Just to add something important - your friend should gather any evidence of his job search efforts while this is being resolved. Texas currently requires 3 work search activities per week to remain eligible for benefits. Even though his claim is denied right now, if he wins the appeal, he'll need to prove he was doing the required work searches during this waiting period to receive backpay for those weeks. Have him document everything and keep screenshots of job applications.

I work for a legal aid organization and see these employment verification denials all the time. A few additional things your friend should know: 1) He can request a copy of his entire TWC file through a Public Information Act request - this will show exactly what the employer told TWC when they were contacted. Sometimes employers give contradictory information that helps your case. 2) If he has any old work emails, employee handbook, name badge, uniform, or even photos of himself at work, include those with the appeal. Visual evidence can be very persuasive. 3) Consider having coworkers write brief affidavits (sworn statements) about his employment there. They don't have to testify at the hearing, but written statements under oath carry weight. 4) The employer's refusal to verify employment could actually constitute interference with unemployment benefits, which is illegal in Texas. Document every interaction he's had with them about this issue. The appeal hearing is his best shot - TWC hearing officers deal with dishonest employers regularly and know what to look for. With his W-2 and paystubs, he has a strong case. Good luck!

UPDATE: Just checked this morning and it's showing up now! Took about 36 hours total. Thanks everyone for calming me down and helping me understand how the system works.

Glad to hear it showed up for you! 36 hours is pretty typical from what I've seen. For future reference, I always screenshot my confirmation number and the timestamp when I file - helps me keep track of when I should expect to see it online. The TWC system definitely has its quirks but once you understand the timing patterns it gets less stressful. Welcome to the unemployment filing club, hope your job search goes well!

To address your follow-up question about payment requests - yes, you should absolutely continue requesting payments on your assigned day even while waiting for your determination letter. When your claim is approved, TWC will release payments for any eligible weeks you've already requested (assuming you met all requirements like work searches for those weeks). The determination letter will be posted in your TWC correspondence inbox, which is different from your regular email. Log into your TWC account, go to Claim and Payment Status, and check the Correspondence Inbox tab. You can also sign up for text or email notifications when new correspondence is posted. If you don't see a determination letter within 5-7 business days, it might be worth trying to contact TWC directly for an update. The 'no response' from your employer is generally positive, but final decisions can still take some processing time in their system.

Just wanted to add my experience to help ease your worries! I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago. When TWC told me my employer "responded with no response," I was confused too, but it ended up being great news. My employer basically chose not to fight my claim, which meant TWC approved my benefits based on my version of events. I got my determination letter 4 days after that phone call, and it was approved! They also paid me retroactively for all the weeks I had been requesting payments during the waiting period. The key thing is to keep doing everything you're supposed to do - request payments on your assigned day, do your work searches, and keep detailed records. One tip: set up text notifications in your TWC account if you haven't already. That way you'll get alerted immediately when your determination letter is posted instead of constantly checking your correspondence inbox. Good luck - it sounds like you're in a really good position!

Exactly! You'll report only the hours you actually worked during the claim period. For example, if your payment request covers June 11-24, and you start on June 18th, you would report only the days/hours worked from June 18-24, not the full two weeks. Additionally, on that payment request, you'll answer "Yes" to the question about returning to full-time work, and provide your employer information. The system will then recognize that you've returned to work full-time and should process your waiting week payment automatically. Just to be crystal clear: the waiting week is the first week of your claim period that would have been payable, but was withheld as your "waiting week." You become eligible for this payment after receiving three benefit payments AND returning to full-time work.

Congrats on the new job! Just wanted to add that you should also make sure to keep a copy of your offer letter or employment contract that clearly shows your June 18th start date. This can be really helpful if there are ever any questions down the line. I've seen cases where people had issues because their employer's HR system showed different dates than what was actually agreed upon. Having your own documentation makes everything much smoother if you ever need to clarify with TWC. Good luck with the new position!

UPDATE: I wanted to let everyone know what ended up working. I found the dropdown for "Other state-issued ID" and entered my Oklahoma license. Submitted the claim and got an email confirmation right away. The TWC status page shows my claim is now pending with a message saying it's being processed as an interstate claim. Thank you all for the help!

This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation but in reverse - I live in Texas and worked in New Mexico. The TWC system kept rejecting my NM employer information. After reading through all these responses, I realized I need to look more carefully for the interstate options. Question though - has anyone had issues with TWC not recognizing out-of-state employers in their system? My company shows up when I search but then gives an error when I try to select it.