I just went through this verification process yesterday and wanted to add my experience to help others who might be worried. I got a call from a 512 number on Monday and initially ignored it thinking it was spam. They left a voicemail saying they needed to verify my identity for my unemployment benefits to continue, but like others mentioned, no callback number was provided. After reading through experiences here, I decided to call the main TWC line at 800-939-6631 to verify it was legitimate before proceeding. The customer service rep confirmed I was selected for their Random Identity Verification Program and scheduled my verification call for the next day. When they called back, the agent knew specific details about my claim including my previous employer's exact business name and my weekly benefit amount. The whole call took about 10 minutes - they just asked me to confirm my employment history, verify my current address, and answer when I first filed my claim. They didn't ask for my SSN, bank info, or any sensitive data. My benefits continued without interruption. For anyone still dealing with this, my advice is to call TWC directly if you're unsure about the legitimacy of these calls, but don't ignore them completely as it could affect your benefits. The verification process itself is actually pretty straightforward once you know it's real!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Got a call yesterday from a 737 number (Austin area) with a voicemail saying they need to verify my identity for my benefits to continue. No callback number provided which immediately made me suspicious. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I'm feeling much more confident that it's legitimate. I really appreciate how detailed everyone has been about their verification calls - knowing that they ask about employment history and addresses rather than SSN or banking info is super reassuring. I'm planning to call the main TWC line first thing tomorrow morning to confirm I'm in their verification program before I answer if they call back. It's frustrating that TWC doesn't explain this new program better, but this community thread has been incredibly helpful! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences.

Been using Chime with TWC for about 5 months now and wanted to add my experience. The timing is usually very predictable - 1-2 business days after "processed" status like everyone else mentioned. But here's something I haven't seen mentioned yet: if you have the Chime mobile app, you can enable push notifications specifically for deposits. Go to Settings > Notifications > Account Activity and turn on "Money In" notifications. This way you'll get an instant alert the moment your TWC payment hits, instead of obsessively checking your balance every few minutes like I used to do! Also, Chime usually processes incoming ACH transfers in the early morning hours (around 6-8am in my experience), so if you don't see it by mid-morning, it'll likely come the next business day. The wait is definitely stressful but Chime has been the most reliable bank I've used for unemployment deposits.

I'm new to unemployment and just started my claim last week. Reading through all these responses about Chime timing has been super helpful! I'm still waiting for my first payment to even process, but it's good to know that once it does, Chime seems to be one of the faster options for actually getting the money. I was worried I made a mistake not using a "traditional" bank, but sounds like Chime is actually better for this situation. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's really reassuring to see so many people who've been through this and know what to expect. The whole unemployment process is intimidating when you're doing it for the first time.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My employer also terminated me after I gave notice and then tried to claim I quit voluntarily. Reading everyone's experiences gives me so much hope. One thing I wanted to add that might help others - when I was gathering documentation, I found out that my company's employee handbook actually states that giving two weeks notice doesn't guarantee you'll be allowed to work those two weeks. It says management reserves the right to make termination "effective immediately" for business reasons. I'm including this in my appeal because it shows their own policy treats immediate termination after notice as a firing, not a resignation. Has anyone else found their employee handbook useful as evidence? It seems like when companies put these policies in writing, it actually works against their unemployment claims because it proves they view it as termination rather than voluntary separation. Also wanted to say thank you to everyone sharing their success stories - it really helps when you're feeling overwhelmed by the whole process!

I work as an HR specialist and see cases like this all the time - your employer is absolutely trying to game the system! What they did is textbook bad faith: they took advantage of your notice period to terminate you immediately (probably to avoid any potential "disruption" from someone who's leaving), but then reported to TWC that you quit to avoid their unemployment insurance costs going up. Here's what you need to focus on in your appeal: 1. **The chronology is everything** - You gave notice with an end date, but THEY chose to terminate you before that date. That makes it their decision, not yours. 2. **The "safety violations" excuse is likely fabricated** - Notice how they won't specify what these were? Real safety violations would have documentation, incident reports, previous warnings, etc. The timing right after your notice is highly suspicious. 3. **Get everything in writing** - Sounds like you already got HR confirmation of termination, which is perfect. Also request any termination paperwork they have on file. 4. **Continue filing your weekly claims** while the appeal is pending - many people don't realize you should keep doing this even during appeals. The hearing officer will likely see right through your employer's story. I've witnessed dozens of these appeals and employers rarely have documentation to back up sudden "safety violation" claims that conveniently appear after someone gives notice. You've got this!

Good luck!! The whole process is stressful but worth it when you finally get some help. Hope those people you work for realize how badly they're treating their employees.

Just want to add from my experience - when your hours get cut that drastically (like yours from 60 to 24), TWC usually approves partial benefits pretty quickly since it's such a clear case of underemployment. I work in healthcare too and had my shifts reduced during COVID. The key is to apply ASAP because there's usually a waiting week before benefits start, and you want to get that clock ticking. Also, don't let your current employer pressure you not to file - you've earned this safety net through your previous work and tax contributions. You're doing nothing wrong by using a program that exists exactly for situations like yours!

Hey Ethan! I completely understand your stress - I was in your exact situation when I first filed for unemployment last year. That first work search requirement feels so overwhelming when you're trying to figure everything out! The good news is you're actually in great shape! You definitely already have your 3 required activities: 1. Your first job application (save that confirmation email!) 2. Your second job application (save that one too!) 3. All that time you spent researching companies and learning WorkInTexas absolutely counts as job search preparation! I spent hours doing the same thing - setting up my profile, figuring out how the search works, researching employers. When I documented it as "job search preparation and system setup," TWC had no issues with it. Just write something like: "3/28/25: Spent 2+ hours researching employers in my field and setting up WorkInTexas profile - created account, uploaded resume, learned search functions." Don't panic about your claim being rejected - TWC is pretty understanding with first-timers who show genuine effort. Submit what you have documented and stay consistent with 3 activities each week going forward. The first week is always the scariest, but it gets much easier once you know what counts. You've got this!

Hey Ethan! I just went through this exact same panic last month when I filed my first unemployment claim. I was so stressed about that first work search log too! Here's what really helped me - I realized I was way overthinking it. From what you've described, you actually already have your 3 activities covered: 1. Your first job application (keep that email!) 2. Your second job application (keep that email too!) 3. All that time you spent learning WorkInTexas and researching companies - this totally counts! I spent probably 4 hours my first week just trying to figure out how WorkInTexas worked, setting up my profile, and researching which companies were hiring in my field. When I documented it as "Job search preparation: Set up WorkInTexas profile, uploaded resume, researched 5+ potential employers" with the date, TWC accepted it without any questions. The key is just being specific in your documentation. Write down what you did, when you did it, and any relevant details. Something like "3/28/25: Spent 2 hours setting up WorkInTexas profile, uploaded resume, researched job opportunities at ABC Corp, XYZ Industries, and 123 Company." Don't worry about your claim being rejected - TWC knows there's a learning curve for new filers. They're looking for good faith effort, which you clearly showed. Just make sure to consistently hit your 3 activities each week going forward and keep good records. You've got this!