Thank you all for the helpful responses! Based on the consensus, I'm going to wait until my final payment processes (probably by Friday) and then request the waiting week. It's a relief to know I have 30 days to request it after exhaustion. I was worried there was some tight deadline I might miss. I'm still job hunting but have two promising interviews next week, so hopefully I won't need to worry about benefits extension or anything like that. This community has been so helpful during this stressful time!

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else reading this thread - I went through the same process about 6 months ago. The key thing that helped me was keeping detailed records of all my payment dates and amounts. When I called to request my waiting week, the TWC agent was able to quickly verify my exhaustion date and process it immediately over the phone. Also, if you're having trouble getting through on the phone lines, try calling right at 8 AM when they open - I had better luck early in the morning. The automated system for requesting waiting weeks actually worked fine for me, so you might not even need to speak to a live agent. Hope this helps someone else going through this stressful process!

I'm dealing with something similar right now! My claim has been stuck in ID verification limbo for 6 weeks after completing ID.me twice. What's really frustrating is that TWC's own website says verification should take 5-7 business days, but clearly that's not happening. I've been documenting everything - screenshot every submission, save confirmation emails, write down the names and badge numbers of anyone you talk to. Also, if your husband is a veteran, there's supposedly a separate expedited line for veterans' claims that might move faster. The whole system is a mess, but don't give up! Keep fighting for what you're owed.

I'm going through this nightmare right now too! Been waiting 2 months since my ID.me verification and still nothing. What's really helped me is creating a daily call log with times, who I spoke to, and what they said - it's helped me track which reps actually know what they're talking about vs the ones who just put you on hold forever. Also found out that if you get disconnected during a call, you can reference your previous call within 24 hours and they can pull up the notes, so always ask for a reference number before hanging up. The whole system is absolutely broken but we can't let them wear us down! Keep pushing and definitely try that new *#0 trick that Carmen mentioned - fingers crossed it works for all of us dealing with this mess.

Congratulations on getting it resolved! Your experience is a perfect example of why persistence pays off with TWC. The fact that your employer had already responded but it was just sitting in a processing queue shows how important it is to get someone who can actually look deeper into your case rather than just the surface-level status. Thanks for updating us - it gives hope to others dealing with similar situations. Enjoy those back payments!

This whole thread is incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation - filed my claim in early February and have been stuck on "separation verification" for 3 weeks now. Reading through everyone's experiences, it seems like the key is getting to an actual claims examiner rather than the general customer service reps. I'm definitely going to try calling my former employer's HR first to confirm they responded, then use Claimyr if needed. It's frustrating that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get our rightful benefits, but at least there are strategies that work. Mary, thanks for coming back to update us with your success - that gives me hope that persistence really does pay off with TWC!

I've been following this thread and wanted to share some additional tips that might help. First, when you do get through to TWC, ask specifically about "DUA holds" (Disaster Unemployment Assistance) - sometimes regular claims get flagged in their system if you've ever applied for disaster benefits in the past. Second, if you worked in healthcare, there's often an extra verification step for "essential worker" status that can create delays. Third, try calling the Spanish language line (1-800-939-6631) and ask to be transferred to an English-speaking agent - sometimes that line has shorter wait times. Also, document EVERYTHING - keep screenshots of your claim status, payment request confirmations, and any correspondence. You'll need this if you have to escalate to your state representative's office, which is honestly becoming necessary for some people. TWC's current processing time for December claims is averaging 8-10 weeks according to internal sources, so unfortunately you're still within their "normal" timeframe even though it's absolutely unacceptable.

I'm in a similar situation but filed on December 15th - so coming up on 11 weeks now with no payment despite being "approved." What's really frustrating is that I've called over 100 times and only got through to a human ONCE, and they just told me to "keep waiting" with no explanation. I've been surviving off credit cards and it's getting really scary financially. One thing I discovered that might help others - if you have a local workforce center, you can sometimes schedule an in-person appointment to review your claim. The counselor at mine was able to see that my claim had some kind of "pending adjudication" status that wasn't visible online. She couldn't fix it but at least gave me more specific information to reference when calling TWC. Also, I've been keeping a detailed log of every call attempt, payment request, and communication. If this goes much longer I'm definitely going to contact my state representative like someone mentioned. This is absolutely unacceptable - people are losing their homes and going hungry while TWC takes their sweet time with "processing.

Congrats on getting through! Your situation sounds exactly like what happened to my cousin - her employer closed suddenly and then tried to claim she quit to avoid paying into the unemployment system. It's so frustrating that they put you through all that stress when you're already dealing with losing your job. Definitely keep all your documentation about the restaurant closure (news articles, emails, anything) in case you need it for that determination interview Carter mentioned. Really glad the Claimyr service worked for you - I'm bookmarking this thread in case I ever need it!

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my claim has been stuck in "pending adjudication" for 2 weeks now. My employer laid off half the staff due to "restructuring" but I'm worried they might contest it too. Reading about everyone's experiences with getting through to TWC is both encouraging and terrifying - 67 calls in one day?! I'm definitely going to try some of these methods, especially the early morning calling and maybe that Claimyr service if I get desperate enough. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get the benefits we're entitled to when we lose our jobs through no fault of our own. Thanks Chris for sharing your whole journey - gives me hope that there's light at the end of this tunnel!