Texas Unemployment
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Employer seeking TWC unemployment specialists for UI tax questions
Hi everyone, I'm a small business owner with about 25 employees in Austin. I've got some urgent questions about employer UI tax rates and how to properly respond to benefit claims from former employees. Our TWC tax rate just jumped from 0.7% to 2.9% and I'm trying to understand if this is due to some claims I didn't contest properly last year. The determination letters are confusing me, and I need to know what rights I have to appeal these rate increases. Anyone here with experience from the employer side of TWC unemployment? The HR consultant we used to rely on retired last month and I'm struggling to navigate this system.
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Where can I find the Disaster Unemployment Assistance link for TWC applications?
I'm trying to find the correct link to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance through TWC. Our area was just hit by severe flooding and I heard we might qualify for special benefits, but the regular TWC unemployment application doesn't seem right. Does anyone know exactly where to go on the TWC website to find the disaster unemployment link? I've been clicking around for 30 minutes and keep ending up at the regular unemployment application.
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Just to follow up - I just checked and it looks like TWC hasn't posted anything about recent flooding disaster unemployment yet. They usually send out a press release first, then update the website. You might want to sign up for their news alerts at https://www.twc.texas.gov/news to get notified as soon as they announce the DUA program for your disaster. The deadline to apply is usually 30 days after the announcement, so you don't want to miss it!
That's incredibly helpful, thank you! I just signed up for the alerts. Hopefully they'll make an announcement soon.
kinda off topic but make sure u do ur work search stuff even with disaster benefits they still made me do that
Actually, that's not correct for DUA. Regular unemployment requires work search activities (3 per week in Texas), but Disaster Unemployment Assistance typically waives or modifies the work search requirements depending on the severity of the disaster. The TWC will specify any work search requirements in the DUA announcement for your specific disaster.
TWC identity verification causing $4,000 overpayment - will they take my tax refund?
I just got a letter from TWC saying I have an overpayment of $4,000 because I need to verify my identity! I've been collecting benefits for about 3 months after getting laid off from my warehouse job. I tried doing the ID.me verification thing THREE times but it keeps saying there's an error with my documents or the video selfie part doesn't work right. The camera on my phone is cracked which might be causing problems? Now I'm worried because I just filed my income tax return and expecting about $2,300 back. Will TWC automatically take my refund for this overpayment even though I'm still trying to fix the identity verification issue? Has anyone dealt with this? I'm seriously freaking out because I NEED that refund money for rent!!
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Important clarification about tax refund intercepts: TWC has to certify the debt to the Treasury Offset Program, which doesn't happen immediately. Typically, they must send you multiple notices before your debt gets sent to TOP. Additionally, there's processing time involved. If you resolve the identity verification issue quickly (within 2-3 weeks), you can likely prevent the refund intercept. Call TWC's Benefit Overpayment collections department directly at 512-936-3338 rather than the general unemployment line - they can help with setting up payment plans or holds while you resolve the verification issue.
this is WRONG!!! my overpayment went to TOP in like 10 days after i got the letter and they took my refund before i could even appeal it!!!!!
UPDATE: I finally got the ID.me verification to work! Used my roommate's laptop with better camera and made sure to have good lighting. Then I called that direct number for overpayments (512-936-3338) and after about an hour on hold, I got through to someone who was super helpful. They put a hold on my account and said they'll review it within 7-10 business days. They said if everything checks out with my identity, the overpayment should be removed from my account. Fingers crossed my tax refund will be safe! Thanks everyone for all your help!
Great news! Make sure to follow up if you don't see the changes in your account after 10 business days. Sometimes these things fall through the cracks, and being proactive is key. Glad you got it resolved!
yay!! so happy for u! this gives me hope for my situation too!
When does DUA end after Texas storms? Need to plan for my business recovery
I've been getting Disaster Unemployment Assistance since those big storms hit my area in Texas and damaged my small business. Been trying to rebuild but man it's taking longer than I expected. Anyone know exactly when DUA benefits are scheduled to end? My payments have been coming through but I need to plan my finances for when it stops. Trying to get more clients lined up before the assistance runs out. The TWC website is confusing me with all the different dates and extensions info.
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Thanks everyone for the helpful info. I just checked my TWC account and found my determination letter - looks like my DUA runs until September 15th (exactly 26 weeks from when I applied). That gives me about 10 weeks to get my business back to at least partial capacity. Going to look into those SBA disaster loans too as a backup plan. Really appreciate all the advice!
Glad you found your end date! Just remember if anything changes with your income before September 15th, you need to report it on your payment requests. If you start making money from your business, even if it's not back to normal levels, you have to report it and TWC will adjust your benefit amount. A lot of people miss this part and end up with overpayment notices later.
TWC contact impossible with out-of-state DL - help for Texas nurse stuck in registration limbo
I'm pulling my hair out trying to reach TWC for my roommate who's hit a complete roadblock. She's a registered nurse with a Texas nursing license and owns her home here, but still has her out-of-state driver's license. When she tries to file for unemployment, the online system demands a Texas DL number and won't let her progress without one. We've tried calling TWC literally 50+ times over the past 3 weeks at different hours (starting at 7:55am!), but either get disconnected or sit on hold for 2+ hours before getting cut off. Has anyone encountered this out-of-state DL issue with unemployment registration? Is there a special number or workaround for healthcare workers? She's worked and paid taxes in Texas for 4 years but can't access benefits because of this DL technicality. Any advice on actually reaching a human at TWC would be lifesaving right now!
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hi there, just went thru something similar with my cousin who moved from oklahoma. what finally worked was having her create a new TWC account using her SSN only, then immediately requesting a PIN reset. for some reason this bypassed the DL verification for her and she got to the next step. not sure if it will work for everyone but worth a shot!
Really?? That's a super interesting workaround - will definitely try that approach too! Thanks!
Just checking back - were you able to get through using any of these methods? The Tele-Serv option that @helpful_user1 mentioned is usually the most reliable in my experience. Also, worth noting that with her nursing background, she might qualify for certain priority processing since healthcare workers sometimes have different unemployment rules. Make sure to specifically mention she's a nurse when you do connect with someone.
Update: Success! We used Claimyr this morning and got through to a TWC rep in about 25 minutes. The agent was super helpful and explained there's actually a separate process for people with out-of-state licenses. She has to submit a paper application with copies of her nursing license, out-of-state DL, and proof of Texas residency. It's more work but at least we know what to do now! Thanks everyone for your suggestions - this forum saved us from continued headaches.
GalaxyGuardian
my cousin works for twc and says theres a huge backlog of employer appeals right now so get your paperwork in asap and be super thorough the first time
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Luca Esposito
AuthorThanks for the heads up! I'll make sure to be extra thorough with our documentation.
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Aisha Abdullah
Just to follow up on my earlier comment - since you mentioned these are seasonal workers you regularly rehire, you should specifically look into TWC's "Seasonal Employer" designation. There's an actual formal process to be designated as a seasonal employer (Form C-24), and it's different from just having workers you consider "seasonal". If you get this designation, benefits paid during your designated off-season won't affect your tax rate as much. But you must apply for this status before the claims happen, not retroactively, unfortunately. Also, for future reference, always respond to ALL claim notices, even if you're not contesting them. Simply saying "claim is valid, separation was due to lack of work" helps establish your responsiveness pattern with TWC.
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Luca Esposito
AuthorI had no idea about the Form C-24! That would have saved us so much trouble. I've already found it on the TWC website and will be submitting it this week. So to be clear, this won't help with our current tax rate, but should help prevent this issue next year during our slow season? And thanks for the tip about responding to all claims - that makes a lot of sense.
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