SUSAN CONSALES VS. BOARD OF REVIEW (DEPARTMENT OF LABOR)

**What Happened** Susan Consales, a former Macy's employee, received unemployment benefits totaling $1,908. The state later determined she wasn't actually eligible for these benefits and asked her to pay the money back. Consales disagreed with this decision and tried to appeal it to the Board of Review, but she filed her appeal too late. **What the Court Decided** The New Jersey appeals court ruled against Consales. The court upheld the Board of Review's decision to dismiss her appeal because she missed the deadline for filing it. As a result, Consales must repay the $1,908 in unemployment benefits she received. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case highlights how strict deadlines work in unemployment benefit disputes. If you receive unemployment benefits and the state later says you weren't eligible, you have a limited time to challenge that decision. Missing the appeal deadline means you lose your right to fight the decision, even if you believe you were wrongly denied. Workers should pay close attention to any deadlines mentioned in unemployment correspondence and file appeals promptly if they disagree with benefit decisions.