You've gotten excellent advice here! I went through a similar situation about 6 months ago and won my appeal. One additional tip: when you submit your appeal documents, include a simple timeline showing the progression from "restructuring/layoffs" to suddenly claiming "misconduct" for unemployment purposes. This contradiction often becomes obvious to hearing officers when laid out chronologically. Also, if your company has done other layoffs recently, try to find out if they claimed misconduct for those folks too - it shows a pattern of abuse. The fact that you were laid off with multiple colleagues in a group meeting is actually strong evidence that this was economic, not misconduct-related. Keep us posted on how it goes!

This whole thread has been incredibly helpful for someone in my exact situation! I was also denied for "misconduct" when I was clearly laid off due to budget cuts. After reading everyone's advice, I'm curious - has anyone had success getting their benefits backdated to the original claim date after winning an appeal? I'm worried about the financial gap between now and when this gets resolved. Also, @CosmicCrusader, make sure to document everything your employer told you about the restructuring in writing while it's still fresh in your memory. Even small details about what was said in that group meeting could be important evidence!

One more thing to keep in mind - when you do your weekly payment requests, you'll need to answer questions about your work search activities and any work performed that week. For the week you did the 1099 work, you'll answer "yes" to working and report those earnings, but you'll also still need to show you did your required work search activities that same week (unless you worked full-time hours). Don't assume that working a few days exempts you from the work search requirement - TWC expects you to continue actively looking for permanent employment even while doing temporary work. Also, make sure you understand your local workforce area's specific work search requirements since they can vary slightly by region in Texas.

Good question @Lily Young! Contract/1099 applications definitely count toward your work search activities - TWC considers any legitimate job search effort valid, whether it's W-2 or 1099 positions. What matters is that you're actively seeking work that matches your skills and experience. Just make sure to keep detailed records of each application including the company name, position, date applied, and method (online, in person, etc.). You can also count networking events, job fairs, career counseling sessions, and even creating/updating professional profiles on sites like LinkedIn as work search activities. The key is showing consistent effort to find employment. Since you're in banking, I'd suggest mixing both traditional employment applications with contract opportunities since the financial sector often uses both types of positions.

Quick update - I just received a determination about my appeal for unsafe working conditions. I WON! The hearing officer agreed that I had good cause to quit due to the documented safety violations. I submitted 14 photos, emails showing I reported issues 6 times over 2 months, and OSHA regulations that were clearly violated. For anyone facing a similar situation, DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. No matter what your employer claims, evidence speaks louder than their denials. Thanks everyone for the advice!

I'm going through a similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I quit my construction job last month after repeated safety violations - missing guardrails on scaffolding, no fall protection equipment provided, and electrical hazards that were reported but never fixed. My initial claim was denied for "voluntary quit without good cause" even though I have photos and witness statements. My appeal hearing is next week and I was terrified until reading everyone's experiences here. Thank you all for sharing what worked - I'm printing everything out, organizing it by date, and practicing explaining the specific safety violations calmly. It's encouraging to know that people DO win these appeals when they have proper documentation. Fingers crossed!

I've been following this thread and wanted to add something important that hasn't been mentioned yet. When you file your TWC claim, make sure you select "left work for medical reasons" or similar wording rather than just "quit" - the specific reason you select can make a huge difference in how your claim is processed initially. Also, if your employer tries to contest your claim (which they might to avoid their unemployment insurance rates going up), having all that documentation everyone mentioned becomes even more critical. I've seen cases where employers claim the employee "abandoned their job" instead of acknowledging the medical separation. One more tip: if you have any coworkers who witnessed your struggles with the physical demands of the job or conversations about accommodations, ask them if they'd be willing to provide a brief written statement. Sometimes having witness testimony can really strengthen your case if it goes to appeal. The whole process can be stressful, but don't give up if you get an initial denial. Medical separations often get approved on appeal when you have proper documentation.

I work as a claims specialist (not with TWC but similar state agency) and wanted to emphasize something crucial that could make or break your case: timing matters A LOT. Don't wait until you're in severe pain or completely unable to work before starting this documentation process. The strongest medical separation cases show a clear progression where the person tried to continue working despite medical issues, sought treatment, got restrictions, attempted to work with their employer on accommodations, and only left when it became truly impossible to continue safely. Also, keep copies of EVERYTHING - not just emails but also any texts, photos of your work environment if relevant, and even notes from verbal conversations (date, time, who was present, what was discussed). I've seen cases won and lost based on small details in documentation. One final tip: when you file, be prepared for the possibility that TWC may require you to get an independent medical examination. This is normal for medical separation claims and isn't them doubting your condition - it's just part of their verification process. Your situation sounds like it should qualify if handled properly. Stay organized and don't let anyone pressure you into just quitting without following the proper steps!