Just wanted to add to this amazing thread! I'm also going through my first unemployment experience after getting laid off in early January. Filed my claim last week and this discussion has been incredibly educational - especially about the waiting week policy that I had no clue about. What really strikes me is how much more helpful this community conversation is compared to the official TWC resources. The practical tips about spreadsheets for tracking work search activities, setting calendar reminders for payment requests, and the mobile app recommendation are all things I never would have thought of on my own. @CosmicCowboy - your quick payment gives me so much hope! I know everyone's situation is different, but it's encouraging to see that not everyone is experiencing those horror story wait times we keep hearing about. For anyone else following this thread, I've started implementing a bunch of the suggestions already: set up the mobile app, created a Google Calendar with all my important TWC dates, and I'm working on that spreadsheet for work search tracking this weekend. The tip about taking screenshots of payment request confirmations is brilliant too. Thanks to everyone who's shared their real experiences here. This is exactly the kind of practical information that makes navigating this system so much less intimidating for first-timers like us!

This thread has been incredibly helpful for someone new to the unemployment system! I'm currently waiting for my first payment after filing in early January, and seeing CosmicCowboy's success story really gives me hope that things might move faster than expected. The waiting week explanation finally makes sense - I had no idea this was standard practice and was also expecting two weeks' worth for the first payment. It's frustrating that TWC doesn't explain this clearly during the filing process, but at least now I know what to expect. I've been taking notes on all the great advice shared here and plan to implement several suggestions: setting up the mobile app, creating a detailed spreadsheet for work search tracking, and setting calendar reminders for payment request dates. The tip about screenshotting payment confirmations is something I never would have thought of but makes total sense for record-keeping. For work search activities, I've mainly been doing online applications, but the suggestions about virtual networking events, career workshops, and LinkedIn activities really open up more options. It's helpful to know there are different ways to meet the 3 weekly requirements beyond just submitting applications. Thanks to everyone sharing their real experiences - this community provides way more practical guidance than any official resource I've found!

This has been such an incredibly helpful thread! I'm also relatively new to TWC (started about 6 weeks ago) and can confirm everything everyone's explained here. You definitely request every two weeks but receive two separate weekly payments, usually 2-3 business days apart. One thing I'd add that really helped me manage the uncertainty in the beginning - I created a simple note in my phone with my payment schedule pattern. After a few cycles, I noticed my payments consistently hit on Tuesday and Thursday after Sunday requests, so now I can plan my weekly budget around those specific days. Also, for anyone mentioning the work search requirements - I've found that volunteering activities can sometimes count toward your 3 weekly activities too (depending on the type), so don't overlook those if you're doing any community service while job hunting. Olivia, sounds like you've got everything figured out now and those interviews are awesome! The fact that you're already being proactive about budgeting and understanding the system shows you're handling this situation really well. Hope one of those opportunities works out! 🤞

I've been on TWC unemployment for about 8 months now (unfortunately still searching!) and can absolutely confirm what everyone's explaining here. You'll request payment every two weeks but receive two separate weekly deposits, typically 1-3 business days apart. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet that might help with your budgeting concerns - if you have any partial work weeks (like if you get a temporary job or do some freelance work), TWC will still pay you for the partial week but will deduct your earnings. Just make sure to report any income when you do your payment request, even if it's just a few dollars. Being honest about earnings upfront saves major headaches later! Also, since you mentioned rent coming up - I learned to treat my unemployment payments like they're arriving a few days later than they actually do. So if I expect payments on Tuesday/Wednesday, I budget as if they're coming Thursday/Friday. This little buffer has saved me from stress when there are occasional delays due to holidays or banking processing times. Best of luck with those interviews! It sounds like you're being really smart about managing everything during this transition period.

I'm in week 7 of the same nightmare! Filed in mid-March, got my monetary determination letter saying I qualify, but my claim has been "under investigation" this entire time. My former employer is claiming I was terminated for poor performance when I was actually laid off due to downsizing - they even had me train my replacement before letting me go! The most frustrating part is that I've called TWC literally hundreds of times and either get a busy signal or sit on hold for hours before getting disconnected. I've filed all my payment requests religiously every two weeks but my account still shows $0 in payments. My savings are completely drained at this point and I'm behind on everything. What's really maddening is that TWC sent me that determination letter back in March saying I'm eligible, but then nothing happens! How can they say you qualify but then make you wait 2+ months for an actual decision? The system is completely broken. I have emails, my termination letter, and even a witness who saw the whole downsizing process, but apparently none of that matters until they get around to actually looking at my case. For anyone still waiting - definitely keep filing those payment requests no matter what. I've heard if you miss even one week, you lose that money forever even if you eventually get approved. This whole process is designed to wear people down until they give up.

I'm in almost exactly the same situation and it's driving me crazy! Filed my claim about 5 weeks ago, got the monetary determination saying I qualify, but it's been stuck "under investigation" ever since. My employer is also fighting it - claiming I quit when I was actually laid off due to company-wide budget cuts. What really gets me is how they can send you that determination letter saying you're eligible but then leave you hanging for weeks or months without any real updates. I've been doing my payment requests every two weeks like clockwork but my account balance is still $0. The financial stress is unreal when you're counting on this money to survive. I've tried calling TWC dozens of times but it's always busy or I get disconnected after waiting on hold forever. From reading everyone's responses, it sounds like this is unfortunately pretty normal right now - which is both reassuring and infuriating at the same time. @Savannah Vin - those emails about budget cuts and your termination letter should definitely work in your favor! At least you have solid documentation. I'm in a similar boat with my layoff paperwork. Hopefully both our cases get resolved soon and we get that backpay. This whole system really needs an overhaul though - people shouldn't have to wait months for benefits they're legally entitled to!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Got my approval letter on Friday but my online status is still stuck on "under review" after 4 days. I was honestly starting to panic thinking there was some mistake with my claim, but reading through everyone's experiences here is such a huge relief. It's absolutely mind-boggling that TWC can't sync their own systems in 2024 - like how do they mail out approval letters but not update the website at the same time? Their technology seems stuck in the 1990s! Based on all the advice here, I'm definitely going to submit my payment request this week even though my online status hasn't updated yet. That approval letter seems to be the real proof that matters. I'm going to guard that thing like it's made of gold! Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this community is seriously saving my sanity right now. It's so reassuring to know this is just "normal" TWC dysfunction and not something wrong with my specific claim.

This disconnect between TWC's approval letters and online status is unfortunately super common - I've seen this exact issue come up dozens of times in unemployment groups. The approval letter is your official documentation that overrides whatever the website says. Here's what I learned from my own experience: TWC's mail system and online portal operate completely independently. When they print your approval letter, it doesn't automatically trigger an update to your online account - they literally have separate databases that don't talk to each other properly. You should absolutely continue requesting payments on your scheduled days regardless of the online status. The approval letter is what their payment processing system recognizes. I've never seen anyone have payment issues when they had an approval letter in hand, even with the status showing "under review." Pro tip: Take photos of that approval letter and save them to your phone/email. Also keep the physical copy somewhere safe. If you ever need to prove your claim was approved, that letter is your golden ticket. The online status will eventually catch up (usually 1-2 weeks), but don't let it stress you out in the meantime.

UPDATE: I just wanted to follow up and let everyone know I finally got my issue resolved. I tried calling the alternate number (800-215-4812) suggested above at 2:45pm on Wednesday, and after about a 25-minute wait, actually got through to a person! The representative was able to verify my work search activities and remove the hold on my payment. For anyone else struggling with this, don't give up - try different approaches until something works. And DOCUMENT EVERYTHING - I had all my work search details written down which made the call go much faster once I got through.

I've been dealing with this exact same nightmare for over a month now! The 800-939-6631 number is absolutely useless - I think I've called it over 100 times at this point. What finally worked for me was using a combination of strategies from this thread. I tried the alternate number 800-215-4812 that @LilMama23 mentioned, called on a Wednesday around 2:30pm like @Esmeralda Gómez suggested, and got through after about 45 minutes on hold. The rep was actually really helpful once I reached someone. Also want to echo what others said about documenting everything - have all your info ready because they move fast once you're connected. Don't give up, it's frustrating but there are ways to get through if you keep trying different approaches!