Texas Unemployment
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Can't reach Texas Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
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- Connect you to a human agent at the TWC
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Can TWC approve unemployment if I'm on 'inactive status' but not officially laid off?
I've been working at a warehouse company for about 3 years, but last month my supervisor told me they're putting me on 'inactive status' due to lack of work. They haven't officially fired me, but I haven't been scheduled for ANY shifts in 4 weeks! My bills are piling up, and I'm getting desperate. They keep saying 'we'll call you when we need you' but I'm not getting paid in the meantime. Can I apply for unemployment while technically still employed but not getting any hours? Has anyone been through something similar with TWC? I'm worried they'll deny me since I wasn't actually laid off, but I literally have zero income right now.
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TWC payment request by phone with bonus income - furloughed but not laid off
I'm in a weird situation and confused about how to request my TWC payment correctly. I got furloughed from my hotel job (not officially laid off, just zero hours) but still technically employed. My coworkers who are still working pooled together some of their tips and gave me a $950 "bonus" to help me out this month since they know I'm struggling. When I call Tele-Serv to request payment, do I need to report this money? It's not really wages from my employer, just friends helping out. I'm worried about messing up my claim since I've never been on unemployment before. Also, is requesting payment by phone different than doing it online? The website keeps crashing on me.
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wait so they TOLD u that gifts from friends count?? that makes no sense. did they say anything about how theyd even know about cash that wasnt from ur job???
Yes, they specifically said any income needs to be reported regardless of source. They didn't explain how they'd know, but honestly I'd rather just follow the rules than risk getting hit with an overpayment notice later. The agent mentioned they have ways of verifying income during audits, and it's not worth the risk to me.
If you really wanna hear something crazy I got furloughed last year then they gave us all "retention bonuses" to stay with the company even though we weren't working any hours? Makes no sense. TWC counted that against my benefits even though I wasn't actually working to earn it. The whole system is weird.
That's because any payment from your employer is considered wages, even if you're not actively working hours to earn it. Retention bonuses are specifically designed to be compensation, which is why they counted against your benefits. It's different from severance in some ways, but TWC treats most employer payments as reportable income.
TWC denied my appeal for leaving a 2-day job - can I win with second appeal after missed hearing?
I'm in a frustrating situation with TWC and need advice on next steps. I briefly worked at a company for 2 days last month when I received a better offer from another employer. The new job couldn't start me for about 3 weeks, so I told my current employer I'd be happy to continue working/training until then and even offered to stay part-time afterward. Instead of accepting, they decided not to continue my training since they didn't want part-time help. Now TWC is demanding I repay ALL benefits from when I left that job until I started the new one (about $2,800). They're claiming I "quit for personal reasons" which is technically true but completely ignores the context. I filed an appeal with a detailed explanation of everything but MISSED the hearing date (totally my fault - calendar notification issue). Just got the determination letter saying my appeal was denied due to non-appearance. Has anyone successfully won a second-level appeal after missing the first hearing? I have texts and emails documenting everything. Can I still win this even though I messed up by missing the hearing?
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my brother had to pay back like $5000 to twc last year and he just ignored it. now they're garnishing his wages lol. dont be like my brother
YEP! They'll get their money one way or another. They can take your tax refunds too. And they add interest and penalties! The whole system is designed to squeeze every penny out of desperate people. It's disgusting.
Important point: If your second appeal is denied, you still have options before paying. You can request a payment plan to spread out the repayment, or in some cases, file for a waiver of overpayment if repaying would cause financial hardship. Don't ignore the overpayment notices though - that leads to collection actions including tax refund intercepts and eventual wage garnishment. Also, continue your work search and benefit requests while this is pending. The appeal process doesn't stop your ongoing benefits unless they specifically tell you otherwise.
Thank you for this advice. I've already started applying for other jobs just in case, even though I like my current position. I'm worried about making ends meet if I have to pay back nearly $3k all at once. If my appeal is denied, I'll definitely request a payment plan. What kind of documentation would I need for a hardship waiver?
For a hardship waiver, you'll need to complete TWC's financial statement form showing your income, expenses, assets, and debts. Include documentation of essential expenses (rent/mortgage, utilities, medical costs, childcare if applicable). The key is demonstrating that repayment would prevent you from affording basic necessities. The bar is pretty high though - they don't approve these easily. Payment plans are granted much more routinely and can stretch payments over 12-24 months depending on the amount.
TWC keeps disconnecting me when on hold - need help getting payments unlocked after missed claim submissions
I'm at my breaking point trying to contact Texas Workforce Commission!!! Been calling every day for 2 weeks straight at different times (morning, afternoon, evening). I always get the same thing - automated system puts me on hold with that annoying 'your call is important to us' message, then CLICK... disconnected after 20-30 minutes! I've missed submitting my payment requests since February (I know, totally my fault) and now my claim is locked. I need to speak to an actual human to get it unlocked so I can start receiving benefits again. My rent is due next week and I'm seriously panicking. Has anyone figured out how to actually get through to a real person at TWC? Any specific time of day that works better? Should I just drive to a workforce office in person?
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i went thru this in january and its actualy FASTER to just go to ur local workforce center in person!! the one in north austin helped me get everything fixed in one visit. call centers r useless now with everyone trying to get thru. bring ID and social security card and they can pull up everything right there
This is great advice, but remember some Workforce Centers require appointments now, especially for unemployment issues (thanks COVID protocols that never went away 🙄). Call your local office first to check if they take walk-ins for UI claim issues. When I tried last month, they told me benefit questions had to be handled by phone or appointment only.
UPDATE: I tried that Claimyr service and IT WORKED! Got connected to a TWC rep in about 40 minutes (while I was able to do other things instead of sitting on hold). The agent was able to unlock my claim and helped me file for the weeks I missed. They could only backdate 3 weeks like someone mentioned, but at least I'm back in the system now. For anyone else dealing with this headache, it's worth trying - saved me days of frustration!
Thanks for letting us know! I might try that too. My claim has been stuck in 'pending' for 2 weeks and I can't get through to ask why.
TWC benefits at risk after declining job offer due to scabies diagnosis - will my ER documentation be enough?
So I'm in a weird situation and freaking out about my unemployment benefits. I had a job interview at a restaurant last week and got offered the position, but then had to decline it because I was diagnosed with scabies (!!!) at the ER. I went in because my leg was hurting really bad, and the doctor found I had these bites and rash all over. They prescribed antibiotics and this special cream, and told me I needed to quarantine for 5 days. Here's my problem - I reported everything honestly to TWC including that I declined the job offer, but the ER discharge papers don't specifically mention the quarantine requirement. I uploaded all my medical documentation but I'm terrified they'll disqualify me because it doesn't explicitly say "must quarantine" on the paperwork. I did talk to the restaurant manager and explained my situation, and she said they could wait, but I haven't gotten that in writing yet despite asking for an email or text confirmation. Does anyone know if TWC will accept my medical documentation as a valid reason for declining work? Or am I going to lose my benefits? I'm so stressed about this!
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That's really good to know - I probably would have made that exact mistake. I'll keep doing my payment requests no matter what.
Zoe Walker
UI claim specialist here. This 'inactive status' situation is extremely common, especially in industries like warehousing, retail, and hospitality. You qualify for benefits under TWC rules as long as: 1) Your reduction in hours was not your fault (which appears to be the case) 2) You're available to work (make sure you indicate this) 3) You're actively seeking work (minimum 3 work search activities per week) When you file, select 'still employed but hours reduced' and clearly explain your situation. If approved, you'll need to submit payment requests every two weeks and report any hours/wages if your employer does eventually give you some shifts. If your initial claim is denied, immediately file an appeal - you have 14 calendar days to do so. Many employers contest these claims despite them being legitimate, and appeals are often successful when the facts show zero hours for an extended period.
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Jacob Lee
AuthorThank you for the detailed explanation! I've submitted my claim and explained the situation exactly as you suggested. Fingers crossed it gets approved without too much hassle.
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Maria Gonzalez
my company did this to me and called it 'temporarily furloughed' but it was just a way to not lay people off officially. i got unemployment no problem!! just make sure you do your work searches even though technically your still employed!
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Emily Thompson
yep same thing happened to my brother they called it 'standby status' but TWC approved him in like a week
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