Just curious - did they actually pay you the higher rate ($16.25 instead of $14.75)? If so, did you report the higher amount to TWC? That could be part of the issue too.

Update us after your hearing! I think you'll win this appeal based on what you've described. The temporary/seasonal nature of the position plus the fact that there was a predetermined break with no work available is the key to your case. Good luck!

One thing to note about contacting your state representative - make sure you're reaching out to your STATE representative, not your federal Congressional representative. Many people make this mistake. State reps handle TWC issues since unemployment is administered at the state level. Also, when you call their office, ask specifically for the staff member who handles constituent services or TWC matters. This person will know exactly who to contact at TWC to escalate your case. One more point - if you're 45 days behind on your mortgage, you should immediately contact your mortgage servicer and ask about hardship options. Many have programs that can pause foreclosure proceedings while you're actively working to resolve government benefits issues. The key is to contact them BEFORE they file formal foreclosure paperwork.

Something important that no one has mentioned yet - ID.me verification issues are usually categorized as "identity verification issues" in the TWC system, which means your claim is probably on hold with an identity verification flag. When you speak with your state representative's office, make sure you specifically mention that you need help with an "identity verification hold" on your unemployment claim. This precise terminology will help them route your case to the correct department at TWC. Additionally, if you've been locked out completely, you might also have a separate "account access" issue that needs to be addressed simultaneously. These are handled by different teams at TWC, so being specific about both problems will speed up resolution. Lastly, document every attempt you've made to resolve this (dates of ID.me attempts, TWC calls, etc.) as this documentation will be helpful if you end up needing to file an appeal for backdated benefits once your identity is verified.

Yes, you might have a valid FMLA claim since you meet the requirements. You can file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor's Wage and Hour Division. This would be separate from your unemployment claim, but could potentially help with getting your job back or receiving compensation if they find your termination violated FMLA protections.

good luck with TWC, mine took 5 weeks to get approved 😩

After you've been approved for benefits and your payment requests show as processed, there are 3 common reasons why money still doesn't show up on your card: 1. Payment hold due to identity verification issues (even if you already completed ID.me) 2. Bank routing/account verification problems 3. A system flag for potential fraud that nobody told you about The most effective solution is to request a supervisor who specializes in payment issues. Regular agents aren't trained to resolve these specific problems. The supervisor can see flags on your account that regular agents can't even access in the system. Also worth noting that TWC did just complete a major system update in March 2025 that's causing widespread payment delays. They're not announcing this publicly but it's affecting thousands of claimants.

update us if u get ur money!! im in same boat and need to know theres hope lol

Quick update on appeal timelines - I was at the Workforce Solutions office yesterday for a job fair, and the staff mentioned they're seeing TWC appeals getting scheduled faster now than a few months ago. The current backlog is about 4-5 weeks from filing to hearing date for most cases. Also, regarding your evidence - make sure you have documentation showing you reported the equipment issues to your employer multiple times. In work-from-home cases, TWC looks closely at whether you made reasonable efforts to resolve technical issues before they led to your termination.

Just wanted to follow up - after you get through to TWC, ask them specifically about a "quality control review" of your case. Sometimes they can flag obvious determination errors for review before the actual appeal hearing. It doesn't always work, but I've seen it help speed things up in cases with clear documentation like yours.