Texas Unemployment
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TWC appeal won - need help backdating payment requests with a real agent
I've been fighting my disqualification for months and FINALLY won my appeal last week! The determination letter says I'm eligible for benefits going back to January, but I wasn't able to request payments during the appeal process. Now I need to backdate like 12 weeks of payment requests, but the website won't let me do it. The online system just gives me an error saying "payment request period not eligible" when I try. I've called the TWC number literally 53 times over 3 days and either get a busy signal or the automated system that doesn't have options for my situation. How do I actually speak to a human being who can help manually process these backdated payment requests? I'm getting desperate since I've got $5,700+ in approved benefits I can't access! Has anyone successfully gotten through recently?
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Can my mechanic husband get TWC benefits while working reduced flag hours at dealership?
Hi everyone! Quick question about partial unemployment in Texas. My husband worked in the oil industry for 10 years until he got laid off in 2020. After struggling for a while, he finally found work as a mechanic at a car dealership, but he's paid by flag hours (basically only paid for completed work). Some weeks are super busy and he makes decent money, but other weeks are painfully slow and he barely brings home $300-400. Is he eligible for any kind of partial unemployment benefits during those slow weeks? He never claimed unemployment after his oil field layoff because he was too proud, but now we're really feeling the pinch when he has slow weeks. Would TWC even consider this situation? Thanks for any advice!
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my buddie works construction and gets TWC when its raining for like weeks. he said it works ok but sometimes theres like delays with the payments. bettr than nothing tho
Those delays are THE WORST though! One time I waited 5 weeks for payment because of some "pending issue" that nobody would explain to me! And you can't talk to a REAL PERSON to fix anything! The whole system needs to be rebuilt from scratch if you ask me.
Doesn't the dealership have to agree to this? My daughter tried to get unemployment when her retail hours got cut and her employer fought it saying she was still employed. The whole thing turned into a mess with TWC sending her overpayment notices later.
That's a good question about employer involvement. For partial unemployment, the employer doesn't need to "agree" to it - it's the employee's right to file if their hours have been reduced through no fault of their own. However, TWC will contact the employer to verify the reason for reduced earnings. If the employer incorrectly reports that the reduction was due to employee choice or misconduct, that could create problems. It's best for your husband to give his employer a heads-up that he's applying for partial benefits due to the fluctuating flag hours. Most employers understand this process, especially in industries where work fluctuates seasonally or based on customer demand.
TWC taking payments for IRS offset AFTER they already collected - should I call TWC?
I'm super confused and stressed out about my overpayment situation. The IRS already took my tax refund in March to pay off my TWC overpayment from 2023 (about $4,200). I thought that was the end of it. But when I filed for unemployment again last month and got approved, my first payment request from last week just disappeared! When I logged into my TWC account, I can see they're STILL showing an overpayment balance and they took my new unemployment payment too! This makes no sense - they already got their money through the tax offset! Now I'm sitting here with no payment and bills coming due. Has anyone dealt with this double-dipping situation? Should I call TWC? I've tried twice already but can't get through their phone lines. I'm getting desperate here.
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Another important point: make sure you continue to request payments on your regular schedule while this gets resolved. I've seen many cases where people stop requesting payments during an offset dispute, which creates a whole new problem. Even if the payments are being intercepted for the overpayment, you need to maintain your claim by continuing your payment requests and work search activities. Once TWC confirms the IRS offset has satisfied your overpayment, they should retroactively release any benefits that were withheld during this period. But if you stop requesting payments, they can't retroactively pay what wasn't requested in the first place.
Thanks for the reminder - I nearly missed my payment request today because I was so frustrated! Just completed it even though I'm worried they'll just take it again. Keeping my fingers crossed I can get through to someone who can help soon.
One more thing to be aware of: sometimes the IRS offset doesn't fully cover the overpayment. For example, if you owed $4,200 but your tax refund was only $3,800, TWC would continue to offset your current benefits to collect the remaining $400. Double check your overpayment balance in your TWC account and compare it with the exact amount the IRS intercepted to make sure they match.
That's actually a good point I hadn't considered. Looking at my documents more carefully, the IRS took $4,175 and my original overpayment was $4,200... so there's a tiny difference. But they still shouldn't be taking my entire payment for just $25!
You're absolutely right. For small remaining balances like $25, they typically only take a percentage of your benefits, not the entire amount. This further suggests there's a processing issue with recognizing your IRS offset payment. Definitely call the Benefit Payment Control unit directly about this.
TWC approved my claim but first week of July not counted as waiting week - why?
Hey everyone, I'm confused about my unemployment claim timeline. I got laid off on June 30th because my project ended, but my supervisor hinted I might get transferred to another contract, so I waited about a week before taking action. When nothing materialized, I filed for unemployment on July 14th. My claim was approved (yay!) but I noticed something weird - TWC is showing my waiting week as the SECOND week of July instead of the first week of July. Shouldn't the waiting week be the first week after I lost my job? I was definitely unemployed that first week of July. I'm trying to understand if I'm losing a week of benefits because of this. Has anyone experienced something similar? Is this because I waited too long to file? Really confused about this whole waiting week situation and don't want to leave money on the table if I'm entitled to it.
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Ugh the waiting week rule is so stupid. Why should people who JUST lost their jobs have to wait an extra week for $$? As if being unemployed isn't stressful enough! The whole system seems designed to make things harder than they need to be.
The waiting week actually serves a purpose - it gives TWC time to verify your eligibility and process your claim. It also helps reduce costs to the unemployment insurance system. Remember that TWC eventually pays you for this week after you've received three weeks of benefits, so you're not permanently losing that money. It's more of a delayed payment.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you had ANY income during that first week of July (like final paycheck, severance, vacation payout, etc.), that could have affected which week was designated as your waiting week. TWC won't count a week where you had earnings equal to or greater than your weekly benefit amount as your waiting week. Could that be what happened?
Actually, yes! I received my final paycheck on July 3rd which included some vacation payout. That might explain it too. Thanks for bringing this up - I hadn't even considered that.
DUA approval taking forever - need it for back-to-school supplies!
Just got off the phone with a TWC rep about my Disaster Unemployment Assistance claim and I'm totally freaking out. She literally told me she has NO IDEA how long approval takes and it 'could be a long wait.' ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? My son starts school in 3 weeks and I was counting on this money to buy his supplies and clothes. We lost everything in the flood last month and I haven't been able to work since my workplace was damaged. How am I supposed to send him to school with nothing?? Has anyone here actually received DUA benefits recently? How long did your approval process take? This whole system is a joke!
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Quick update for everyone discussing DUA timelines - TWC is currently prioritizing DUA claims for households with school-aged children due to back-to-school season. Be sure to mention this specifically when you speak with a representative. Also, while waiting for approval, contact your local school district about their emergency assistance programs. Many Texas districts offer "disaster relief" supply packages that include backpacks, basic clothing, and essential school supplies for families affected by recent disasters. You can typically apply through your school's counselor or administration office.
This is incredibly helpful information! I had no idea they were prioritizing families with school children. I'll definitely mention this when I call tomorrow. I'll also contact my son's school counselor first thing in the morning to ask about emergency assistance. Thank you so much!
update: i finally got approved today!!!!! took 5 weeks and 3 days. they deposited all my back pay at once. hang in there and keep submitting those payment requests!!
OMG CONGRATS!!!! That gives me some hope! Did they tell you what took so long? Did you have to call them or did it just suddenly get approved?
Brady Clean
Has anyone here actually gone in person to a TWC office for this kind of situation? I've been wondering if that might work better than phoning.
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Connor Rupert
In-person visits to Workforce Solutions offices can sometimes work, but they primarily handle job search assistance rather than claim issues. For backdating payment requests specifically, most local offices will still need to call the same TWC claim center on your behalf. However, some offices have direct lines or special contacts that can be helpful. It's worth trying if you live near an office and have exhausted phone options.
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PrinceJoe
Update: I finally got through! After trying all weekend with no luck, I used the Claimyr service that someone mentioned above. Got connected to a TWC agent in about 15 minutes. The agent was able to backdate all 12 of my payment requests in one call! She said the payments should hit my account within 3 business days. Such a relief after weeks of stress. Thanks everyone for your suggestions!
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Molly Hansen
AMAZING! Did they say why the system wouldn't let you backdate online? This might help others with similar problems.
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PrinceJoe
AuthorYes! The agent explained that the online system can only handle backdating 2 weeks on its own. Anything more than that (especially after an appeal) requires manual intervention by a claims specialist. Apparently it's a limitation of their software that they've been "working on fixing" for years.
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