I just wanted to jump in and add my support - I went through this exact situation about 7 months ago with TWC overpayment deductions and a 401K withdrawal, and I can absolutely confirm what everyone else has told you: your withdrawal will NOT affect your unemployment benefits at all! The anxiety you're feeling is so relatable - I remember losing sleep over this same worry. But TWC is very clear that only earned income from actual work counts against benefits, not retirement distributions. Your $349 weekly payments will continue exactly as they are, and the overpayment deduction timeline won't change. One thing that really helped my peace of mind was calling TWC and being completely transparent about the withdrawal. The representative was actually really understanding and confirmed it wouldn't impact my benefits. She even said it showed I was being responsible by using my own funds rather than trying to work under the table or something. Definitely get that written overpayment balance statement everyone mentioned - it made such a difference to have a concrete end date instead of just guessing. And yes, set aside that 30% for taxes immediately. I learned that lesson the hard way! You're making the right choices to get through a tough situation. This withdrawal is buying you time and stability while you deal with the temporary overpayment deductions. Once those are cleared, you'll be back to your full $465 weekly payments. Hang in there - you've got this!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stressful combination of reduced benefits and financial pressure - I completely understand the anxiety you're feeling right now. The great news is that your 401K withdrawal absolutely will NOT affect your TWC unemployment benefits! I went through a very similar situation about 5 months ago - had overpayment deductions from a 2019 issue and needed to withdraw $9,000 from my retirement account to stay afloat. I was terrified it would somehow mess up my remaining benefits, but TWC is very clear that only "earned income" from actual work counts against your unemployment payments. Your 401K withdrawal is classified as a retirement distribution, not earned income, which means: - You don't report it on your weekly payment request forms - Your current $349 weekly payments will continue unchanged - The overpayment deduction timeline stays exactly the same - This won't create any new issues with your claim When I called TWC about other matters, I mentioned my withdrawal upfront and the rep actually appreciated my transparency. They confirmed it wouldn't affect my benefits and it seemed to build trust rather than cause problems. Definitely call TWC to get a written statement of your remaining overpayment balance - knowing exactly when those deductions will end makes such a difference for planning and peace of mind. And set aside about 30% of your $8,000 withdrawal right now for taxes and the early withdrawal penalty next year. You're doing exactly what you need to do to survive a tough situation. This is what retirement accounts are designed for during genuine emergencies. Focus on the fact that your unemployment benefits are secure while you work through this temporary rough patch!

I represented myself and it worked out fine! The TWC appeals process is designed for regular people to navigate without lawyers. The hearing officer will guide you through the process and ask specific questions - you don't need to know legal jargon beyond "constructive discharge." That said, if you're really nervous or your case has complex issues, some employment attorneys offer free consultations for unemployment appeals. But honestly, with the solid evidence you have (70% hour reduction + hostile work environment), plus all the great advice in this thread, you should be able to handle it yourself. One tip I forgot to mention: practice explaining your situation out loud before the hearing. Time yourself - you want to be concise but complete. The hearing officer has limited time and appreciates clear, organized presentations. Also, stay calm even if your former employer says things that aren't true - you'll get a chance to respond. Keep us updated on how it goes! This community is rooting for you.

Hey Amy! I've been following this thread and wanted to add something that helped me when I appealed my TWC denial last year. Since you mentioned anxiety attacks from the hostile work environment, make sure to document any medical visits or treatment you received related to workplace stress. Even if it's just notes from a doctor's visit or prescription records, this can strengthen your case. Also, when describing the "hostile work environment" in your appeal, be very specific about behaviors rather than general statements. Instead of saying "my boss was mean," write something like "On [specific date], my supervisor stated 'I'll find any reason to write you up' when I asked about the hour reduction." The more concrete details you provide, the stronger your case becomes. One last thing - if you had any conversations with coworkers about what was happening, and they're willing to provide statements or testimony, that can be valuable evidence too. Sometimes other employees witnessed the treatment but were afraid to speak up at the time. You're doing the right thing by appealing. The initial denial doesn't mean you don't have a valid case - it just means you need to present your evidence properly. Good luck!

One more thing - if you can't find the card and need to request a replacement, be prepared to wait another 7-10 business days. If you're in a financial pinch, definitely switch to direct deposit like someone suggested above. Your existing funds will transfer to the new payment method.

Glad you found it! This is such a common issue - I work at a local community center and we get people asking about this all the time. The plain white envelope from U.S. Bank really does look like a credit card solicitation. We actually started telling people to expect it in our unemployment workshops because so many folks were accidentally throwing them away. Setting up direct deposit is definitely the way to go for future payments - much more reliable than waiting for mail!

Hey Lucas! Just wanted to add my experience to help ease your mind. I won my TWC appeal back in December and got almost the exact same letter with that "reversed initial determination" language - it's definitely confusing but you absolutely won! The "eligible for benefits as of 03/12/2025" is the money line (literally). My online status took about 9 days to flip from disqualified to eligible, which was agonizing, but then I got a massive direct deposit covering 6 weeks of backpay all at once. Since you've been smart about filing your payment requests throughout the appeal, you're going to get a nice chunk of change once it processes. For what it's worth, I had good luck calling right at 8am when they open - sometimes you can get through on the first try. And definitely mention that you have rent due soon when you talk to them. They can't magically speed up the computer systems, but sometimes they can at least give you a more specific timeline or confirm that everything looks good on their end. Congrats on winning your appeal - the hardest part is behind you!

Just wanted to chime in with some reassurance - you definitely won your appeal! That "reversed initial determination" language is TWC's way of saying they overturned the original denial decision. The fact that your letter specifically states "eligible for benefits as of 03/12/2025" is crystal clear - that's your effective eligibility date. I know the waiting is brutal, especially with rent coming due. The system lag is unfortunately normal - I've seen it take anywhere from 5-14 days for online accounts to reflect appeal decisions. Since you've been filing your payment requests throughout the process (which was smart!), you should get all that backpay in one shot once it processes. Try calling the appeals department directly at 512-463-2800 first thing in the morning, or use that Claimyr service someone mentioned to get through faster. Sometimes they can at least give you a timeline or confirm everything is moving forward normally. You might also want to give your landlord a heads up that payment is coming but might be a few days late due to government processing delays - most landlords understand that TWC moves at a snail's pace. Hang in there - you're so close to the finish line!

Congrats on getting approved so quickly! That's awesome news. Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - if you're still waiting on your determination, you can also check if your local workforce center has any emergency assistance programs while you wait. Some areas have rental assistance or food banks specifically for people waiting on unemployment benefits. Also, make sure you're familiar with the work search requirements from day one - you need to complete at least 3 work search activities per week and keep detailed records. The TWC website has a list of what counts as valid work search activities. Good luck with your job search!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I see this is still an active thread! I filed my claim 3 weeks ago and just got approved yesterday. What really helped speed things up was being proactive about documentation - I uploaded my layoff letter, final paystub, and separation notice right when I filed instead of waiting for them to request it. One thing I learned the hard way: even though my claim got approved, my first payment was delayed because I hadn't completed the required work search activities for the first week. Make sure you're doing those 3 work search activities every single week from day one, even while waiting for approval. The TWC website has good examples of what counts - job applications, networking events, career fairs, etc. Also for anyone still waiting, don't stress too much about the "pending" status. Mine showed pending right up until the day it switched to approved. The system doesn't give you much visibility into where things stand unfortunately. Keep doing those biweekly payment requests and stay on top of the work search requirements!