I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim on July 3rd after getting laid off and it's been almost 2 weeks with zero updates. My TWC account only shows my old claim from 2022 that expired ages ago. The automated system keeps telling me my claim is "pending employer response" whenever I call. I've been so stressed thinking I somehow messed up my application or that it got lost in the system somewhere. Reading through all these comments is actually such a relief - I had no idea this was such a common issue with their system! I'm definitely going to keep doing my payment requests even though I can only see the expired claim, and I think I'll try calling right at 7:00am tomorrow morning to see if I can actually get through to a real person. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with this broken system!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue! Filed my claim on June 29th after being laid off and it's been over 2.5 weeks now with no updates. My account only shows my expired claim from late 2022, and I get the same "pending employer response" message when I call. What's really concerning me is that my former employer has a history of being slow to respond to official requests - they took forever to send my final paycheck too. I've been doing my work search activities and payment requests like everyone suggested, but the financial stress is getting intense. Has anyone had success getting their employer to respond faster, or is it really just a waiting game? I'm tempted to reach out to HR myself but don't want to accidentally complicate things with TWC. This thread has been so helpful though - at least I know the system issues are real and it's not just me!

I'm dealing with a similar DUA denial right now for my house cleaning business! Got the same "insufficient proof of self-employment" reason even though I sent in my Schedule C and client contracts. Reading through everyone's advice here is so helpful - I had no idea I needed to be so specific about showing the direct connection between the disaster and lost work. One thing I'm wondering about - for those who successfully appealed, did you include proof of your typical weekly earnings before the disaster? I have bank deposits showing my regular income pattern, but I'm not sure if that's the kind of documentation they're looking for or if they want something more formal like invoices for every single job. Also, has anyone had success including photos of the actual disaster damage to work areas? Several of my regular clients' homes had significant flood damage that made cleaning impossible, and I took photos when I went to check on them after the flooding. Not sure if that type of evidence helps or if they only care about the business documentation. The 14-day deadline is so stressful when you're trying to figure out exactly what they want!

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got denied DUA for my freelance graphic design business after the flooding wiped out my home office and damaged my equipment. The "insufficient proof of self-employment" reason is so frustrating because I thought my tax returns and client invoices would be enough. Reading through all these responses is giving me hope though - it sounds like the key is really proving that direct connection between the disaster and your inability to work. I have emails from three clients who had to postpone their projects because their businesses were dealing with flood damage, plus photos of my flooded office space and damaged computer equipment. One question for those who successfully appealed - did you submit your appeal online through the TWC website or mail it in? I'm worried about the 14-day deadline and want to make sure it gets there on time. Also, did anyone include a letter from their accountant or tax preparer confirming their self-employment status? Wondering if that would help strengthen the case. This whole process is so stressful when you're already dealing with disaster recovery. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it's really helpful to know others have gotten through this successfully!

Hey Butch! I just filed for TWC benefits last month after being laid off from my retail job too - seems like so many of us are dealing with the same situation right now. One thing that really helped me that I haven't seen mentioned yet is to make sure you have your most recent pay stub handy when filling out the application. TWC asks for your gross weekly earnings, and it's much easier to calculate if you have that pay stub right in front of you rather than trying to estimate. Also, once you submit your application, you'll get an email confirmation, but don't rely on just that. I'd recommend logging back into your TWC account a day or two later to make sure your application shows up in the system correctly. I had a friend whose application got stuck somewhere and she didn't realize it for a week, which delayed everything. One last tip - if you have any part-time or gig work income while you're receiving benefits, report it honestly on your payment requests. I know it seems counterintuitive to report income when you need the money, but TWC will find out eventually through wage records, and it's much better to be upfront about it. They'll just reduce your benefit amount proportionally rather than cutting you off entirely. The whole process is definitely stressful, but you're getting great advice from everyone here. The retail market is brutal right now, but TWC benefits will help you get through while you find something new. Good luck!

Hey Butch! I went through the TWC process about 3 months ago after my retail management position was eliminated, and I can definitely relate to feeling overwhelmed at first. One thing that really saved me time was creating a checklist before starting the application. Here's what I wish I had organized beforehand: - Last 5 pay stubs (to verify wages and employer info) - Employment verification letter or termination notice if you have one - Bank routing and account numbers for direct deposit - A quiet 45-60 minutes when you won't be interrupted The biggest mistake I made was trying to rush through it during my lunch break and had to start over because the session timed out. Also, once you submit, you'll start getting mail from TWC pretty quickly - some will be informational, others will be time-sensitive. I set up a dedicated email folder and physical folder just for TWC correspondence so I wouldn't miss anything important. One more thing - the WorkInTexas.com registration that others mentioned isn't just a formality. They actually have some decent job search tools and employer connections, so it's worth spending a few minutes setting up a proper profile there rather than just doing the bare minimum to satisfy the requirement. You're asking all the right questions, which tells me you'll navigate this just fine. The fact that you were laid off due to downsizing (not fired for performance issues) should make your approval pretty straightforward. Hang in there!

This is such valuable insight from the employer perspective - thank you for sharing! As someone new to this community but unfortunately not new to employment struggles, it's really reassuring to hear that legitimate employers generally don't view partial unemployment claims as a problem. I think a lot of people (myself included) worry that applying for partial benefits might somehow hurt our relationship with our current employer or make us look bad. But you're absolutely right that it's designed as a safety net that actually benefits everyone involved. The point about partial unemployment helping employers retain trained staff during slow periods is something I hadn't considered before. It makes total sense though - if employees can get some income support during reduced hours periods, they're less likely to jump ship and find other jobs, which saves the employer from having to recruit and train new people when business picks back up. For anyone still on the fence about applying due to employer concerns, this HR perspective should definitely help put those worries to rest. Thanks for taking the time to explain how it actually works from the business side!

I'm new to this community but wanted to chime in as someone who just went through a very similar situation! I was working at a coffee shop where my hours got cut from 28 hours down to just 8 hours per week due to "seasonal slowdown" that seemed to drag on forever. Reading through this thread has been incredibly validating - it's clear that what you're experiencing with only 6 hours per week absolutely qualifies for partial unemployment. The advice everyone has shared here is spot-on, especially about documenting everything and being precise with your earnings reporting. One thing I learned during my experience is to take screenshots of your work schedule every single week, even if it seems redundant. My employer initially told TWC they had offered me more hours that I "declined," but I had screenshots of every weekly schedule showing I was only given 8 hours. That documentation saved me from a lengthy appeals process. Also, don't feel guilty about applying! I struggled with that at first, thinking maybe I should just tough it out or find a second job immediately. But partial unemployment exists exactly for situations like this where your employer cuts your hours through no fault of your own. You've been paying into this system through your taxes - you deserve the support when you need it. The fact that your manager is being understanding about the situation is huge. That cooperation will make the TWC verification process go much more smoothly. Good luck with your application!

I actually went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and can share what happened. I started receiving Social Security retirement benefits while already on unemployment, and after reading conflicting advice online, I decided to call TWC directly to get clarity. After many attempts (the phone system is truly awful), I finally got through to an agent who confirmed that: 1. Social Security retirement benefits do NOT need to be reported during biweekly payment requests - those are only for work income/earnings 2. However, since I started receiving SS after my claim was established, I should notify them through the correspondence system I sent the notification through my UI portal, and about 2 weeks later I received a determination letter saying my weekly benefit amount was being reduced by about $40 due to the Social Security income. Was I happy about the reduction? No, but at least I knew I was following the rules correctly. The key thing to remember is that the biweekly payment requests are separate from benefit calculations. You only report work income on those, but major changes like starting retirement benefits should still be reported to TWC for their records. Better safe than sorry with these agencies!

I'm new to this community but dealing with a similar situation. Just wanted to add my perspective after reading all these helpful responses. I started receiving Social Security retirement benefits two months after my unemployment claim was established, and I was really confused about what to report where. Based on all the advice here, especially @Freya Pedersen's real experience, I think the clearest guidance is: 1. DON'T report Social Security retirement benefits on your biweekly payment requests - those specifically ask for work income/earnings only 2. DO notify TWC through your correspondence system about starting Social Security after your claim was established - they may recalculate your weekly benefit amount I ended up calling TWC (took forever to get through) and the agent confirmed this approach. They said Social Security retirement is "unearned income" and doesn't get reported during payment requests, but major changes like starting benefits should be communicated for their records. I sent my notification last week and am waiting to see if they adjust my weekly amount. Honestly, I'd rather have a small reduction and know I'm following the rules than stress about potential overpayment issues later. The whole system could definitely be clearer about this distinction!