Oregon Employment Department is violating the due process clause of the constitution. The case is ongoing and represents the confusion around paying back benefits. Meanwhile the agency says it was overwhelmed by requests during the pandemic, and it’s possible that more than $5.5 million could be waived in overpaid benefits. Dianne Lugo is a reporter for the Statesman Journal and has covered these issues. She joins us with more on her reporting.