I just went through this exact same situation a few months ago! Your benefits will absolutely continue during the appeal process - that's standard TWC policy. I was so relieved when I found that out because I was panicking just like you are now. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here: if your employer is now claiming "performance issues" when they originally said "business needs," make sure you point out that contradiction during the hearing. The hearing officer will notice the inconsistency. Also, since you mentioned you never got any warnings or write-ups, that's actually really good for your case. Employers are supposed to document performance problems and give employees a chance to improve before termination. I ended up winning my appeal because my employer couldn't provide any documentation to support their claims. The whole process took about 6 weeks from appeal to final decision, but I got paid the entire time. Just keep doing your work searches and requesting payments like normal. You're going to get through this!

I'm going through my first appeal right now too and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My hearing is in a few weeks and I was terrified my benefits would stop immediately when I got the appeal notice. It's such a relief to know payments continue during the process. One thing I wanted to add - I've been keeping a detailed journal of everything that happened leading up to my termination, including dates, times, and who was present for any conversations. My friend who went through this suggested it because sometimes employers bring up things you might not remember clearly. Also saving screenshots of any company policies they claim you violated, especially if you weren't properly trained on them or they weren't clearly communicated. The inconsistency in your employer's story (business needs vs performance) definitely seems like it will work in your favor. Document that timeline carefully! Wishing you the best of luck with your hearing - sounds like you're getting great preparation advice here.

Great news! Glad you were able to confirm they have everything they need. Now you can at least have some peace of mind while waiting for the next step. Keep us posted on how your hearing goes!

That's such a relief that you got through and confirmed everything is on track! The waiting is definitely the hardest part. I'm dealing with a similar misconduct claim right now (employer said I was "insubordinate" when I questioned unsafe working conditions) and I'm about 2 weeks into my appeal wait. Reading everyone's experiences here has been really helpful - especially knowing to keep doing the payment requests even while waiting. Good luck with your hearing when it comes up!

I just went through this same situation a few months ago with a $6,000 severance from my construction job. Here's the timeline that worked for me: Day 1 (layoff day): Filed my unemployment claim online that same evening Day 3: Got confirmation email that my claim was received Day 12: Received determination letter saying I had an 8-week waiting period due to severance Week 9: Started receiving my first unemployment payments The key things that helped me: - I had my severance paperwork ready when filing (shows the exact amount and how it was calculated) - I set up direct deposit right away so payments would be automatic once they started - I kept a spreadsheet tracking my work search activities from day one, even during the waiting period One mistake I almost made: I thought I could take a short vacation during my waiting period since I wasn't getting benefits yet. But you still have to be available for work and actively searching the whole time, even when you're getting $0. Almost messed up my eligibility by planning a week-long trip! The waiting sucks but it goes by faster than you think, especially if you stay busy with job searching. And honestly, having that severance money to cover expenses during the waiting period made the transition way less stressful than it could have been.

I'm in a similar boat and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just wanted to add that when you're gathering your severance paperwork, make sure you also have your last paystub handy when filing. TWC asks for your last day worked and final wages, and having that info ready made the application process go much smoother for me. Also, if your employer uses a third-party service for unemployment claims (like Equifax or TALX), they might contact you separately about your severance. Don't panic if you get additional forms - just fill them out honestly with the same information you gave TWC. One last thing: bookmark the TWC payment request page now while you're thinking about it. You'll need to request payment every two weeks starting the Sunday after you file, even during your waiting period. Setting a phone reminder for every other Sunday saved me from accidentally missing a request deadline. Good luck with everything! The consensus here is solid - file immediately and be transparent about your severance. The system is set up to handle this exact situation.

I'm currently dealing with a very similar situation - got terminated 2 weeks ago for "performance issues" with a 7-week severance package. Like you, I never received any formal write-ups or performance improvement plans, just verbal feedback here and there. I filed my TWC claim immediately after reading advice similar to what others have shared here, and I'm glad I did. The application process was straightforward, and there's a clear section for reporting severance pay. TWC told me my benefit payments would be delayed until after my severance period ends, but my claim is now in the system and being processed. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned much - make sure you save/screenshot the job posting from when you were originally hired if it's still available online. It can be helpful documentation of what your actual job responsibilities were supposed to be. Also, if you have any text messages or emails from coworkers or supervisors that show positive feedback about your work, those can be valuable too. The waiting is definitely stressful, especially not knowing if the claim will be approved, but from what I've learned, Texas generally sides with employees in cases where proper progressive discipline wasn't followed. Hang in there and file today if you haven't already!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Got terminated last Friday for "performance issues" with a 4-week severance, and like you, I never got any formal warnings or write-ups. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I was also unsure about whether to file right away or wait. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm definitely going to file my claim today. It sounds like the key points are: 1) File immediately, don't wait for severance to end, 2) Be completely transparent about the severance when filing, 3) Gather any documentation showing good performance or lack of formal warnings, and 4) Be prepared that the employer might contest it initially. One thing I'm still a bit confused about - when they calculate the severance impact on benefits, is it just about delaying when payments start, or does it actually reduce the total amount you can receive? I have about $5,000 in severance coming, and I want to make sure I understand how that affects my overall benefit calculation. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's made me feel much more confident about moving forward with the claim process!

I'm also in the waiting game right now! Filed my claim 6 days ago after being laid off from my construction job due to project cancellation. My foreman provided written confirmation that it was completely due to lack of work, not my performance. Still stuck on "Under Review" like everyone else here. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I was getting really anxious thinking maybe I messed up my application somehow. Knowing that 2-3 weeks is the current standard timeline helps me plan better, even though the wait is stressful when bills are piling up. The portal checking obsession is so real! I've probably refreshed it 20 times today alone. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's reassuring to know we're all going through the same thing and that having employer documentation does help, even if it doesn't speed up the process as much as we'd hope.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim 4 days ago after getting laid off from my healthcare job due to department restructuring. My manager provided a letter stating it was purely budget-related and not performance issues. Still showing "Under Review" and I've been checking the portal constantly! This thread is such a lifesaver - I was starting to think something was wrong with my application. The 2-3 week timeline everyone's sharing helps me set realistic expectations, even though the financial stress is intense with rent due soon. It's crazy how we're all obsessively refreshing that portal hoping for updates! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - knowing I'm not alone in this waiting period is really helping my anxiety. Hopefully we'll all get some good news soon instead of just staring at that "Under Review" status!