Congratulations on your successful appeal! This is such encouraging news for everyone in this community. As someone who's been following TWC cases for a while, your story perfectly illustrates why preparation and documentation are absolutely critical. Having those 5 years of performance reviews ready to counter their claims was brilliant - it shows you understood the importance of backing up your testimony with concrete evidence. The fact that you could clearly demonstrate the lack of proper progressive discipline (no written warnings, no PIP) really strengthened your position significantly. While your employer's no-show definitely worked in your favor, it's clear you had a solid case either way because you came so well-prepared. I'm also encouraged that TWC processed your decision in just 5 days instead of the quoted 7-10 days and specifically acknowledged your credible testimony in the decision letter - it really shows they do evaluate cases fairly when presented with clear facts. Thanks for taking the time to update everyone with this positive outcome. These success stories are invaluable for people still waiting on their own decisions and feeling anxious about the process. Hope your backpay processes quickly!

Congratulations on your victory! This is absolutely fantastic news and such a relief after all that stress you were going through. Your case is a perfect example of why good preparation matters so much - having 5 years of solid performance reviews to counter their performance claims was key evidence that really made the difference. The fact that you could clearly show they never followed proper progressive discipline procedures (no written warnings, no PIP) gave you a strong foundation, even beyond your employer not showing up. It's also really encouraging that TWC processed your decision in just 5 days and specifically noted your credible testimony in the decision letter - shows they were really listening to the facts you presented. Thanks for coming back to update us with the good news! These success stories mean so much to others who are still waiting on their decisions and feeling anxious about the whole process. Hope that backpay hits your account quickly!

As someone who's brand new to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by how this thread has become such a comprehensive resource on Texas unemployment benefits! Sofia, huge congratulations on getting approved for the Skills Development program - what an incredible relief that must be after all the stress you were going through. Reading through everyone's contributions has been like taking a masterclass in navigating the TWC system. I had no idea about so many of these details - the distinction between benefit years and benefit amounts, the importance of continuing to file payment requests even with zero balance, or that training programs could potentially extend benefits. The Claimyr recommendation seems like a game-changer for actually reaching a human at TWC given all the horror stories about busy phone lines. What really stands out to me is how willing everyone has been to share their real experiences and practical knowledge to help a fellow community member. This is exactly why communities like this are so valuable - when people are facing stressful situations, having access to others who've been there and know the system inside and out can literally be life-changing. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their expertise - this thread should be bookmarked as essential reading for anyone dealing with benefit exhaustion in Texas!

As someone completely new to this community, I'm honestly blown away by how this thread transformed from Sofia's initial panic about benefit exhaustion into such a comprehensive guide to navigating Texas unemployment! Sofia, congratulations on getting approved for the Skills Development program - that's such fantastic news after everything you went through. Reading everyone's responses has been incredibly educational. I had no clue about the nuances between benefit years and benefit amounts, or that you should continue filing payment requests even with a $0 balance. The Claimyr recommendation seems like a total game-changer for actually getting through to TWC - I can't imagine trying to reach them any other way based on what everyone's shared about those phone lines. What really strikes me about this community is how generous people are with sharing their real-world knowledge and experiences. From the detailed technical explanations to the practical tips about exploring training programs before benefits run out, everyone has contributed something valuable to help not just Sofia, but anyone else who might face similar challenges. This thread should honestly be required reading for anyone dealing with TWC benefits in Texas. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their expertise - this is exactly the kind of supportive community that can make all the difference during difficult times!

I'm at week 7 waiting for my claim approval and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! Got laid off from my job at a dental office, but also worked part-time at a retail store for about 6 months during my base period. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm now 100% convinced it's a wage verification delay. Finally got through using the 7am calling strategy yesterday (took about 30 minutes of redialing) and the agent confirmed that my retail employer hasn't responded to their wage verification request yet. She put an expedite note on my account and said to call back in 10 days if nothing changes. I immediately called my old retail manager after hanging up with TWC, and it turns out they never received any communication from TWC at all! Their HR department moved to a different location recently and TWC apparently had their old address. My manager is calling TWC today to provide the wage info directly. For anyone still waiting - definitely be proactive about contacting your previous employers, especially smaller businesses that might have outdated contact info on file with TWC. This whole process is incredibly frustrating but there IS light at the end of the tunnel. Will update when my claim finally moves!

Wow, this is exactly the kind of real-world insight that TWC should be providing upfront! Seven weeks and it turned out to be a simple address issue that could have been caught much earlier. It's honestly mind-blowing that their system doesn't have any automated way to flag when wage verification requests bounce back due to bad addresses. Your experience perfectly illustrates what so many people in this thread have been saying - the proactive approach of contacting previous employers directly can actually solve problems that TWC's system creates. The fact that your retail store's HR department moved and TWC was still using the old address is probably way more common than anyone realizes. Really hoping your manager's direct call to TWC gets this resolved quickly! And thanks for sharing the successful 7am calling strategy details - 30 minutes of redialing sounds brutal but clearly worth it to finally get answers. Your update is going to give hope to everyone else still stuck in the wage verification limbo. For anyone reading this who's still waiting - @Nia Wilson's experience shows that sometimes the "delay" isn't even a delay, it's just TWC's system failing to reach employers with current contact information. Definitely worth checking with your previous employers about whether they've actually received anything from TWC, especially if it's been 5+ weeks.

One more tip that really helped me - I created a simple template for tracking each work search activity that includes: Date, Company Name, Position Title, Method (online application/email/in-person), Contact Person (if applicable), and Notes. This way if I ever get audited, I have all the details TWC might ask for in one organized place. Also, don't forget that you can count time spent researching companies and positions as part of your job search activities. If you spend significant time on a company's website learning about their culture, values, and open positions before applying, that preparation work can strengthen your application and shows you're being thorough in your search. Best of luck with everything - you've got this!

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're doing freelance or gig work while collecting unemployment, those activities can sometimes count toward your work search requirements too! Things like updating your profile on freelance platforms, bidding on projects, or networking with potential clients can qualify. Just make sure any income you earn gets reported properly to TWC. Also, I've found that keeping a bookmark folder in my browser with all the job sites I use regularly makes it much easier to stay organized with applications. Sites like Indeed, LinkedIn Jobs, ZipRecruiter, and company career pages. The faster you can navigate between sites, the more efficient your job search becomes! One last thing - don't sleep on local job placement agencies and staffing firms. Registering with them and meeting with recruiters definitely counts as work search activities, and they often have access to jobs that aren't posted publicly.

I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare! Filed my claim in mid-January and it's been 3+ months of absolutely nothing. What's driving me crazy is that I can see in my account that all my payment requests show as "processed" but there's never any actual money. Just this vague "under review" status that explains absolutely nothing. I've tried calling during different times of day, different days of the week - doesn't matter. Either immediate busy signal or I'll wait 2+ hours just to get cut off. It's like they have maybe 3 people answering phones for the entire state of Texas. The worst part is not knowing WHY it's delayed. Is it my employer disputing something? A paperwork issue? Identity verification problem? They give you zero information to work with. Meanwhile rent is due, utilities are getting shut off notices, and I'm burning through what little savings I had. I'm definitely going to try that 7 AM calling strategy tomorrow. At this point I'll try anything. Has anyone had luck with the TWC chat feature on their website, or is that just as useless as the phone system? This whole situation is just proof of how broken the unemployment system is. They expect us to jump through every hoop perfectly while they can just ignore us for months with no accountability.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - 3 months without any payments is absolutely unacceptable, especially when you've been following all the requirements perfectly. I went through something very similar last year and it's incredibly stressful not knowing what's causing the delay. A few things that might help while you're trying to get through to someone: 1. Try calling the TWC Tele-Center at 800-939-6631 right at 7:00 AM when they open - this seems to be the best time to actually get through. Have your social security number and claim confirmation number ready. 2. Check your correspondence inbox thoroughly for any notices you might have missed - sometimes there are important documents buried in there that explain what they need from you. 3. Look at your monetary determination letter and compare the wages shown with your actual earnings records. Even small discrepancies can trigger lengthy reviews. 4. Contact your state representative's office - they often have direct contacts at TWC and can help expedite stuck claims. The fact that your payment requests show as "processed" but you're getting no money suggests there's definitely a specific hold on your account that needs to be resolved by a TWC examiner. Once you do get through to someone, don't accept vague answers - ask them to tell you exactly what department has your claim and what specific issue they're waiting to resolve. You should receive all your back payments once this gets sorted out. Keep documenting everything and don't give up - you will get through this!