Another thing to keep in mind - since you've been at this contract job for 9 months, you should definitely meet the earnings requirements for TWC benefits. Texas requires you to have earned at least $3,822 in your base period (first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file). With 9 months of work, you're likely well above that threshold. Also, make sure you have your most recent pay stub and any tax documents ready when you file - TWC will need to verify your wages. The online application asks for detailed employment history, so having all your dates and employer info organized beforehand will make the process much smoother.

Also worth mentioning - since you know your exact end date 2 weeks in advance, use this time to prepare everything you'll need for your claim. Create accounts on WorkInTexas.com and other job boards now so you can start your work search activities immediately after filing. Download the TWC mobile app and bookmark the website. Having everything ready will help you file quickly the day after your contract ends and start your benefit weeks without delay. The preparatory work you do now will make the actual filing process much smoother when the time comes.

I'm in week 7 of the same nightmare! Filed in mid-March, got my monetary determination letter saying I qualify, but my claim has been "under investigation" this entire time. My former employer is claiming I was terminated for poor performance when I was actually laid off due to downsizing - they even had me train my replacement before letting me go! The most frustrating part is that I've called TWC literally hundreds of times and either get a busy signal or sit on hold for hours before getting disconnected. I've filed all my payment requests religiously every two weeks but my account still shows $0 in payments. My savings are completely drained at this point and I'm behind on everything. What's really maddening is that TWC sent me that determination letter back in March saying I'm eligible, but then nothing happens! How can they say you qualify but then make you wait 2+ months for an actual decision? The system is completely broken. I have emails, my termination letter, and even a witness who saw the whole downsizing process, but apparently none of that matters until they get around to actually looking at my case. For anyone still waiting - definitely keep filing those payment requests no matter what. I've heard if you miss even one week, you lose that money forever even if you eventually get approved. This whole process is designed to wear people down until they give up.

I'm in almost exactly the same situation and it's driving me crazy! Filed my claim about 5 weeks ago, got the monetary determination saying I qualify, but it's been stuck "under investigation" ever since. My employer is also fighting it - claiming I quit when I was actually laid off due to company-wide budget cuts. What really gets me is how they can send you that determination letter saying you're eligible but then leave you hanging for weeks or months without any real updates. I've been doing my payment requests every two weeks like clockwork but my account balance is still $0. The financial stress is unreal when you're counting on this money to survive. I've tried calling TWC dozens of times but it's always busy or I get disconnected after waiting on hold forever. From reading everyone's responses, it sounds like this is unfortunately pretty normal right now - which is both reassuring and infuriating at the same time. @Savannah Vin - those emails about budget cuts and your termination letter should definitely work in your favor! At least you have solid documentation. I'm in a similar boat with my layoff paperwork. Hopefully both our cases get resolved soon and we get that backpay. This whole system really needs an overhaul though - people shouldn't have to wait months for benefits they're legally entitled to!

Just went through this exact scenario last month! You definitely still need to file your payment request even if you made more than your weekly benefit amount - this keeps your claim active. When you report earnings that exceed your WBA, you'll get $0 for that week, but those benefits aren't lost forever. They stay in your account for future weeks when you might not have work or earn less. The key is to always report your earnings for the week you actually WORKED (not when you got paid) and keep doing your required work search activities. I made the mistake of thinking I didn't need to do work searches during a week I was working temp jobs and almost got hit with an overpayment issue. TWC's system will automatically calculate everything once you report honestly, so don't stress too much about the math - just focus on filing on time and being accurate with your reports!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're doing temp work through an agency, make sure you understand how they report your earnings to TWC. Some agencies report weekly, others bi-weekly, and timing can affect which certification period your earnings get attributed to. I had a temp agency job where they paid me for week 1 and week 2 together at the end of week 2, but I had to report the earnings separately for each week I actually worked. Also, keep all your pay stubs from temp work - TWC sometimes asks for documentation during reviews, especially if there are any discrepancies in their system. Better to have everything organized from the start than scramble to find paperwork later!

UPDATE: My check finally arrived today! It was postmarked January 2nd, so it's been sitting in USPS limbo for over 2 weeks. Thanks everyone for your help - I'm definitely setting up direct deposit for my next payment request so I don't have to stress about this again.

So glad you got your check! This is exactly why I always tell people to be patient with TWC mail during the holidays - USPS gets absolutely slammed and things sit in sorting facilities forever. Two weeks in postal limbo is actually pretty typical for January. Direct deposit is definitely the smart move going forward - you'll get your payments in 2-3 days instead of potentially weeks. Just make sure your bank account info is correct when you set it up!

My sister got COVID last month and her company actually let her work remotely even though she normally couldn't. Any chance your employer would consider that? Even if you could do just part of your job from home?

I'm sorry you're going through this - it's really tough being stuck between staying healthy and paying bills. One thing you might want to check is whether your state has any emergency assistance programs through HHSC (Health and Human Services). They sometimes have one-time emergency funds for situations like this. Also, some food banks and community organizations have utility assistance programs that could help stretch your savings while you recover. It's not unemployment, but every little bit helps when you're missing two weeks of pay. Hope you feel better soon!