I'm in almost the exact same situation! Filed in late January and still haven't received a single payment despite doing everything correctly - payment requests every two weeks, work search activities documented, ID verification completed, everything. My claim also just says "under review" with zero explanation. The phone situation is absolutely maddening. I've probably called 50+ times and either get a busy signal immediately or sit on hold for 2-3 hours just to get disconnected. It's like they designed the system to be as frustrating as possible. What's really getting to me is the complete lack of communication. How hard would it be for them to send an email or letter explaining what specific issue is causing the delay? Instead we're just left in limbo while bills pile up and stress levels go through the roof. I'm going to try some of the suggestions here - the 7 AM calling strategy and maybe contacting my state rep. This whole situation is just completely unacceptable when people are depending on these benefits to survive.

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 going through something very similar right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My employer is claiming I resigned when I was actually part of a company-wide layoff in January. I've been stuck in the dispute process for about 5 weeks now. One thing I wanted to add that might help others - I found out that you can also submit witness statements if you have coworkers who can verify that layoffs occurred. I had a former colleague write a brief statement confirming that our entire department was eliminated, and I uploaded it along with my other documentation. Also, for anyone waiting for their fact-finding interview, I noticed that TWC posts updates to their processing times on their website under "Claim Status Updates." It's not super detailed but gives you a general idea of how backed up they are in your region. Really hoping to hear a positive update on your determination letter soon! The waiting is the worst part of this whole process.

I've been following this thread closely as I'm potentially facing a similar situation. My company just announced layoffs for next month and I'm worried my employer might try to claim I quit to avoid paying unemployment benefits. Based on all the great advice shared here, I'm already starting to document everything - saving emails about the layoff announcement, keeping records of any calls or meetings, and making sure I have contact info for witnesses. The tip about requesting your personnel file before filing is brilliant too. One question for those who've been through this - is it worth reaching out to a TWC office in person if you're having trouble getting through on the phone, or do they not handle these types of disputes at the local level? I know everyone's mentioned how hard it is to get through by phone, but I'm wondering if there are other ways to get help if needed. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences here. This community has been incredibly helpful for understanding the process!

Screenshots are a good start, but I'd recommend keeping more detailed records just to be safe. For each work search activity, document: 1) Company name and position applied for, 2) Date and time of application, 3) Method used (company website, Indeed, etc.), 4) Any confirmation numbers or emails you received, and 5) Contact information if available. I keep a simple Excel spreadsheet with all this info, plus I save confirmation emails in a dedicated folder. During my audit last year, they asked for specific details like job posting numbers and application confirmation codes that I wouldn't have remembered without good records. Better to over-document than get caught short later! The TWC website has a work search log template you can download if you want something official-looking, but any organized system works as long as you're consistent with it.

This is such a common issue with TWC! I went through something similar last month where the phone rep was looking at an old claim from 2022 instead of my current one. The determination letter is definitely the official word - those go through legal review before they're sent out, while phone reps sometimes pull up the wrong file. Pro tip: When you call TWC (if you need to in the future), always start the conversation by giving them your claim filing date and asking them to confirm they're looking at the correct claim period. Something like "I filed my claim on [date] and my benefit year began on [date] - can you confirm you're looking at that claim?" Also, keep that determination letter safe! You'll want to reference the benefit amounts and dates if any issues come up later. Congrats on getting approved and good luck with your job search!

Congratulations on getting approved! I went through something very similar last year. The fact that you're seeing a payment with an offset definitely means your claim is approved and you're eligible for benefits. TWC automatically deducts overpayments from previous claims, so this is totally normal procedure. Just keep doing your payment requests on time and maintaining your work search requirements - you should see consistent payments every two weeks going forward. The deductions will continue until your old balance is paid off, then you'll get your full weekly benefit amount. It's such a relief when you finally see that first payment, even with the deduction!

Congratulations on getting your claim approved! Yes, seeing a payment with an offset/recoupment absolutely means your claim went through successfully. I had the exact same thing happen to me - they took out about $300 from my first few payments for an overpayment from 2022 that I had completely forgotten about. It's actually a good sign because it means TWC processed your claim, determined you're eligible, and their system is working to collect the old debt while still paying you benefits. Just make sure to keep track of how much they're deducting each time so you know when it's paid off. The stress of waiting for approval is the worst part - now you can focus on just maintaining your work search requirements and filing your payment requests on time!

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who works in employment law - you're absolutely on the right track! The waiting week payment is one of those things that causes a lot of confusion, but Texas law is pretty clear about it. As long as you've received at least 3 benefit payments and you remain eligible for benefits during the week following your waiting week, you should receive it. The fact that you're now employed doesn't disqualify you from the waiting week payment, since that payment is for a week that occurred before you started your new job. When you file your final request on Monday, just report everything accurately and the system should process the waiting week automatically within 2-3 weeks. One thing to keep in mind: if there are any issues or delays beyond 4 weeks, you have the right to request a review of your claim. TWC is required to provide written notice if they deny your waiting week payment for any reason. But based on what you've described, everything sounds like it should process smoothly. Congratulations on the new position - sounds like you handled your unemployment claim exactly the right way!

I went through this exact same situation last month and wanted to share what happened with my waiting week payment. I started a new job while I still had one more payment request to make, and I was super worried I'd lose out on the waiting week money. Here's what actually happened: I did my final payment request like normal, reported all my new job hours and earnings (even though it meant I got $0 for that final week), and then about 3 weeks later the waiting week payment just appeared in my account as a separate deposit. It was for the full amount too - not reduced by my new job earnings since the waiting week was from before I started working. The most important thing is just being completely honest when you report your work hours on Monday. Don't try to hide anything or game the system. TWC's computers are pretty good at figuring out what you're owed once you've met all the requirements, which it sounds like you definitely have. Also make sure your direct deposit info stays active even after you stop claiming - that's how they'll send the waiting week payment when it processes. Good luck with the new job and don't stress too much about this - it should work out fine!