shurikenthrow's journey

I recently found myself in a tough situation regarding my wife's unemployment benefits. She was temporarily let go from her job in February 2025 due to a lack of work, returned in April, but was permanently terminated in October. After her termination, she applied for unemployment benefits but faced complications when her previous employer appealed the determination, claiming she was doing word puzzles instead of working. This was not the reason given in her termination letter, which cited her sales performance. After a hearing, the officer ruled against her, stating this was grounds for disqualification from benefits, and now we are facing an overpayment notice of over $7,000. We believe this decision is unfair, especially since she was told to stop doing puzzles and was never coached on her performance. She missed the appeal deadline for the new determination letter, thinking she could wait to see if an overpayment notice would come. Now, we are unsure whether to appeal both the determination and the overpayment or apply for an overpayment waiver, especially since she is currently employed. I’m considering seeking legal counsel to navigate this complicated situation.