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I've been trying to file my initial unemployment claim online for the past 2 days and keep hitting a brick wall. Every time I get to the employment history section, I get error code EM22 with a message saying 'To best serve you, please call.' Has anyone run into this error? I've tried calling the main TWC number at least 15 times today but just get busy signals or it hangs up after the automated message. I've tried using different browsers, clearing my cache, and even using my phone instead of my laptop. Nothing works! Is this happening to everyone or is there something wrong with my specific info? I really don't want to start my application all over again.
So confused right now! TWC just called me today asking for proof of ID for my claim. The weird thing is I already completed the ID.me verification process like 3 weeks ago. The agent said they would 'contact me if they need it' - what does that even mean?? Are they suspicious about my identity? Will they stop my payments or make me pay back money they already sent? Has anyone else had TWC call about identity AFTER you already verified through ID.me? I'm freaking out a little because I can't afford to repay anything if they decide something's wrong.
Smart move uploading those documents proactively! That's exactly what I would recommend. I went through something similar a few months ago - got the verification call even after completing ID.me, uploaded my documents just like you did, and never heard another word about it. One thing that helped ease my anxiety was setting up text notifications in my TWC portal so I'd get immediate alerts if they needed anything else. You can find that under account settings. That way you're not constantly checking your account wondering if something new came up. Sounds like you handled this perfectly though. The fact that you don't have any pending tasks in your portal and your payments are still processing is a really good sign that everything is fine with your claim.
I've been through this exact situation twice now with TWC! The first time I panicked just like you, but it turned out to be completely routine. They're doing these secondary verification calls on a lot of claims right now, even after ID.me verification is complete. The key phrase "we'll contact you if needed" is actually good news - it means they're not seeing any red flags that require immediate action. In my experience, about 80% of people who get this call never hear back about it. Since you've already uploaded your documents proactively, you're in great shape. Just keep an eye on your payment schedule and your TWC inbox. If your payments continue processing normally over the next week or two, you can pretty much consider this matter closed. The fact that they didn't ask for specific documents during the call suggests they're just doing their due diligence, not investigating a problem.
This is really reassuring to hear from someone who's been through it twice! The 80% statistic you mentioned makes me feel so much better. I was spiraling a bit thinking they were going to freeze my account or demand repayment, but hearing that most people never get a follow-up call is exactly what I needed to hear. My payments are still showing as scheduled for this week, so hopefully that's a good sign that everything is processing normally. Thank you for taking the time to share your experience!
Just got my Texas unemployment claim APPROVED today after filing on July 21st (so that's about 3 weeks waiting). Here's my issue - I never requested payment for any of the previous weeks because I wasn't sure if I'd be approved. Now I'm wondering if I can go back and request those weeks or if I've completely lost them? The approval letter doesn't say anything about retroactive payments. Has anyone dealt with this before? I really need those first few weeks of benefits since I've been out of work this whole time. The TWC website is confusing me and I can't get through on the phone.
Any update? Were you able to get through and request your backdated payments? The system can be frustrating but don't give up - you're entitled to those benefits as long as you meet the eligibility requirements for each week.
Congratulations! That's such great news. I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - been waiting 4 weeks for approval and just realized I should have been requesting payments this whole time. Going to try the Claimyr service you mentioned. Thanks for sharing your success story, it gives me hope that I can get my back payments too!
That's fantastic! Your success story is exactly what people in this situation need to hear. I'm dealing with a similar backlog issue right now - filed my claim 5 weeks ago and just got approved yesterday. Been stressing about those missed weeks but your experience gives me confidence that TWC will work with me to get those payments processed. Definitely going to try the Claimyr service first thing Monday morning. Thanks for following up with the good news!
Wow, this thread has become such an amazing resource for people dealing with TWC payment request issues! I'm a newcomer here but have been lurking and reading through all these experiences. I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who took the time to share their stories - both the struggles and the successes. I'm currently in my second week of waiting for claim approval and after reading all of this, I now understand that I should start requesting payments as soon as I get approved rather than waiting around confused. The fact that so many experienced people have confirmed that TWC will process backdated payments when you were waiting for approval gives me a lot of confidence. The tips about calling at 7am, having work search documentation ready, and using services like Claimyr seem to be the winning combination. It's frustrating that TWC doesn't make this process clearer upfront, but at least we have communities like this where people actually help each other figure it out. For anyone still struggling with this issue - don't give up! Based on all these success stories, those benefits are definitely recoverable. This thread is proof that persistence and knowing the right approach really pays off.
Thank you for putting together such a thoughtful summary of this thread! As someone who's also new to unemployment benefits, I've been reading through all these experiences and taking notes. It's really reassuring to see so many people successfully get their backdated payments - I was worried those weeks would just be lost forever if you missed the initial window. The community support here is incredible compared to trying to navigate TWC's confusing website alone. I'm also waiting for approval (filed about 10 days ago) and will definitely start requesting payments immediately once approved thanks to all the wisdom shared here. It's amazing how much stress and confusion could be avoided if TWC just made this process clearer from the start!
My employer just laid me off yesterday (gave me the news Tuesday afternoon). The HR person said they're keeping me on payroll through the 15th, but I'm not supposed to come in anymore. Does anyone know if I should file for TWC unemployment now or wait until after my last paycheck? I've never been through this before and don't want to mess up my claim by filing too early. Will TWC consider me still employed until the 15th even though I'm not working? Thanks for any advice!
I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM!!!! The TWC website is so confusing about this! I waited to file and regretted it because it delayed my benefits by two weeks. Don't make my mistake!!! Also my ex-boss tried to say I quit but I appealed and won because I had text messages proving they laid me off. SAVE ALL COMMUNICATION with your employer in case they try to fight your claim!!!
This is a really common situation, especially in corporate layoffs! You're absolutely right to file now - don't wait until the 15th. The key thing to remember is that TWC distinguishes between your "separation date" (last day worked) and "wages in lieu of notice" (what they're paying you through the 15th). When you file your initial claim, use Tuesday as your last day worked. Then during your weekly payment requests, you'll report any wages you receive for those specific weeks. The system will automatically adjust your benefit amount for any week where you receive wages. Also, since this was a layoff due to budget cuts (not your fault), you shouldn't have any issues with employer contests. Just keep that documentation from HR about it being a layoff, not a termination for cause. Good luck!
I just checked my account and I'm down to my last 2 weeks of benefits (about $850 remaining), but my claim doesn't actually expire until April 2025 (3 more months). I'm super confused about what happens next. Does TWC just stop paying once the benefit amount is gone even if I still have time left on my claim period? Is there any way to extend the money part without filing a new claim? I'm still job hunting and have interviews lined up, but realistically probably won't start anything for at least a month. Anyone been through this situation recently? Starting to stress about bills...
I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my benefits are almost gone but I still have time left on my claim. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening. I had no idea about the Earnings Disregard rule or that you should keep requesting payments even after benefits run out. The TWC website really doesn't explain any of this clearly. It's frustrating that you have to dig through forums like this to get the real information. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - especially the tip about Claimyr for getting through to TWC. Going to try that tomorrow since I've been getting nothing but busy signals for days.
@Raul Neal I m'so glad this thread helped you too! It s'crazy how much important information isn t'clearly explained on the TWC website. I was completely in the dark about most of this stuff until people here broke it down. Definitely try Claimyr - it was a game changer for actually getting through to a real person. Also, if you do get connected with TWC, ask them specifically about any local workforce development programs in your area. The agent I talked to mentioned some that weren t'listed online. Good luck with everything!
I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! My benefits are down to about $600 with 2 months left on my claim period. I had no idea about most of these resources and strategies everyone has shared. I'm definitely going to try the Claimyr service to get through to TWC, and I'm already looking into that Earnings Disregard rule for some freelance work I was avoiding. The tip about applying for SNAP and other assistance programs NOW while I still have some income coming in is so smart - I was planning to wait until I was completely broke but that would obviously be way harder. Also going to call 211 tomorrow to see what's available in my area. It's frustrating that TWC doesn't explain any of this clearly, but I'm grateful for everyone here sharing their real experiences. This community is providing way better guidance than the official website! Question for anyone who's been through this - when you did gig work using the Earnings Disregard, did TWC ever question the irregular income amounts or was the reporting process pretty straightforward?
@Aliyah Debovski I used the Earnings Disregard for freelance graphic design work when my benefits were running low, and the reporting was actually pretty straightforward! TWC just wants you to report your gross earnings for the week you actually received payment not (when you did the work .)So if you made $100 on Tuesday but got paid the following Monday, you report it for the week you got paid. The irregular amounts weren t'an issue at all - I had weeks with $50, then $200, then $0, and TWC s'system handled it fine. Just make sure to keep records of when you received payments in case they ever ask for documentation. The key is being accurate about the timing and amounts. Also, don t'stress too much about the exact 25% calculation - TWC s'system automatically does the math when you report your earnings during your weekly certification. Good luck with everything!
Demi Lagos
I'm dealing with a similar EM22 error right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm curious - for those who successfully got through to TWC, how long did the actual phone call take once connected? I want to make sure I block out enough time and have all my documents ready. Also, did anyone have issues with the system timing out or disconnecting during the call? I'm worried about getting cut off halfway through providing all my employment information.
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Morgan Washington
Great question! When I finally got through using Claimyr, my call took about 25-30 minutes total. The agent was really thorough and patient. She walked me through each employer one by one, asking for dates, addresses, and separation reasons. I didn't have any disconnection issues, but I made sure to have a strong phone signal and stayed in one spot during the call. Definitely have all your employer info written down beforehand - it makes the process much smoother and faster!
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Dmitri Volkov
I went through the exact same EM22 nightmare about 2 months ago! In my case, it was because I had worked for both a private company and did some freelance work for a nonprofit during the same period. The TWC system just couldn't automatically verify the nonprofit employment. After reading through all these responses, I wish I had known about Claimyr earlier - would have saved me literally days of frustration trying to get through on the phone. I eventually got connected after calling at 7:02 AM on a Wednesday and waiting on hold for about 90 minutes. The whole call with the agent took around 40 minutes once connected. One thing I'd add that I haven't seen mentioned - if you have any pay stubs or W-2s from the employers that might be causing the EM22 error, have digital copies ready on your phone or computer. The agent asked me to verify specific dollar amounts and dates, and having that info immediately available made the process much smoother. Also, they asked for the exact spelling of my employers' legal business names (not just what they go by), so check your pay stubs for the official company names. The good news is once they manually process your application, everything works normally for your weekly certifications. Hang in there - it's frustrating but definitely solvable!
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