39-51-3202. Making false statement or representation or failing to disclose material fact in order to obtain or increase benefits — criminal penalty. (1) A person who, in order to obtain or increase for personal gain or for any other person benefits under this chapter or under an employment security law of any other state or territory or the federal government, knowingly makes a false statement or representation or knowingly fails to disclose a material fact is guilty of a crime under 45-7-203 and 45-7-210, and the department may cause criminal proceedings to be initiated against the person.

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Terms Used In Montana Code 39-51-3202

  • Benefits: means the money payments payable to an individual, as provided in this chapter, with respect to the individual's unemployment. See Montana Code 39-51-201
  • Department: means the department of labor and industry provided for in Title 2, chapter 15, part 17. See Montana Code 39-51-201
  • Fiscal year: The fiscal year is the accounting period for the government. For the federal government, this begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. The fiscal year is designated by the calendar year in which it ends; for example, fiscal year 2006 begins on October 1, 2005 and ends on September 30, 2006.
  • Fund: means the unemployment insurance fund established by this chapter to which all contributions and payments in lieu of contributions must be paid and from which all benefits provided under this chapter must be paid. See Montana Code 39-51-201
  • Knowingly: means only a knowledge that the facts exist which bring the act or omission within the provisions of this code. See Montana Code 1-1-204
  • Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
  • Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
  • State: includes , in addition to the states of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, and Canada. See Montana Code 39-51-201
  • Taxes: means contributions and assessments required under this chapter but does not include penalties or interest for past-due or unpaid contributions or assessments. See Montana Code 39-51-201

(2)A person will be required to repay to the department an amount as determined by 39-51-3201(1)(a).

(3)For purposes of this section, restitution awarded under this section must include a sum equal to the amount wrongfully received, plus the department may assess a penalty not to exceed 100% of the amount wrongfully received. All money accruing from the penalty must be deposited in the federal special revenue account. Money deposited in that account may be appropriated to the department to be used to detect and collect unpaid taxes and overpayments of benefits to the extent that federal grant revenues are inadequate for these purposes. Money in the account not appropriated for these purposes must be transferred by the department to the unemployment insurance trust fund at the end of each fiscal year.