Hey Jayden, I went through almost the exact same thing last year and wanted to share what worked for me. Like others mentioned, you probably won't qualify for a new UI claim in December based on your wages, but don't lose hope yet. First, definitely do the gig work thing - I started with Uber Eats and DoorDash while job hunting and it helped cover gas and some bills. Not great money but better than nothing. Second, call 211 ASAP about rental assistance. In my county they had an emergency program that covered 3 months of rent for people who'd exhausted unemployment. The waiting list was long but I got approved. Most importantly - expand your job search beyond warehouse/retail. I was stuck in that same mindset and it took me 7 months to find work. Finally got hired at a small manufacturing company through their temp-to-hire program. The pay was actually better than my warehouse job. Check indeed for "temp to hire" and "entry level manufacturing" - there are more opportunities than you'd think. Also, if you have a car, look into Amazon delivery driver positions. They're always hiring and usually start around $16-18/hour with benefits after 90 days. Not ideal long-term but it's steady income while you keep looking. You've got this - 8 months of job hunting is brutal but don't give up. The right opportunity will come along.

I've been following this thread and wanted to add a few things that might help. I work as a benefits counselor and see situations like yours regularly. First, regarding your December reapplication - based on the wages you mentioned ($3,400 in January + $1,100 in March), you'll fall short of the minimum earnings requirement. You'd need about $16,169 total in your base period, and you're probably around $4,500. However, there are some options people haven't mentioned: 1. **Pandemic-era debt relief**: If you're struggling with bills, contact your utility companies directly. Many still have hardship programs that can defer payments or reduce bills. 2. **Texas Rent Relief Program**: While the main program ended, some cities/counties still have local rental assistance. Check your county's website or call their housing authority. 3. **Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)**: This federal program provides funding for job training and education. You might qualify for free certification programs in high-demand fields like CDL, medical assistant, or IT support. 4. **Texas Department of State Health Services**: They have emergency assistance programs that aren't widely advertised. The key is to apply for everything you might qualify for while working gig jobs. I've seen people turn their situations around, but it usually takes combining multiple forms of assistance rather than relying on just one program. Don't give up - there are more safety net programs available than most people realize.

This is such a common issue with gig work reporting - I went through something similar with Grubhub earnings last year. The TWC's instructions really aren't clear about how to handle these small irregular gig payments, and they definitely don't explain that there's no minimum threshold for reporting. I see you already filed your appeal and got through to TWC via Claimyr - that's great! One thing I'd add based on my experience: when you get to your hearing, make sure to emphasize not just that you misunderstood the rules, but also that your Lyft driving was sporadic and unpredictable (sounds like you only did it when desperate for cash). This helps show it wasn't a consistent income source you were trying to hide. Also, if you haven't already, request a waiver application for the overpayment based on financial hardship. Even if your appeal only partially succeeds, the waiver can sometimes cover the remaining balance if you can show that repaying would cause serious financial difficulties. The fact that you've already spent the money on basic necessities like rent should work in your favor. Keep us posted on how your hearing goes - there are clearly a lot of people in similar situations who could benefit from hearing about your experience!

I went through almost the exact same situation with Instacart last year - got hit with a $4,800 overpayment notice for not reporting about $75-100/week in earnings. I was absolutely panicking because like you, I genuinely didn't know I needed to report such small amounts from gig work. The good news is I successfully appealed and got the fraud designation completely removed! Here's what worked for me: I gathered every single payment record from Instacart showing the exact dates and amounts, wrote a detailed appeal letter explaining that I misunderstood the reporting requirements (not trying to defraud), and emphasized that this was my first time ever filing for unemployment. At my hearing, the officer was actually pretty understanding once I showed all my documentation and explained that I immediately started reporting correctly once I learned the rules. They recalculated my benefits as partial payments instead of a complete denial, which reduced my overpayment from $4,800 to about $2,100. Then I applied for a hardship waiver and got about half of that forgiven too. The whole process took about 3 months from appeal to final resolution, but it was absolutely worth fighting. Don't give up - honest mistakes like this are more common than you think and TWC does show leniency when you can prove it wasn't intentional fraud. You've got this!

I'm so glad to see this thread and that you got approved! I'm currently in the same boat - completed ID.me verification 4 days ago and still showing as unapproved. Reading everyone's experiences here is really reassuring that this is normal and I just need to wait a bit longer. The stress of not knowing when benefits will come through while bills are due is no joke. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and tips - especially the advice about continuing to request payments even while the status shows unapproved. This community is a lifesaver when dealing with TWC's confusing systems!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now and this thread is incredibly helpful! I completed my ID.me verification 6 days ago and my TWC account still shows "unapproved" status. Reading everyone's experiences has really calmed my nerves - it sounds like 3-10 business days is totally normal. I was starting to panic thinking I did something wrong, but now I understand it's just their slow system sync. I've been continuing to request my weekly payments as advised, and I made sure to check that TWC is listed in my ID.me authorized partners (it is). The waiting is torture when rent is due next week, but at least now I know this delay is standard. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and tips!

I went through a DUA denial and successful appeal last year after the ice storm damaged my HVAC repair business. One thing that really helped my case was getting a letter from my insurance company confirming the dates my work vehicle was damaged and couldn't be used. Even though insurance covered the repairs, having that official documentation of how the disaster directly impacted my ability to work seemed to carry a lot of weight with TWC. Also, if you have any text messages or voicemails from clients canceling work due to the flooding, screenshot or save those too! I included several text screenshots where customers specifically mentioned they couldn't have work done because their properties were flooded. Sometimes those informal communications can be just as valuable as formal contracts. The whole process took about 5 weeks from appeal submission to getting my first payment, but it was definitely worth fighting for. Don't give up - it sounds like you have a strong case with all that documentation of canceled jobs!

I'm dealing with a similar DUA denial right now for my house cleaning business! Got the same "insufficient proof of self-employment" reason even though I sent in my Schedule C and client contracts. Reading through everyone's advice here is so helpful - I had no idea I needed to be so specific about showing the direct connection between the disaster and lost work. One thing I'm wondering about - for those who successfully appealed, did you include proof of your typical weekly earnings before the disaster? I have bank deposits showing my regular income pattern, but I'm not sure if that's the kind of documentation they're looking for or if they want something more formal like invoices for every single job. Also, has anyone had success including photos of the actual disaster damage to work areas? Several of my regular clients' homes had significant flood damage that made cleaning impossible, and I took photos when I went to check on them after the flooding. Not sure if that type of evidence helps or if they only care about the business documentation. The 14-day deadline is so stressful when you're trying to figure out exactly what they want!

Based on everything you've shared, I think you have a good case as long as you present it clearly. Remember that you're defending against their appeal - they have to PROVE misconduct, which is a higher standard than just showing performance issues. One more tip: during the hearing, the officer will likely ask if you have any questions for your employer. This is your chance to ask questions that highlight your case. For example, you might ask: "Did I receive any disciplinary actions for misconduct before my termination?" or "Can you point to any company policies that I intentionally violated?" Stay focused, stick to the facts, and emphasize that while you may not have met new performance expectations, you were making good faith efforts to do so. That's the key distinction between performance and misconduct.

Hey Brianna! I went through a similar situation about 6 months ago - employer appealed claiming misconduct when it was really just that I couldn't adapt quickly enough to a major software system change they implemented. Here's what helped me win: 1. I wrote out a chronological timeline with specific dates of when things happened 2. Brought screenshots of my initial job description vs. what they were asking me to do after the change 3. Had emails showing I was asking for additional training/support to meet the new expectations 4. Practiced explaining the situation in 2-3 sentences so I didn't ramble The hearing officer was actually pretty fair and asked good clarifying questions. The whole thing took about 45 minutes. My employer's HR person kept trying to make it sound like I was being defiant, but I stayed calm and just kept emphasizing that I was genuinely trying to learn the new role but needed more time/training. You've got this! From everything you've described, it really does sound like performance issues rather than misconduct. The fact that they changed your role completely is actually a strong point in your favor.