My cousin works for TWC and he said those old balances you see are just like ghost numbers in the system. They don't mean anything after your benefit year ends.

Thanks everyone for the responses! Sounds like I definitely need to file a new claim if I get laid off. Really helpful to know about the base period calculation too - makes me a bit nervous since I was making more in 2021 than I am now, so my benefit might be lower. Anyone know if there's a waiting period between filing and getting your first payment? I should probably start saving more just in case.

The whole "waiting week" thing is another TWC SCAM to make it confusing for people to get their full benefits!!! They DELIBERATELY make the questions confusing so people won't claim what they're entitled to. I've been dealing with their ridiculous system for MONTHS trying to get my benefits straightened out. Don't let them intimidate you!!

One thing to remember about the waiting week payment - when you do request it after finding work, the system might ask you to verify your employment details like start date, employer name, etc. Make sure you have all that information ready when you file for it. I had to submit my first paystub as verification when I claimed my waiting week.

Wait has he had ANY job since getting let go last year? Even part time work? Because if he got a new job and then lost THAT job within the last year, he could possibly file based on the newer job loss!

Sorry to hear about your father in law's situation. My neighbor went thru something similar last year. The missed benefits hurt but the silver lining was that WorkForce Solutions helped him with his resume and he found a better job than his old one within 2 months!

Mine took about 4 business days after my appeal hearing, but that was a few months ago. I've heard TWC is processing faster now. One thing to know: if your backweek amount is over $5000, they sometimes split it into multiple payments for security reasons. So don't panic if you only see part of your expected amount at first.

Quick update question - has your payment status changed in the system yet? Sometimes the TWC portal will show a payment date before you actually receive the money, which can help you plan. Also, make sure your direct deposit information is correct in the system - I've seen cases where people won appeals but had outdated banking info.

One more thing - the appeal hearing isn't your only chance. If you lose, you can request a re-hearing within 14 days if you have good cause, or appeal to the Commission. Many people give up after the first appeal, but persistence can pay off. Also, don't forget to keep requesting payment while your appeal is pending! Many people forget this step and lose weeks of potential benefits if they eventually win.

I FORGOT to mention!!! Make sure you talk about how your manager was treating you BEFORE the PIP!! It sounds like they were targeting you after you reported them and that's RETALIATION!!! The fact they never had problems with your work for years before this is SUPER IMPORTANT!!!

I went thru this last year when i was on unemployment. got a part time job at HEB, still claimed partial unemployment for like 2 months. they paid my waiting week after i had been working there about 6 weeks. its all about how much money you've earned while on unemployment.

Just curious - when they paid your waiting week, was it the full amount or was it reduced because of your part-time job? When I got mine it was reduced.

This happened to my brother too! Except his was filed as "power outage" instead of hurricane damage. These intake agents really need better training. It took him 7 calls to even get someone who knew how to fix the category. He ended up using Claimyr.com to get through after days of busy signals. Their system held his place in line and got him connected to an actual TWC agent who could fix the coding issue. Their demo video shows how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh

Just an important note for anyone with disaster-related claims: make sure you're still completing the work search requirements unless you've been explicitly exempted. Many disaster claimants think they don't need to search for work, but unless TWC has specifically waived this requirement for your disaster area, you still need to complete and report your minimum 3 work search activities each week. Otherwise, you could be disqualified even after winning your appeal.

Why would you even file if you know they might take it? Maybe wait until you've paid off more of the balance? Just a thought

Thanks everyone for the advice and sharing your experiences. Sounds like I should definitely expect them to take my full refund based on what most of you have said. I'll try calling TWC to see if I can apply for that hardship waiver, though it sounds like those are hard to get approved. I just wish they'd be more transparent about the whole process instead of making it so confusing. I've been responsible about making my payments, so it feels unfair that they'll still take my whole refund. But I guess looking at the bright side - at least it'll knock down my balance faster. I'll update here after I file to let everyone know what happened in case it helps someone else.

same thing happened to me! it took 5 days for mine to show up. what was ur appeal for? i had to fight them saying i quit when i was actually laid off. took forever but i won!

did u get paid yet? curious how long it ended up taking

Sorry to go slightly off-topic, but does anyone know if getting fired "at will" affects how long you can receive benefits? I'm in a similar situation but worried my benefits might be shorter because I was fired instead of laid off.

UPDATE: Just got the determination letter in my correspondence inbox today! I'm officially approved. Thanks everyone for your help and advice. For anyone in a similar situation - yes, when the status changes from "under review" to showing a benefit amount, it most likely means approval, but wait for the official letter to be 100% certain.