Wage Garnishment For Unemployment That I Never Applied For Or Received.

Location: Knoxville, TN

I honestly don’t even know where to start. In February, I got a letter from the TN Dept. of Labor that they had taken my tax return for over payment of unemployment benefits from 2020. I have never, in my entire life, applied for or received unemployment. On top of that, I’m an ICU nurse, and I worked the entirety of 2020. Except for the month that I got Covid, nearly died, and way laying in my own ICU. But that was covered by vacation time and short term disability. No unemployment for me. I called the Dept. of Labor. After several days of back and forth, an investigator called me to tell me that they had determined that I was a victim of fraud, I owed them nothing, and they sent me a check for the amount of my tax return that they took. I thought this was over. Until I got home today and had a letter in the mail from my employer that my wages are being garnished in the amount of $3300 from the Dept of Labor for Covid overpayment in August and September of 2020. I have never received any communication from them, at all, by phone or mail that I ow them money before they took my tax return, or now. How do you file a garnishment on somebody without ever contacting them??? Particularly after you sent the money you took from them back 4 months ago and told them they owe nothing. Obviously I’m going to call them first thing Monday morning, but in the meantime, is there something that I can or should do to stop this garnishment? I’m a single mom to a 2 year old. I’m literally one missed paycheck from disaster. I don’t think I qualify for any sort of legal aid because of my income. I make about $80,000 a year, which is too much for help, and not enough to be able to afford an attorney ???? I’ve never been so stressed in my life and would appreciate any help anyone can offer.