Ugh the waiting week rule is so stupid. Why should people who JUST lost their jobs have to wait an extra week for $$? As if being unemployed isn't stressful enough! The whole system seems designed to make things harder than they need to be.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you had ANY income during that first week of July (like final paycheck, severance, vacation payout, etc.), that could have affected which week was designated as your waiting week. TWC won't count a week where you had earnings equal to or greater than your weekly benefit amount as your waiting week. Could that be what happened?

Another important point: make sure you continue to request payments on your regular schedule while this gets resolved. I've seen many cases where people stop requesting payments during an offset dispute, which creates a whole new problem. Even if the payments are being intercepted for the overpayment, you need to maintain your claim by continuing your payment requests and work search activities. Once TWC confirms the IRS offset has satisfied your overpayment, they should retroactively release any benefits that were withheld during this period. But if you stop requesting payments, they can't retroactively pay what wasn't requested in the first place.

One more thing to be aware of: sometimes the IRS offset doesn't fully cover the overpayment. For example, if you owed $4,200 but your tax refund was only $3,800, TWC would continue to offset your current benefits to collect the remaining $400. Double check your overpayment balance in your TWC account and compare it with the exact amount the IRS intercepted to make sure they match.

Quick update for everyone discussing DUA timelines - TWC is currently prioritizing DUA claims for households with school-aged children due to back-to-school season. Be sure to mention this specifically when you speak with a representative. Also, while waiting for approval, contact your local school district about their emergency assistance programs. Many Texas districts offer "disaster relief" supply packages that include backpacks, basic clothing, and essential school supplies for families affected by recent disasters. You can typically apply through your school's counselor or administration office.

update: i finally got approved today!!!!! took 5 weeks and 3 days. they deposited all my back pay at once. hang in there and keep submitting those payment requests!!

Update on my earlier advice: I just remembered that for DUA claims specifically, you need to submit Form E-230DUA along with your additional evidence for reconsideration. It's a separate form from regular unemployment reconsiderations. You can download it from the TWC website or ask them to email it to you. This form allows you to request reconsideration without going through the formal appeal process. Fill it out completely and attach all your additional evidence (bank statements, damage photos, client emails about cancelled work, etc.).

Just want to add - when you submit your bank statements, highlight the deposits that correspond to your 1099s and invoices. Don't make them hunt for the information. I created a simple spreadsheet showing: Date, Client, Invoice #, Amount, and Date Deposited. This made it super clear how everything connected. The TWC examiner who finally approved my claim actually commented on how helpful that was.

I just applied today, so still waiting on approval. The agent said it could take 1-2 weeks because they're processing so many claims right now. I'll update when I hear back!

I had a similar situation back during Hurricane Harvey. People kept saying different things about who qualified. What really matters is if your county was in the federal disaster declaration AND if you lost work directly because of the disaster. My cousin applied for Harvey benefits even though he was laid off BEFORE the storm and got denied. It has to be directly caused by the disaster event.