I've been reading through all these responses and I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm in almost the exact same situation at my food processing plant - they hired me full-time at 40 hours but now I'm only getting 20-25 hours per week because they say "production is down." I've been putting off applying for weeks because I was scared my employer would find out and maybe just fire me completely, but hearing from so many people who successfully filed and had understanding employers really gives me confidence. The documentation advice about tracking original vs actual hours is really smart - I'm going to start doing that immediately. It's crazy how many of us are dealing with this across different industries! I had no idea partial unemployment was even an option for people still technically employed. Reading that benefits can't be backdated really hit me - I've probably already missed out on weeks of help while hoping things would improve. Definitely applying online this weekend. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's made me realize I shouldn't feel guilty about getting help I'm entitled to when my employer cut my hours through no fault of my own!

I just wanted to chime in and say how valuable this entire thread has been! I'm dealing with a similar situation at my manufacturing job where they cut my hours from 40 to around 24-28 per week about 6 weeks ago. Reading everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring - especially knowing that so many people successfully filed for partial unemployment without any negative consequences from their employers. The key takeaways I'm seeing are: document everything (original schedule vs actual hours), be completely honest about still being employed but with reduced hours, don't wait since benefits can't be backdated, and remember that employers pay into this system specifically for situations like ours. I've been hesitating because I was worried about potential retaliation, but hearing that most supervisors actually expect this when they make significant hour cuts makes me feel so much better. Starting my documentation this week and applying online by Friday. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their stories - you've helped more people than you probably realize!

I'm new to this community but this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation with about $310 left in my TWC benefits and was so confused about the waiting week process. Reading everyone's experiences here has given me so much clarity and peace of mind. @Andre Laurent - your step-by-step breakdown was absolutely perfect and answered all my questions! And hearing the actual timelines from @Maya Diaz, @Kyle Wallace, and others about when the waiting week option appears (24-48 hours after balance hits $0) is so valuable for planning. I've been doing most of my job searches through Indeed and company career pages, so it's really reassuring to hear from multiple people that screenshots and email confirmations from those sources work fine for documentation. I'm definitely going to organize all my records from that first week this weekend to be prepared. One thing I wanted to mention for others in this situation - I noticed that my TWC account has a "Payment History" section that shows each week of your claim with the corresponding dates. This has been helpful for me to identify exactly which week was my waiting week so I can make sure I have the right documentation organized for that specific time period. This community is honestly a lifesaver! You've all provided clearer information than anything I could find on the TWC website. Thank you for sharing your real experiences and making this whole confusing process so much more understandable!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say how incredibly grateful I am for this thread! I'm in almost the exact same situation as the original poster - I have $265 left in my TWC benefits and was completely panicking about whether that would be my final payment or if I'd still get my waiting week. This entire conversation has been such a lifesaver! The TWC website is absolutely useless for explaining this process clearly, and I'd been stressing about my budget planning for next month. @Andre Laurent - your detailed breakdown was perfect and should honestly be the official TWC guidance! And hearing everyone's real experiences about the 24-48 hour timeline for when the waiting week option appears has been invaluable. I've been keeping decent job search records, but after reading @Anastasia Ivanova's advice about needing documentation from that very first week, I'm definitely going to spend this weekend organizing everything from my waiting week period. I've been doing most of my applications through Indeed and LinkedIn, so it's reassuring to hear from multiple people that screenshots and email confirmations from those platforms work fine. One quick question for those who've been through this - after your regular benefits are exhausted and you're waiting for the waiting week option to appear, do you still need to log into your TWC account daily to check, or do they send any kind of notification when it becomes available? I just want to make sure I don't miss the window! Thank you to everyone for sharing your experiences and creating such an amazing resource here. This community is honestly more helpful than hours of trying to navigate TWC's confusing systems!

Hey Giovanni! I just wanted to jump in and say don't let that $0 disbursement get you down too much - I know it's scary when you're already stressed about finances, but it's honestly SO common for new claims. I filed my claim about 3 months ago and went through the exact same thing. What really helped me was creating a simple checklist to stay organized: - Check TWC account daily (set a phone reminder!) - Keep all confirmation numbers and screenshots - Certify every two weeks NO MATTER WHAT (even with $0) - Log work search activities consistently The waiting is absolutely brutal, but I eventually got 4 weeks of backpay once everything processed. The key is just staying consistent with all the requirements even when it feels pointless. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure you're checking both the desktop website AND the mobile app. Sometimes one shows information that the other doesn't (weird, I know, but the system has quirks). You're being really smart by asking questions early instead of just hoping everything works out. This community saved my sanity during the waiting period! Keep us posted on how things develop - we're all rooting for you! 🤞✨

Hey Giovanni! I just wanted to add one more perspective since I see you're getting tons of great advice here. I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago and that $0 disbursement had me questioning everything I'd entered on my application! One thing that really helped me was understanding that TWC has different "phases" of review for new claims: 1. Initial application review (1-2 weeks) 2. Wage verification with employers (1-3 weeks) 3. Eligibility determination (few days to a week) The $0 you're seeing is most likely because you're still in phase 1 or 2. Since you just filed last week, you're right on track timing-wise. Here's something specific I wish I'd known: check your "Payment Request" history page (not just the current status). Sometimes it shows more detailed information about why payments are pending, like "Under Review" or "Wage Verification in Progress." Also, if you haven't already, make sure you've got your TWC account set to send you text AND email notifications. I missed an important identity verification request because I was only checking one method. The system really is designed poorly and creates way more anxiety than necessary, but you're doing everything right by staying proactive and asking questions. Keep that momentum going and don't let the waiting period discourage you from staying consistent with everything! You've got this! 💪

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!

Hey everyone! I'm also brand new to unemployment (just filed my claim this week after getting laid off in mid-January) and this entire thread has been absolutely invaluable. Reading about CosmicCowboy's quick payment processing gives me so much hope - I was honestly terrified I'd be waiting 2+ months based on some of the horror stories I've seen online. The waiting week explanation makes perfect sense now that everyone has broken it down. I had no idea this was standard policy and was definitely expecting two full weeks for the first payment too. It's really frustrating that TWC doesn't explain this clearly during the application process! I've been furiously taking notes on all the amazing advice shared here. Planning to set up that mobile app tonight, create a proper spreadsheet for work search tracking (been using a messy notes app until now), and set up those calendar reminders with multiple alerts. The screenshot tip for payment confirmations is genius - never would have thought to keep that kind of documentation. For work search activities, I've been stuck in the "just apply online" mindset, but hearing about virtual networking events, career workshops, and even LinkedIn engagement counting toward the requirements really opens up my options. Definitely going to check out that WorkInTexas.com integration that was mentioned. This community is providing way more practical guidance than anything I've found on the official TWC website. Thanks for creating such a helpful discussion!

I'm currently in the exact same boat as you! Just got my TWC approval 4 days ago and my first payment was processed yesterday too. The timing stress is so real when you have rent due - I've been reading through all these responses and it's both comforting and nerve-wracking to see the range from 5 days to 3 weeks! Based on everyone's Dallas area experiences here, it sounds like 6-8 business days is pretty typical for our metro area, which would put us right around next Tuesday/Wednesday. I just called US Bank at that 1-800-657-6343 number that everyone mentioned and they confirmed my card was mailed today - way more helpful than trying to get through to TWC! Also signed up for USPS Informed Delivery after seeing it recommended so many times in this thread. Already feeling less anxious knowing I can track what's coming each day instead of obsessively checking my mailbox. The proactive landlord call advice is spot on too - just got off the phone with my property manager and they were totally understanding about a potential few-day delay. Such a relief to get that conversation over with! Fingers crossed we both get our cards on the faster end of that timeline. Keep us posted when yours arrives - it'll be a good indicator for the rest of us waiting! 🤞

I'm also going through this exact same timeline stress right now! My first TWC payment was processed 3 days ago and I'm anxiously waiting for the ReliaCard to arrive. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - it sounds like the Dallas metro area typically sees 6-8 business days from payment processing to delivery. I've already taken several of the great suggestions from this thread: - Called US Bank at 1-800-657-6343 yesterday and they confirmed my card was mailed (much more helpful than TWC!) - Signed up for USPS Informed Delivery to track incoming mail daily - Had the proactive conversation with my landlord about potential timing - they were totally understanding - Downloaded the US Bank ReliaCard app to be ready when it arrives The plain white envelope warnings are so important - I'll be checking every piece of mail carefully over the next week. It's really reassuring to see so many positive Dallas area experiences with delivery times in the 6-7 day range. For anyone else going through this waiting game - the anxiety is real but it sounds like the cards do consistently arrive within that 7-10 business day window. The key seems to be being proactive with landlords and having backup plans ready. Hang in there! 🤞