I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress on top of preparing for your new baby! I went through a similar situation 2 years ago and it's incredibly frustrating how little support there is for new parents in Texas. Everyone here is absolutely right about unemployment - you won't qualify while on FMLA because you're not "available for work" even though the leave is unpaid. It's such a cruel catch-22. Here are a few things that helped me get through 10 weeks of unpaid leave: 1. **Food banks** - Many don't require income verification and can help stretch your grocery budget significantly 2. **Plasma donation** - If you're healthy, you can donate plasma while pregnant (up until about 6 weeks before due date) for extra cash 3. **Gig work before baby comes** - I did some freelance work evenings/weekends to build up savings 4. **Local pregnancy resource centers** - Many provide free diapers, formula, baby clothes and sometimes emergency financial assistance Also, start having conversations with your mortgage lender NOW rather than waiting until you miss payments. Many have hardship programs but they work better if you're proactive. The whole system is absolutely broken, but you WILL get through this. Don't be afraid to accept help from family and friends - most people understand how expensive having a baby is. Hang in there mama! 💕

I feel for you so much! I'm currently 8 months pregnant and just went through this same panic when I realized my company's maternity leave is completely unpaid too. It's honestly criminal how little support new parents get in this country. Since everyone has already confirmed that unemployment won't work (which sucks but is unfortunately true), here are a few things that have helped me prepare financially: 1. **Baby registries with completion discounts** - Target and Amazon both give you 15% off remaining registry items. I'm using this for all the essentials like diapers, wipes, etc. to stock up cheaply 2. **Local Buy Nothing groups on Facebook** - I've gotten SO much free baby stuff this way, including a barely-used crib and changing table 3. **Nextdoor app** - neighbors often sell baby items cheap or give them away 4. **Second-hand baby stores** - much cheaper than regular retail and babies outgrow everything so fast anyway Also, if you have any skills like writing, graphic design, or tutoring, consider setting up some remote freelance work you could potentially do during maternity leave (when baby is sleeping). Obviously your health and bonding time come first, but even a few hours a week could help with bills. The financial stress is so real, but you're going to be an amazing mom and you'll figure this out! We're all just trying to make the best of a broken system. ❤️

Honestly, the inconsistent timing with TWC is one of the most stressful parts of being unemployed. I'm glad you finally got your payment! For what it's worth, I've noticed that sometimes the second and third payments take longer because they do random quality checks - not necessarily because there's a problem with your claim, but just part of their process. It's super annoying when you're trying to manage bills and rent. I started keeping a small emergency fund specifically for these TWC delays after going through this myself. Also, if you ever need to call them again, try calling right when they open at 8am - much better chance of getting through than later in the day.

I've been through similar delays with TWC and it's definitely nerve-wracking when you have bills due! One thing I learned is that TWC often processes payments in batches, so sometimes there can be random delays even when everything is correct on your end. Since your status changed to 'processed', that's actually a really good sign - it means they've approved your payment and sent it to your bank. In my experience, once it hits 'processed' status, the money usually shows up within 24-48 hours. TWC's system is just really inconsistent with timing unfortunately. I started requesting my payments earlier in the week (like Monday or Tuesday) to give myself more buffer time before bills are due. Also, if you're using direct deposit, make sure your bank info is still current in your TWC profile - sometimes small changes can cause delays. Hang in there, you should see that deposit very soon!

Glad to hear it worked out @Drake! For anyone else reading this thread, here's a quick summary of what we learned: TWC typically takes 24-48 hours to process and show "posted" status, then the ReliaCard takes an additional 1-2 business days for funds to actually appear. So total time from payment request to available funds is usually 2-4 business days. The ReliaCard customer service can often see pending deposits before they show in your balance, so that's worth calling if you're worried. And definitely consider switching to direct deposit for faster access - just triple-check your banking info first!

Just wanted to add that if you're still having anxiety about future payments, you can also set up text alerts through the ReliaCard website. They'll send you a notification as soon as funds are deposited, which helped me stop obsessively checking my balance every hour! Also, keep in mind that if your payment request falls on a Friday, the whole timeline shifts because of weekends - so a Friday filing might not show up until the following Tuesday or Wednesday.

Just to follow up - once you do receive your Reliance card, be sure to activate it immediately by calling the number on the sticker. Also, create an online account at usbankreliacard.com to monitor your balance and transactions. You can set up alerts for deposits and withdrawals, which is really helpful. Many people don't realize you can also use this card at most ATMs, though some charge fees. U.S. Bank ATMs are free, and you get one free withdrawal per deposit period at other ATMs (after that, there's a $2 fee). Has your card arrived yet? It's been a few days since your original post.

Glad to hear your card finally arrived! For future reference, if anyone else is dealing with this issue, you can also contact TWC directly at 800-939-6631 to verify that your payment method change was processed correctly. Sometimes there can be delays on their end that aren't immediately visible in your online account. Also, if you ever need to switch back to direct deposit later, make sure to do it right after you certify for benefits - not in the middle of a payment cycle. This helps avoid processing delays and ensures smoother transitions between payment methods. The whole system could definitely be more user-friendly, but at least once you get the card set up, future payments should be much faster!

Quick update question - has your payment status changed in the system yet? Sometimes the TWC portal will show a payment date before you actually receive the money, which can help you plan. Also, make sure your direct deposit information is correct in the system - I've seen cases where people won appeals but had outdated banking info.

Hey Javier! Congrats on winning your appeal - that's such a huge relief after 3 months of fighting! I went through something similar last fall and totally understand the anxiety of waiting for the money to actually show up. In my case, once I saw "Payment Processing" in the portal (which sounds like where you're at now), it took exactly 2 business days for the direct deposit to hit my account. That status change is actually a really good sign - it means they've moved your claim from the appeals queue into the regular payment processing system. Since you mentioned this is happening mid-week, I'd expect to see the money by Friday or Monday at the latest. Keep checking that portal each morning like others suggested - TWC updates overnight and you'll likely see it change to "Paid" with a deposit date before the money actually arrives. Fingers crossed it comes through quickly for you!