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In his discretion, the director may appoint special deputies to make initial or subsequent determinations under subsection (f) of R.S.43:21-4 and subsection (d) of R.S.43:21-5.

The amount of benefits payable under an initial determination may be reduced or canceled if necessary to avoid payment of benefits for a number of weeks in excess of the maximum specified in subsection (d) of R.S.43:21-3.

Unless the employer, within seven calendar days after a confirmed receipt of notification of an initial determination, including by electronic means, or the claimant, within 21 calendar days after the notification was mailed to the claimant's last-known address and addresses, or after the notification was delivered to the claimant by electronic means, provided the departmental functionality exists to deliver the notifications by electronic means and provided, further, that the claimant has communicated to the division the choice to receive the notifications by electronic means, files an appeal of the decision, the decision shall be final and benefits shall immediately be paid or denied in accordance therewith, except for such determinations as may be altered in benefit amounts or duration as provided in this paragraph. An appeal concerning an initial determination shall not be filed after whichever is applicable of the seven-day or 21-day period. Benefits payable for periods pending an appeal of the initial determination to the appeal tribunal shall be paid according to the initial determination, and benefits payable for periods pending appeal of the determination of the appeal tribunal to the board of review shall be paid according to the appeal tribunal determination, but shall be, to the extent that the amount paid exceeds the amount determined in the appeal, regarded as an overpayment subject to the provisions of R.S.43:21-16 regarding overpayments, including the requirement of that section that a claimant who makes knowing, fraudulent nondisclosure or misrepresentation is liable to repay the full amount of the overpayment; provided that if the appeal is an appeal of a determination that the claimant is disqualified under the provisions of R.S.43:21-5, benefits pending determination of the appeal shall be withheld only for the period of disqualification as provided for in that section, and while the appeal is pending, the benefits otherwise provided by this act shall be paid for the period subsequent to such period of disqualification; provided further that if it is determined in the appeal that the claimant was not disqualified, the claimant shall be paid the benefits due for the period of the disqualification, except that no such benefits shall be paid to the claimant for any week during which the claimant has failed to provide to the division a weekly certification evidencing the claimant's eligibility for benefits; and provided, also, that if there are two determinations of entitlement, benefits for the period covered by such determinations shall be paid regardless of any appeal which may thereafter be taken, but no employer's account shall be charged with benefits so paid, if the decision is finally reversed. If an employer appeals the charging of benefits to the employer's account after the seven-day period to appeal the initial benefit determination, and, as a result of the appeal on the charging to the employer's account, the division, after the claimant is notified and given the opportunity to respond, reduces the amount charged to the employer's account, any resulting reduction in the amount of benefits shall take effect only after the resolution of the appeal of the charging, and any amount of benefits paid before the resolution of the appeal of the charging which exceeds the amount determined in that appeal shall be regarded as an