Insured Ordered to Repay Maternity Benefits Despite Prior Fund Approval

An insured individual, who had received maternity benefits, was subsequently required by the compensation fund to repay a portion of those benefits due to being employed and receiving salary for the same period, despite having informed the fund of the employment beforehand. The insured appealed this demand for repayment, arguing that the compensation fund's prior approval of the benefit payment despite knowledge of the concurrent employment should prevent the subsequent demand for repayment based on an administrative error or estoppel. The court ultimately ruled against the insured, reasoning that maternity benefits are intended to replace lost earnings and that receiving a salary for the same period constitutes unjust enrichment, thus overriding any potential administrative error or reliance interest on the part of the insured, as the statutory basis for repayment of improperly paid benefits remained intact.