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I'm in the exact same boat right now! Got my determination letter yesterday saying "voluntary quit" when I was clearly laid off due to budget cuts at my company. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea the phone numbers on the determination letters were basically useless. Going to file my appeal online today and try the main 800-939-6631 number instead. It's so frustrating that we have to figure out the actual process through community forums instead of getting clear guidance from TWC directly. Really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences here, especially the tip about continuing weekly certifications during the appeal process. That could have cost me weeks of backpay if I'd missed it! Will definitely update once I make some progress.
Welcome to the club nobody wants to be in! Your situation sounds exactly like what so many of us have been through. The determination letter phone numbers are absolutely worthless - I think they exist just to waste our time. The online appeal route is definitely the way to go, and make sure to upload every single piece of documentation you have about your layoff. Company emails, notices, anything that proves it was involuntary. The 800-939-6631 number does work but expect a long wait. And yes, definitely keep doing those weekly certifications even though you're not getting paid right now - that backpay tip from Mason could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars. Hang in there, the appeal process does work once you get through all the bureaucratic nonsense!
I'm going through this exact nightmare right now too! Got my determination letter three days ago claiming "voluntary quit" when I was actually part of a company-wide layoff due to budget constraints. Like everyone else here, I've been calling that useless number on the letter with zero success - it just rings a few times and disconnects. This thread has been a godsend though! I had no idea I could file the appeal online or that I should be calling the main TWC number instead. Filing my online appeal today with all my layoff documentation (termination letter, company announcement about budget cuts, etc.) and will try the 800-939-6631 number. The tip about continuing weekly certifications during the appeal process is huge - I almost stopped doing them since I'm not getting paid anyway. Could have cost me serious money in backpay! It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to crowdsource the actual process that works while dealing with job loss stress. TWC's official guidance is completely useless. Thanks to everyone for sharing real solutions instead of just venting - this gives me hope that persistence will actually pay off!
You're absolutely right about having to crowdsource the real process - it's crazy that we have to figure this out ourselves! I went through the same thing a few months ago and this community was a lifesaver. One thing I'd add to the great advice already here: when you do get through on the 800-939-6631 number, ask the agent to add notes to your file about the layoff circumstances while you have them on the phone. That extra documentation in their system can really help speed up your appeal review. Also, if you have any coworkers who were part of the same layoff, their contact info might be helpful as potential witnesses if your appeal goes to a hearing. Hang in there - the system is broken but it does work once you navigate all the nonsense!
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I'm going through something very similar right now! My employer initially said "position eliminated due to budget cuts" when I was laid off in January, but now they're claiming I was fired for "poor performance" in their appeal. It's so stressful because like you, I've already been receiving benefits for about 6 weeks and have used that money for essential expenses. Reading all these success stories gives me hope though! I've been gathering evidence - emails about the budget cuts, my last performance review which was "meets expectations," and messages from my supervisor about the department downsizing. My hearing is in 10 days and I'm trying not to panic about potentially owing back $2,800. Has anyone else noticed their former employer waiting months to file an appeal? It really feels like they're hoping we won't be prepared to defend ourselves after all this time. But seeing Eva's win and hearing about others who successfully fought these cases makes me feel like I can do this too. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this community has been a lifeline during such a stressful situation!
@Mia Roberts You re'absolutely right about employers waiting to file appeals - it seems like a common tactic! I just went through this exact situation and won my hearing last month. The fact that you have emails about budget cuts and a recent meets "expectations review" puts you in a really strong position. One thing that helped me was creating a simple timeline document showing: 1 (when) the budget cuts/downsizing was announced, 2 (when) you were laid off with the reason given as position "eliminated, and" 3 (when) they suddenly changed their story to poor "performance in" the appeal. That visual really helped the hearing officer see how their story doesn t'add up. Also, if you have any coworkers who were also laid off during the same budget cuts, their contact info might be helpful as potential witnesses. The hearing officer in my case seemed very interested in the pattern of layoffs versus isolated terminations. You ve'got solid documentation and the truth on your side. Stay confident and stick to the facts during the hearing. These employers are banking on us being too intimidated to fight back properly, but when you re'prepared like you are, justice usually prevails!
I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and it was incredibly stressful! My employer initially said "reduction in force" when they laid me off, then suddenly filed an appeal claiming "insubordination" after I'd been getting benefits for almost 3 months. Just like you, I had already spent that money on rent and groceries. The good news is I won my appeal! What really helped was having everything documented - I had the original layoff notice in writing, plus email chains showing other people were laid off at the same time. The hearing officer seemed really unimpressed that my employer was changing their story months later. A few practical tips that made a difference: - Submit all your evidence 48 hours before the hearing (there should be instructions in your packet) - Write out a brief timeline of events to keep yourself on track during questioning - If your employer brings up anything during the hearing that wasn't in their original evidence packet, you can ask for time to respond The hearing itself was much less scary than I anticipated - just a conference call where the hearing officer asked specific questions. Stay factual, don't get emotional even if they say things that aren't true. You've got documentation about the territory changes affecting your performance - that's a strong defense against a misconduct claim. Hang in there, you can absolutely win this!
@Layla Sanders Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It s'really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the exact same thing with an employer changing their story months later. Your tip about writing out a timeline is brilliant - I ve'been so scattered trying to remember all the details, but having it written down will definitely help me stay focused during the hearing. I m'curious about the evidence submission process - when you submitted your documents 48 hours early, did you email them or was there a specific portal to use? My hearing notice mentions submitting evidence but doesn t'give super clear instructions on the method. Also, did your employer try to bring up other issues during the hearing that weren t'part of their original appeal? I m'worried they might try to throw in random complaints to muddy the waters, even though their official reason was about the territory changes affecting my performance. Your success story gives me so much confidence that I can fight this and win. It s'awful that employers do this to people, but knowing that the hearing officers can see through these tactics makes me feel much better about my chances!
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Fingers crossed for you! You did everything right by acting quickly once your internet was restored and getting proper documentation. I went through something similar last year (missed deadline due to being hospitalized) and the good cause exception saved me. The waiting is the hardest part but you've got solid documentation which is what matters most. Keep us updated on how it goes!
Thank you so much for the encouragement! It really helps to hear from someone who actually went through this process successfully. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking but I'm trying to stay positive. I feel like I covered all my bases with the documentation - got the service outage report from my ISP, the work order showing when the lines were cut and restored, plus all my layoff paperwork. Hopefully that's enough to prove it was truly beyond my control. I'll definitely update once I hear something back!
Just wanted to add that you should also keep copies of everything you submitted for your records. If they approve your good cause exception but then deny the original appeal, you'll want to have all that documentation ready for the next level of appeal. Also, make sure your contact information is current in your TWC account - they'll need to reach you for any hearings or additional information requests. The fact that you have both the internet outage documentation AND the layoff paperwork puts you in a really strong position. Don't let anyone discourage you from fighting this!
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Congrats on getting approved so quickly! That's awesome news. Just wanted to add for anyone else reading this - if you're still waiting on your determination, you can also check if your local workforce center has any emergency assistance programs while you wait. Some areas have rental assistance or food banks specifically for people waiting on unemployment benefits. Also, make sure you're familiar with the work search requirements from day one - you need to complete at least 3 work search activities per week and keep detailed records. The TWC website has a list of what counts as valid work search activities. Good luck with your job search!
This is such helpful advice! I'm new to all of this and didn't even know about local workforce centers having emergency assistance. That could be a real lifesaver for people waiting on their claims. Do you happen to know if there's a way to find out what programs are available in your specific area? I'm in the Dallas area and my neighbor is also waiting on her TWC decision - this info could really help her out too.
For Dallas area specifically, you can check with Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas - they have locations throughout the metroplex and offer emergency assistance programs. You can find their locations and services at wfsdallas.com or call 214-290-1000. They often have partnerships with local food banks and rental assistance programs. Also, 211 is a great resource - just dial 2-1-1 from any phone and they'll connect you with local assistance programs in your area. Hope this helps your neighbor!
Just wanted to share my recent experience since I see this is still an active thread! I filed my claim 3 weeks ago and just got approved yesterday. What really helped speed things up was being proactive about documentation - I uploaded my layoff letter, final paystub, and separation notice right when I filed instead of waiting for them to request it. One thing I learned the hard way: even though my claim got approved, my first payment was delayed because I hadn't completed the required work search activities for the first week. Make sure you're doing those 3 work search activities every single week from day one, even while waiting for approval. The TWC website has good examples of what counts - job applications, networking events, career fairs, etc. Also for anyone still waiting, don't stress too much about the "pending" status. Mine showed pending right up until the day it switched to approved. The system doesn't give you much visibility into where things stand unfortunately. Keep doing those biweekly payment requests and stay on top of the work search requirements!
Thanks for sharing your experience! That's a really good point about uploading all the documentation upfront. I wish I had thought to do that when I filed - I just assumed they'd ask for what they needed. Question about the work search activities - when you say you hadn't completed them for the first week, do you mean the very first week after filing or the first week you were eligible to request payment? I want to make sure I'm tracking this correctly since I'm still pretty new to the whole process.
Ellie Perry
I'm in almost the exact same boat! Just finished my ID.me verification 3 days ago and still showing pending payments. Reading through everyone's responses here is really reassuring - sounds like 3-5 business days is pretty normal. I was starting to worry something went wrong with the verification process. The waiting is brutal when you're already stressed about finances, but at least now I know I'm not the only one dealing with these delays. Really appreciate everyone sharing their timelines and experiences!
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Malik Johnson
•Same here! Just went through this whole process myself a couple weeks ago. The waiting after ID.me verification is definitely nerve-wracking, especially when you're already financially stressed. From what I've seen in this community, most people get their payments within that 3-5 day window, but there can definitely be hidden issues like what Benjamin discovered. If you don't see movement by early next week, I'd recommend trying to get through to an actual TWC rep - either through the phone marathon or one of those callback services people have mentioned. Hang in there!
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Ava Johnson
Just went through this exact same situation a few weeks ago! After my ID.me verification completed, it took exactly 6 business days before I saw payments hit my account. The key thing is to keep doing your biweekly payment requests even while waiting - I almost made the mistake of skipping one thinking I should wait for verification to clear first. One thing that helped me was checking the "Payment Request Status" section in my TWC account daily. Once it switched from "pending" to "processed" I knew things were moving. If you're still seeing "pending" after a full week, that's when I'd recommend trying to get someone on the phone to check for any hidden issues like what happened with your case. The waiting is absolutely brutal when bills are due, but hang in there - sounds like you're on the right track now!
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Oliver Schulz
•This is really helpful info! I'm going through the same thing right now - completed ID.me verification 2 days ago and keep obsessively checking my account hoping to see some movement. It's reassuring to hear that 6 business days is still within normal range. I'll definitely keep an eye on that "Payment Request Status" section you mentioned - didn't even know to look for that specifically. The financial stress while waiting is no joke, especially when you're already struggling. Thanks for sharing your timeline and the tip about continuing payment requests!
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