Opinion ID: 2140972
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Matter of Ayala

Text: Petitioner received interim home relief benefits from July 1989 through June 1992, during which time her application for SSI disability benefits was pending. Following approval of her application for SSI benefits retroactive to July 1989, the Social Security Administration forwarded two SSI benefit checks to the City. The first check, for $6,977, was received on September 22, 1992, and the second check, for $9,720.55, representing the balance of retroactive SSI benefits, was received on September 28, 1992. On October 15, 1992, 17 working days after receiving the first check and 13 working days after receiving the second check, the City notified Ayala that the home relief payments advanced to her during the pendency of her application for Federal benefits totaled $11,601.78, and that she was entitled to a refund of $5,095.77 as an excess payment from the two SSI checks. Ayala requested a fair hearing seeking a refund of the entire SSI reimbursement benefits retained by the City due to its failure to refund the excess benefits within 10 working days. The State rejected the argument. Ayala commenced this article 78 proceeding seeking to annul the State's determination. Supreme Court dismissed the petition holding that there was no statutory authorization for forfeiting the City's right to reimbursement based merely on its failure to make the partial refund within 10 working days.