This whole thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my claim has been stuck in "pending adjudication" for 2 weeks now. My employer laid off half the staff due to "restructuring" but I'm worried they might contest it too. Reading about everyone's experiences with getting through to TWC is both encouraging and terrifying - 67 calls in one day?! I'm definitely going to try some of these methods, especially the early morning calling and maybe that Claimyr service if I get desperate enough. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops just to get the benefits we're entitled to when we lose our jobs through no fault of our own. Thanks Chris for sharing your whole journey - gives me hope that there's light at the end of this tunnel!

Wow, this whole thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently dealing with TWC phone line issues myself - been trying to reach them for about a week now with the same "high call volume" message every single time. My claim shows "under review" and I'm getting anxious about it. @Chris King so glad you finally got through and got your situation resolved! Your employer trying to claim you quit when they literally closed the restaurant is absolutely infuriating. It's crazy how some businesses try to dodge their responsibility to the unemployment system. I'm definitely going to try the 6:59am calling strategy first, and if that doesn't work I'll look into Claimyr. At this point I'm willing to try anything to avoid the endless cycle of busy signals. It's honestly shameful that the state makes it this difficult for people who are already stressed about losing their jobs to access the benefits they've paid into. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips - this community is a lifesaver when dealing with bureaucratic nightmares like this!

I've been following this thread closely as I'm currently stuck with the same EM22 error. Based on everyone's experiences, it seems like this error is much more common than TWC lets on, especially for people with any kind of non-standard employment situation. For anyone still struggling with this, I wanted to share that I found the TWC website actually has a page explaining error codes (though it's buried deep in their help section). EM22 specifically means "Employment verification required" - which confirms what others have said about needing manual review. One strategy I haven't seen mentioned yet: if you have a local TWC office that's open for in-person visits, that might be another option. I called my local office directly and they said they can sometimes help with application errors during walk-in hours, though you'd need to bring all your employment documentation with you. The system really needs to be updated to handle these common scenarios automatically instead of forcing everyone through phone support. But until then, at least we have this community sharing solutions!

I went through the exact same EM22 nightmare about 2 months ago! In my case, it was because I had worked for both a private company and did some freelance work for a nonprofit during the same period. The TWC system just couldn't automatically verify the nonprofit employment. After reading through all these responses, I wish I had known about Claimyr earlier - would have saved me literally days of frustration trying to get through on the phone. I eventually got connected after calling at 7:02 AM on a Wednesday and waiting on hold for about 90 minutes. The whole call with the agent took around 40 minutes once connected. One thing I'd add that I haven't seen mentioned - if you have any pay stubs or W-2s from the employers that might be causing the EM22 error, have digital copies ready on your phone or computer. The agent asked me to verify specific dollar amounts and dates, and having that info immediately available made the process much smoother. Also, they asked for the exact spelling of my employers' legal business names (not just what they go by), so check your pay stubs for the official company names. The good news is once they manually process your application, everything works normally for your weekly certifications. Hang in there - it's frustrating but definitely solvable!

Just wanted to follow up - how did your call with TWC go? Were you able to get through and explain the separation issue?

That's great news that you got through and the agent was helpful! I'm glad you were able to get your side of the story documented. Mass layoffs like yours should be pretty straightforward to verify - TWC can usually see patterns when multiple people from the same company file claims around the same time. Hopefully they'll approve it quickly and you'll get all your back pay too. Keep us updated on how it goes!

I went through something similar last year and managed to get part of my overpayment waived. Here's what worked for me: 1. Be very detailed in your hardship waiver application - don't just say you're struggling financially, show exactly how losing this money affects your ability to pay for basic necessities like rent, utilities, food, and transportation. 2. When you submit your Request to Reopen Appeal, focus heavily on the fact that TWC failed in their duty to properly inform you. The law requires them to provide clear, understandable notices about ongoing requirements. 3. Keep detailed records of every interaction with TWC from now on - dates, times, who you spoke with, what was discussed. The workforce registration trap gets SO many people because TWC doesn't explain it clearly upfront and then acts like it's obvious. You have a legitimate case here, especially since you found work and stopped claiming benefits in good faith. Don't let them intimidate you into thinking this is your fault - their communication system is broken and you're paying the price for their failure. Stay persistent and don't give up. The system is designed to wear people down, but you have rights and options.

I'm sorry you're going through this - the workforce registration requirement has caught so many people off guard. I had a similar issue earlier this year where TWC claimed I didn't meet some obscure requirement that was buried in fine print. One thing that helped me was keeping a detailed timeline of exactly when I applied, what information I received (or didn't receive), and when I stopped claiming benefits. TWC representatives sometimes have different interpretations of the rules, so having everything documented made a huge difference. Also, when you're preparing your appeal paperwork, consider mentioning that you acted in good faith by finding employment and voluntarily stopping your claims. This shows you weren't trying to abuse the system - you just weren't properly informed about ongoing obligations. The appeals process can be frustrating, but don't let them bully you into accepting this without a fight. Many people in similar situations have successfully gotten their overpayments reduced or waived entirely. Keep pushing and document everything!

Smart move uploading those documents proactively! That's exactly what I would recommend. I went through something similar a few months ago - got the verification call even after completing ID.me, uploaded my documents just like you did, and never heard another word about it. One thing that helped ease my anxiety was setting up text notifications in my TWC portal so I'd get immediate alerts if they needed anything else. You can find that under account settings. That way you're not constantly checking your account wondering if something new came up. Sounds like you handled this perfectly though. The fact that you don't have any pending tasks in your portal and your payments are still processing is a really good sign that everything is fine with your claim.

I've been through this exact situation twice now with TWC! The first time I panicked just like you, but it turned out to be completely routine. They're doing these secondary verification calls on a lot of claims right now, even after ID.me verification is complete. The key phrase "we'll contact you if needed" is actually good news - it means they're not seeing any red flags that require immediate action. In my experience, about 80% of people who get this call never hear back about it. Since you've already uploaded your documents proactively, you're in great shape. Just keep an eye on your payment schedule and your TWC inbox. If your payments continue processing normally over the next week or two, you can pretty much consider this matter closed. The fact that they didn't ask for specific documents during the call suggests they're just doing their due diligence, not investigating a problem.