I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I just started a cybersecurity fundamentals course at Houston Community College (10 hours/week, Monday and Wednesday evenings plus some weekend lab work) and was really nervous about how TWC would handle it. Reading through everyone's experiences - especially the detailed follow-ups from @Sophia Gabriel, @Giovanni Mancini, and @Marina Hendrix - has given me so much confidence about being upfront and honest. The consistent theme seems to be that TWC actually supports career-focused training as long as you can demonstrate you're still genuinely available for work. I'm planning to report it on my payment request this Friday. My schedule is pretty flexible since it's mostly evenings, and I can definitely skip classes for job interviews or start work immediately if I get an offer. The cybersecurity field is booming in Houston, so I'm hoping TWC will view this training as positively as they did @Giovanni Mancini's data analytics program. One question for those who've been through the process: did any of you get asked about how you're financing the course? I'm paying out of pocket (not using financial aid) and wondering if that comes up during the examiner interview. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this community is amazing for navigating these tricky situations!

I'm about to start a similar situation with a nursing assistant program at Lone Star College (12 hours/week - right at the threshold) and this entire thread has been a lifesaver! Reading through everyone's detailed experiences, especially the successful outcomes from @Sophia Gabriel, @Giovanni Mancini, and @Marina Hendrix, has really helped ease my anxiety about reporting it to TWC. What gives me the most confidence is seeing how understanding the examiners have been when people demonstrate genuine job search efforts alongside career-focused training. The consistent advice about immediate reporting, detailed work search logs, and emphasizing availability for work seems to be the key to success. My program runs Tuesday/Thursday evenings plus some weekend clinical hours, but I can definitely be flexible for job interviews and would absolutely prioritize any employment opportunity. The healthcare field has so many openings right now that I'm hoping TWC will view this training as favorably as they did other career-enhancement programs mentioned here. I'm planning to report it on my next payment request (due Monday) and feel much better prepared for the potential questionnaire and phone interview thanks to everyone sharing the specific questions they were asked. I'll definitely follow up with my experience to help others in similar situations. Thanks to this amazing community for creating such a comprehensive resource!

I'm at week 7 waiting for my claim approval and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! Got laid off from my job at a dental office, but also worked part-time at a retail store for about 6 months during my base period. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm now 100% convinced it's a wage verification delay. Finally got through using the 7am calling strategy yesterday (took about 30 minutes of redialing) and the agent confirmed that my retail employer hasn't responded to their wage verification request yet. She put an expedite note on my account and said to call back in 10 days if nothing changes. I immediately called my old retail manager after hanging up with TWC, and it turns out they never received any communication from TWC at all! Their HR department moved to a different location recently and TWC apparently had their old address. My manager is calling TWC today to provide the wage info directly. For anyone still waiting - definitely be proactive about contacting your previous employers, especially smaller businesses that might have outdated contact info on file with TWC. This whole process is incredibly frustrating but there IS light at the end of the tunnel. Will update when my claim finally moves!

Wow, this is exactly the kind of real-world insight that TWC should be providing upfront! Seven weeks and it turned out to be a simple address issue that could have been caught much earlier. It's honestly mind-blowing that their system doesn't have any automated way to flag when wage verification requests bounce back due to bad addresses. Your experience perfectly illustrates what so many people in this thread have been saying - the proactive approach of contacting previous employers directly can actually solve problems that TWC's system creates. The fact that your retail store's HR department moved and TWC was still using the old address is probably way more common than anyone realizes. Really hoping your manager's direct call to TWC gets this resolved quickly! And thanks for sharing the successful 7am calling strategy details - 30 minutes of redialing sounds brutal but clearly worth it to finally get answers. Your update is going to give hope to everyone else still stuck in the wage verification limbo. For anyone reading this who's still waiting - @Nia Wilson's experience shows that sometimes the "delay" isn't even a delay, it's just TWC's system failing to reach employers with current contact information. Definitely worth checking with your previous employers about whether they've actually received anything from TWC, especially if it's been 5+ weeks.

One more tip that really helped me - I created a simple template for tracking each work search activity that includes: Date, Company Name, Position Title, Method (online application/email/in-person), Contact Person (if applicable), and Notes. This way if I ever get audited, I have all the details TWC might ask for in one organized place. Also, don't forget that you can count time spent researching companies and positions as part of your job search activities. If you spend significant time on a company's website learning about their culture, values, and open positions before applying, that preparation work can strengthen your application and shows you're being thorough in your search. Best of luck with everything - you've got this!

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're doing freelance or gig work while collecting unemployment, those activities can sometimes count toward your work search requirements too! Things like updating your profile on freelance platforms, bidding on projects, or networking with potential clients can qualify. Just make sure any income you earn gets reported properly to TWC. Also, I've found that keeping a bookmark folder in my browser with all the job sites I use regularly makes it much easier to stay organized with applications. Sites like Indeed, LinkedIn Jobs, ZipRecruiter, and company career pages. The faster you can navigate between sites, the more efficient your job search becomes! One last thing - don't sleep on local job placement agencies and staffing firms. Registering with them and meeting with recruiters definitely counts as work search activities, and they often have access to jobs that aren't posted publicly.

Hey Nia, I'm really glad to see your update about getting through to TWC and getting some concrete next steps! That Short-Term Training program could be a game-changer. I went through something similar last year (different industry) and those quick certifications really do make a difference on applications. Since you mentioned medical billing is saturated, I wanted to throw out another idea - have you looked into revenue cycle management positions? It's kind of the next level up from billing and uses all your existing skills but pays better. A lot of hospitals and larger practices are hiring for those roles right now. Also, for what it's worth, that second interview next week is huge! The fact that they called you back means you're a strong candidate. Even if this specific role doesn't work out, it's good practice and shows your skills are marketable. You're handling this whole situation really well considering how stressful it must be. Keep pushing through - you've got this!

Just wanted to jump in and say how impressed I am with how you've handled this whole situation, Nia! Winning an appeal after 13 weeks is no joke - that shows real persistence. And now you're being proactive about your next steps instead of just panicking, which is exactly the right approach. I'm in HR for a mid-sized healthcare company here in Texas, and I can confirm what others have said about the medical billing market being tough right now. But here's something that might help - we've actually had better luck finding candidates for "Patient Financial Services" roles than traditional "Medical Billing" positions. It's essentially the same work but companies are rebranding these roles and often paying a bit more because they want someone who can also handle patient inquiries about their bills. Also, since you mentioned you're doing 5-7 applications weekly, make sure you're tailoring each one. I know it's time-consuming, but generic applications really stand out (in a bad way) when we're reviewing candidates. Even just changing the first paragraph of your cover letter to mention something specific about each company makes a huge difference. Good luck with that second interview! The fact that they called you back is definitely a positive sign.

I went through the exact same thing in hospitality management last year and it's absolutely terrifying when you see those final payments approaching. What really saved me was diversifying my approach - I ended up getting hired at a corporate event planning company where my hotel management experience was actually a huge asset. They loved that I understood logistics, vendor management, and could handle high-pressure situations with demanding clients. A few practical tips that worked for me: - LinkedIn was more helpful than job boards for management positions. I messaged hiring managers directly explaining how my hospitality skills transferred - Temporary staffing agencies often have immediate openings in office management and customer service roles that can bridge the gap - Check out your local community college's continuing education programs - some offer free courses in software like QuickBooks or Excel that can make you more competitive Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're claiming every deduction possible on your taxes and look into whether you qualify for any local energy assistance programs. Every little bit helps when you're stretching resources. The job market is definitely tough right now, but your management background is more valuable than you might think outside of hospitality. Don't give up!

I just wanted to add something that might help - check if your area has any "rapid response" programs through the Department of Labor. These are specifically for workers in industries that have been hit hard by economic changes, and hospitality definitely qualifies. They sometimes offer additional resources beyond what regular Workforce Solutions provides, including specialized job fairs and industry-specific retraining programs. Also, I noticed you mentioned you've been faithfully doing your work searches - make sure you're documenting everything thoroughly even after benefits end. If any federal emergency programs do get implemented (like what happened during COVID), having detailed records of your continuous job search efforts can be crucial for retroactive eligibility. One more thing - consider reaching out to your state representatives' offices. They often have staff who specialize in helping constituents navigate state agency issues and might know about resources or programs that aren't widely publicized. It's a long shot, but sometimes they can provide information or assistance that you can't get through normal channels. The situation is really tough right now, but you're being proactive by seeking information early rather than waiting until the last minute. That puts you ahead of a lot of people in similar situations.