Cal. Unemployment Insurance Code § 1379

The director, subject to this article, may do any or all of the following in the recovery of overpayments of unemployment compensation benefits: (a) File a civil action against the liable person for the recovery of the amount of the overpayment within one year after any of the following, or, in cases where the individual has been overpaid benefits due to fraud, misrepresentation, or nondisclosure as described in Section 1375.1, or where the director has found an overpayment pursuant to Section 1375.7, within three years of any of the following: (1) The service of the notice of overpayment determination if the person affected does not file an appeal to an administrative law judge. (2) The mailing of the decision of the administrative law judge if the person affected does not initiate a further appeal to the appeals board. (3) The date of the decision of the appeals board. (b) Initiate proceedings for a summary judgment against the liable person. However, this subdivision applies only where the director has found, pursuant to Section 1375, that the overpayment may not be waived because it was due to fraud, misrepresentation, or willful nondisclosure on the part of the recipient or where the director has found an overpayment pursuant to Section 1375.7. The director may, not later than three years after the overpayment became final, file with the clerk of the proper court in the county from which the overpayment of benefits was paid or in the county in which the claimant resides, a certificate containing all of the following: (1) The amount due, including any assessment made under Section 1375.1, plus interest from the date that the initial determination of overpayment was made pursuant to Section 1376. (2) A statement that the director has complied with all the provisions of this article prior to the filing of the certificate. (3) A request that judgment be entered against the liable person in the amount set forth in the certificate. The clerk, immediately upon the filing of the certificate, shall enter a judgment for the State of California against the liable person in the amount set forth in the certificate. For the purposes of this subdivision only, an overpayment is final and due and payable after any of the following: (A) The liable person has not filed an appeal pursuant to Section 1377. (B) The liable person has filed an appeal to the administrative law judge and a decision of an administrative law judge has become final. (C) The liable person has filed an appeal to the appeals board and the decision of the appeals board has become final because the liable person has not sought judicial review within the six-month period provided by Section 410. (c) Reduce or vacate a summary judgment by filing a certificate to that effect with the clerk of the proper court. (d) Offset the amount of the overpayment received by the liable person against any amount of benefits to which they may become entitled under this division within six years of the date of the service of the notice of overpayment determination.