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TWC says not eligible after ID.me FaceTime verification issues - can I still submit work search?
I'm totally confused and panicking right now. I've been trying to verify my identity through ID.me for my DUA claim but keep having problems with the FaceTime verification part - it just won't accept my face or something? I've submitted 6 different claims over the past couple weeks and even called in yesterday to try to get help. Today I checked my account and suddenly it says "not eligible"!!! I also just realized I was supposed to do work search activities last week but with all this verification mess I completely forgot. Is it too late to add my work searches now? Should I just call TWC directly about both issues? Has anyone dealt with something like this before?
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TWC debit card payment timing - shows processed but nothing received yet
I requested my unemployment payment yesterday and when I checked the TWC website today it says it's been processed (with today's date), but I still don't see anything on my TWC debit card. This is my first payment so I'm not sure how long it usually takes. Should I be worried or is there typically a delay between when it shows as processed and when it actually hits the card? Just trying to plan for bills coming up this weekend. Thanks!
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One more thing - you can sign up for direct deposit to your regular bank account instead of using the ReliaCard. Many people find that's faster and more convenient. You can set it up in your TWC account under payment options.
Employer seeking TWC unemployment specialists for UI tax questions
Hi everyone, I'm a small business owner with about 25 employees in Austin. I've got some urgent questions about employer UI tax rates and how to properly respond to benefit claims from former employees. Our TWC tax rate just jumped from 0.7% to 2.9% and I'm trying to understand if this is due to some claims I didn't contest properly last year. The determination letters are confusing me, and I need to know what rights I have to appeal these rate increases. Anyone here with experience from the employer side of TWC unemployment? The HR consultant we used to rely on retired last month and I'm struggling to navigate this system.
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my cousin works for twc and says theres a huge backlog of employer appeals right now so get your paperwork in asap and be super thorough the first time
Thanks for the heads up! I'll make sure to be extra thorough with our documentation.
Just to follow up on my earlier comment - since you mentioned these are seasonal workers you regularly rehire, you should specifically look into TWC's "Seasonal Employer" designation. There's an actual formal process to be designated as a seasonal employer (Form C-24), and it's different from just having workers you consider "seasonal". If you get this designation, benefits paid during your designated off-season won't affect your tax rate as much. But you must apply for this status before the claims happen, not retroactively, unfortunately. Also, for future reference, always respond to ALL claim notices, even if you're not contesting them. Simply saying "claim is valid, separation was due to lack of work" helps establish your responsiveness pattern with TWC.
I had no idea about the Form C-24! That would have saved us so much trouble. I've already found it on the TWC website and will be submitting it this week. So to be clear, this won't help with our current tax rate, but should help prevent this issue next year during our slow season? And thanks for the tip about responding to all claims - that makes a lot of sense.
Where can I find the Disaster Unemployment Assistance link for TWC applications?
I'm trying to find the correct link to apply for Disaster Unemployment Assistance through TWC. Our area was just hit by severe flooding and I heard we might qualify for special benefits, but the regular TWC unemployment application doesn't seem right. Does anyone know exactly where to go on the TWC website to find the disaster unemployment link? I've been clicking around for 30 minutes and keep ending up at the regular unemployment application.
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Just to follow up - I just checked and it looks like TWC hasn't posted anything about recent flooding disaster unemployment yet. They usually send out a press release first, then update the website. You might want to sign up for their news alerts at https://www.twc.texas.gov/news to get notified as soon as they announce the DUA program for your disaster. The deadline to apply is usually 30 days after the announcement, so you don't want to miss it!
That's incredibly helpful, thank you! I just signed up for the alerts. Hopefully they'll make an announcement soon.
kinda off topic but make sure u do ur work search stuff even with disaster benefits they still made me do that
Actually, that's not correct for DUA. Regular unemployment requires work search activities (3 per week in Texas), but Disaster Unemployment Assistance typically waives or modifies the work search requirements depending on the severity of the disaster. The TWC will specify any work search requirements in the DUA announcement for your specific disaster.
TWC identity verification causing $4,000 overpayment - will they take my tax refund?
I just got a letter from TWC saying I have an overpayment of $4,000 because I need to verify my identity! I've been collecting benefits for about 3 months after getting laid off from my warehouse job. I tried doing the ID.me verification thing THREE times but it keeps saying there's an error with my documents or the video selfie part doesn't work right. The camera on my phone is cracked which might be causing problems? Now I'm worried because I just filed my income tax return and expecting about $2,300 back. Will TWC automatically take my refund for this overpayment even though I'm still trying to fix the identity verification issue? Has anyone dealt with this? I'm seriously freaking out because I NEED that refund money for rent!!
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Important clarification about tax refund intercepts: TWC has to certify the debt to the Treasury Offset Program, which doesn't happen immediately. Typically, they must send you multiple notices before your debt gets sent to TOP. Additionally, there's processing time involved. If you resolve the identity verification issue quickly (within 2-3 weeks), you can likely prevent the refund intercept. Call TWC's Benefit Overpayment collections department directly at 512-936-3338 rather than the general unemployment line - they can help with setting up payment plans or holds while you resolve the verification issue.
this is WRONG!!! my overpayment went to TOP in like 10 days after i got the letter and they took my refund before i could even appeal it!!!!!
UPDATE: I finally got the ID.me verification to work! Used my roommate's laptop with better camera and made sure to have good lighting. Then I called that direct number for overpayments (512-936-3338) and after about an hour on hold, I got through to someone who was super helpful. They put a hold on my account and said they'll review it within 7-10 business days. They said if everything checks out with my identity, the overpayment should be removed from my account. Fingers crossed my tax refund will be safe! Thanks everyone for all your help!
Great news! Make sure to follow up if you don't see the changes in your account after 10 business days. Sometimes these things fall through the cracks, and being proactive is key. Glad you got it resolved!
yay!! so happy for u! this gives me hope for my situation too!
Sean Kelly
anyone else think its weird we have to use a 3rd party app to verify for govt benefits? seems fishy to me
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Anastasia Kozlov
It's BEYOND fishy! They're collecting your biometric data and who knows what they're doing with it! But we have no choice if we want our benefits. The whole system is designed to make it harder to claim what we're entitled to!
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Chloe Robinson
UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know what happened. I finally got through to a TWC representative thanks to the Claimyr service (that actually worked!). The rep confirmed the "not eligible" status was because of the ID verification issue. They helped me verify my identity directly on the phone (asked me questions about my work history and previous addresses) and said it would override the ID.me requirement. They also let me submit my late work search activities since it was within the 7-day window. My status is back to "under review" now which the rep said is normal while they process everything. Such a relief! Thank you all for the advice!
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Zara Mirza
That's great to hear! The "under review" status is definitely normal after identity verification. You should see movement on your claim within 3-5 business days. Make sure to keep up with your work search activities for future payment requests to avoid any further issues.
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