Title 19, Customs DutiesRelease 119-110
§2315 Fraud and Recovery of Overpayments
Title 19 › CHAPTER 12 — TRADE ACT OF 1974 › SUBCHAPTER II — RELIEF FROM INJURY CAUSED BY IMPORT COMPETITION › Part 2 — Adjustment Assistance for Workers › subpart c — general provisions › § 2315
Summary
If someone got a payment they were not entitled to, they must pay it back to the State agency or the Secretary. The agency or the Secretary can choose not to make them pay if the person was not at fault and making them pay would be unfair, under rules the Secretary creates. If the money is not repaid or waived, the agency or the Secretary will take it back by reducing any payments the person gets from this program, from federal unemployment benefits, or from other federal unemployment-related help the agency runs. No single deduction can take more than 50 percent of a payment. If a person knowingly lied or hid important facts to get payments, they also lose the right to get any more payments under this program, and they may face other penalties. Repayment or deductions cannot start until the agency or the Secretary decides, gives notice, and offers a fair hearing, and the decision is final, unless a court already made the decision. Any money recovered goes back to the U.S. Treasury.
Full Legal Text
Title 19, §2315
Customs Duties, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)Repayment; deductions
(1)If a cooperating State agency, the Secretary, or a court of competent jurisdiction determines that any person has received any payment under this part to which the person was not entitled, including a payment referred to in subsection (b), such person shall be liable to repay such amount to the State agency or the Secretary, as the case may be, except that the State agency or the Secretary may waive such repayment if such agency or the Secretary determines, in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the Secretary, that—
(A)the payment was made without fault on the part of such individual, and
(B)requiring such repayment would be contrary to equity and good conscience.
(2)Unless an overpayment is otherwise recovered, or waived under paragraph (1), the State agency or the Secretary shall recover the overpayment by deductions from any sums payable to such person under this part, under any Federal unemployment compensation law administered by the State agency or the Secretary, or under any other Federal law administered by the State agency or the Secretary which provides for the payment of assistance or an allowance with respect to unemployment, and, notwithstanding any other provision of State law or Federal law to the contrary, the Secretary may require the State agency to recover any overpayment under this part by deduction from any unemployment insurance payable to such person under the State law, except that no single deduction under this paragraph shall exceed 50 percent of the amount otherwise payable.
(b)False representation or nondisclosure of material fact
If a cooperating State agency, the Secretary, or a court of competent jurisdiction determines that an individual—
(1)knowingly has made, or caused another to make, a false statement or representation of a material fact, or
(2)knowingly has failed, or caused another to fail, to disclose a material fact,
and as a result of such false statement or representation, or of such nondisclosure, such individual has received any payment under this part to which the individual was not entitled, such individual shall, in addition to any other penalty provided by law, be ineligible for any further payments under this part.
(c)Notice of determination; fair hearing; finality
Except for overpayments determined by a court of competent jurisdiction, no repayment may be required, and no deduction may be made, under this section until a determination under subsection (a)(1) by the State agency or the Secretary, as the case may be, has been made, notice of the determination and an opportunity for a fair hearing thereon has been given to the individual concerned, and the determination has become final.
(d)Recovered amount returned to Treasury
Any amount recovered under this section shall be returned to the Treasury of the United States.
Legislative History
Notes & Related Subsidiaries
Termination of AssistanceFor termination of assistance under this part after June 30, 2022, see Termination Date note below.
Editorial Notes
Codification Section reflects the
July 1, 2021, reversion to provisions in effect on Jan. 1, 2014. See Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 Revival note below. section 233 of Pub. L. 112–40, which provided for the Jan. 1, 2014, revival of this section as in effect on Feb. 13, 2011, was repealed by Pub. L. 114–27, title IV, § 402(a),
June 29, 2015, 129 Stat. 374, and the provisions of this section, as in effect on Dec. 31, 2013, were temporarily revived, effective
June 29, 2015, until
July 1, 2021, by Pub. L. 114–27, §§ 402(b), (c), 406. See 2011 and 2015 Amendment notes, Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 Revival notes, and Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 Revival notes below. section 1893 of Pub. L. 111–5, which provided for Feb. 13, 2011, termination of amendment by Pub. L. 111–5, was repealed by Pub. L. 112–40, title II, § 201(a), Oct. 21, 2011, 125 Stat. 403, and the provisions of this section, as amended by Pub. L. 111–5 and as in effect on Feb. 12, 2011, were temporarily revived, effective Oct. 21, 2011, until Jan. 1, 2014, by Pub. L. 112–40, §§ 201(b), (c), 233. See 2009 and 2011 Amendment notes, Effective and Termination Dates of 2009 Amendment notes, and Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 Revival notes below.
Amendments
2015—Pub. L. 114–27, §§ 402(b), (c), 406, temporarily revived the provisions of this section, as in effect on Dec. 31, 2013. See Codification note above and 2011 Amendment and Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 Revival notes below. 2011—Pub. L. 112–40, §§ 201(b), (c), 233, temporarily revived the provisions of this section, as in effect on Feb. 12, 2011. See Codification note above and 2009 Amendment and Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 Revival notes below. 2009—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 111–5, §§ 1855(1), 1893, in introductory provisions, temporarily substituted “shall waive” for “may waive” and struck out “, in accordance with guidelines prescribed by the Secretary,” before “that—”. See Codification note above and Effective and Termination Dates of 2009 Amendment note below. Subsec. (a)(1)(B). Pub. L. 111–5, §§ 1855(2), 1893, temporarily substituted “would cause a financial hardship for the individual (or the individual’s household, if applicable) when taking into consideration the income and resources reasonably available to the individual (or household) and other ordinary living expenses of the individual (or household)” for “would be contrary to equity and good conscience”. See Codification note above and Effective and Termination Dates of 2009 Amendment note below. 1981—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 97–35 designated existing provisions as par. (1), revised provisions, made changes in nomenclature and, among other changes, inserted provisions respecting waiver, and added par. (2). Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 97–35 substituted provisions relating to ineligibility for other payments for provisions relating to deposit, return, and credit of repayments. Subsecs. (c), (d). Pub. L. 97–35 added subsecs. (c) and (d).
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective and Termination Dates of 2015 RevivalFor revival and applicability, beginning on
June 29, 2015, of the provisions of this section as in effect on Dec. 31, 2013, see section 402(b), (c) of Pub. L. 114–27, set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title. For reversion, beginning on
July 1, 2021, to the provisions of this section as in effect on Jan. 1, 2014, with certain exceptions and subject to section 406(b) of Pub. L. 114–27, see section 406 of Pub. L. 114–27, set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title. Effective and Termination Dates of 2011 RevivalFor revival and applicability, beginning on Oct. 21, 2011, of the provisions of this section as in effect on Feb. 12, 2011, see section 201(b), (c) of Pub. L. 112–40, set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title. section 233 of Pub. L. 112–40, formerly set out as a note preceding section 2271 of this title, which provided for the reversion, beginning on Jan. 1, 2014, of the provisions of this section to those in effect on Feb. 13, 2011, subject to certain exceptions, was repealed by Pub. L. 114–27, title IV, § 402(a),
June 29, 2015, 129 Stat. 374, effective
June 29, 2015. See Codification note above. Effective and Termination Dates of 2009 AmendmentExcept as otherwise provided and subject to certain applicability provisions, amendment by Pub. L. 111–5 effective upon the expiration of the 90-day period beginning on Feb. 17, 2009, see section 1891 of Pub. L. 111–5, set out as a note under section 2271 of this title. section 1893 of Pub. L. 111–5, formerly set out as a Termination Date of 2009 Amendment note preceding section 2271 of this title, which provided that, except as otherwise provided, amendment by Pub. L. 111–5 not applicable on or after Feb. 13, 2011, and that this section be applied and administered beginning Feb. 13, 2011, as if amendment by Pub. L. 111–5 had never been enacted, was repealed by Pub. L. 112–40, title II, § 201(a), Oct. 21, 2011, 125 Stat. 403, effective Oct. 21, 2011. See Codification note above.
Effective Date
of 1981 Amendment and Transition ProvisionsAmendment by Pub. L. 97–35 effective Aug. 13, 1981, with transition provisions applicable, see section 2514 of Pub. L. 97–35, set out as a note under section 2291 of this title. Termination DateNo trade adjustment assistance, vouchers, allowances, or other payments or benefits may be provided under this part after June 30, 2022, except as otherwise provided, see section 285 of Pub. L. 93–618, as modified by section 406(a)(7) of Pub. L. 114–27, set out as notes preceding section 2271 of this title.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
19 U.S.C. § 2315
Title 19, Customs Duties
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110