Can I claim TWC benefits when my full-time job keeps cutting my hours?

Yes, you can absolutely file for partial unemployment in Texas when your hours are reduced! The TWC calls this 'underemployment' and you're eligible if your hours have been cut or your pay has been reduced through no fault of your own. Keep in mind you'll need to report any wages you do earn when you request payment each week, and TWC will adjust your benefit amount accordingly. Make sure you document the change from your full-time schedule to these reduced hours - any emails or schedule changes that show the reduction will help your case.

same thing happend to me at my warehouse job!! boss kept sayin it was temporary but went on for like 6 months. def file for benefits, thats what there for

What if they fire me for applying??? I'm so worried they'll find out and just let me go completely! I need SOME income even if it's reduced. Has anyone had their employer get mad about them applying for benefits? Could this get me in trouble at work??

I finally got through to TWC last month after trying for WEEKS with busy signals and disconnects. I used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a TWC agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending days trying. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh and website is claimyr.com. Worth it when you're dealing with complicated situations like partial unemployment where you really need to talk to someone. The agent confirmed exactly what others are saying - reduced hours qualifies as partial unemployment.

make sure u keep track of ur hours every week!!! my cosin applied for partial unemploymint and got denied cuz he didnt have proof of his schedule changing

When I applied for unemployment last year it was because I got completely laid off but honestly the TWC process is such a mess even for regular claims. I can't imagine how they handle these partial situations. It took THREE MONTHS for me to see my first payment and by then I had already found another job. The whole system is designed to discourage people from applying I swear.

Another question - do I have to do the work search requirements if I'm still technically employed but just getting fewer hours? My manager keeps saying more hours are coming soon, so I'm not sure if I should be applying for other jobs if this is temporary.

did u try askin for more hrs in other departments? sometime they let u cross train in other areas if ur current department is slow

One more thing to remember - when you apply, make sure to indicate that you are still employed but with reduced hours. There's a specific question about this in the application. If you say you're totally unemployed when you're actually still working reduced hours, it could cause problems with your claim later. Be prepared to provide documentation showing your previous full-time schedule compared to your current reduced hours. Paystubs showing the difference in hours/earnings can be helpful.

I've helped several clients with partial unemployment claims. Here's what you need to know about the earnings deduction: For each payment request period, TWC will deduct a portion of your earned wages from your weekly benefit amount (WBA). The formula they use is that you can earn up to 25% of your WBA with no deduction. After that, they deduct dollar for dollar. For example, if your WBA is $400 and you earn $150 in a week, only $50 would be deducted (since you can earn $100 with no deduction). You'd receive $350 in benefits for that week. This is why accurate reporting of your hours and wages each payment period is crucial.

I went through this exact same situation at a steel plant about 8 months ago. Started at 40 hours, then they cut us back to 24-30 hours consistently for almost 4 months. I was scared to apply too but honestly it saved me from losing my apartment. The TWC online application is pretty straightforward - just make sure you answer "yes" when it asks if you're still employed but with reduced hours. They did contact my employer but it was just routine verification, no drama at all. My supervisor actually said they expected people to file when hours got cut that much. The whole process took about 3 weeks from application to first payment. Don't wait too long to apply - benefits can't be backdated before your application date. Your situation sounds exactly like what the partial unemployment program is designed for.

I was in a similar situation about 6 months ago at a food processing plant. They hired me full-time but then kept cutting our hours due to "supply chain issues." I was terrified to apply because I thought it might make things worse with my employer, but honestly it was the best decision I made. The TWC process for partial unemployment is actually pretty smooth - you just need to be completely honest about your situation and keep good records. What really helped me was keeping a simple spreadsheet tracking my scheduled hours vs actual hours worked each week. When they asked for documentation, I had everything ready. The key thing is that this isn't your fault - your employer reduced your hours due to lack of work, which is exactly what the partial unemployment system is designed to help with. Don't let pride or fear stop you from getting the help you're entitled to. Your bills won't wait for "business to pick up.

I'm in almost the exact same boat right now! Been at my job for about a year and they keep promising things will improve while my hours keep getting slashed. It's so frustrating when you're trying to budget and plan but have no idea what your paycheck will look like each week. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening - I had no idea partial unemployment was even an option. I think I've been suffering in silence thinking I just had to deal with it. The fact that so many people have successfully gone through this process and their employers were understanding about it makes me feel a lot more confident about applying. My situation sounds identical to yours - manufacturing job, hired full-time, now getting way fewer hours due to "slow business." I'm definitely going to start documenting my hours like others suggested and apply this week. We shouldn't have to choose between paying rent and keeping our jobs!

Just wanted to add my experience to help others who might be hesitant about applying. I was in a very similar situation at an automotive parts factory - hired full-time but then hours got cut to 20-25 per week for almost 5 months. I waited way too long to apply because I was worried about my employer's reaction, but when I finally did file for partial unemployment, it was honestly a lifesaver. The process was straightforward - I applied online, answered honestly about still being employed but with reduced hours, and provided my recent paystubs showing the hour reduction. TWC contacted my employer for verification, but my supervisor said it was totally normal and they deal with these requests regularly when they have to cut hours. The best advice I can give is don't wait - apply as soon as your hours are consistently reduced because you can't get benefits for weeks before you applied. Keep detailed records of your hours and wages, and remember that this program exists specifically for situations like yours where you want to work full-time but your employer can't provide the hours due to business conditions.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now at my warehouse job! They hired me full-time at 40 hours but now I'm lucky to get 25-30 hours a week. Reading all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea partial unemployment was even an option. It's really reassuring to see so many people successfully navigate this process and that most employers are understanding about it since they're the ones who reduced the hours in the first place. I'm definitely going to start documenting my hours like everyone suggested and apply this week. The point about benefits not being backdated really hit home - I've been waiting for things to "get better" for 2 months now but my bills aren't waiting. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, it's given me the confidence to finally take action and apply for the help I'm entitled to!

I'm dealing with something similar at my retail job - they hired me as full-time but now I'm getting maybe 20-25 hours a week because they say "holiday season is over and business is slow." Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so eye-opening! I had no idea partial unemployment existed and thought I just had to accept the reduced hours and struggle to pay my bills. The fact that so many people have successfully filed and their employers were understanding about it really gives me hope. I'm definitely going to start documenting my hours vs my original schedule and apply this week. It's crazy that we all went through the same thing - being hired full-time only to have hours slashed later. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - knowing that this program exists specifically for our situation and that employers generally understand when people file after hour cuts makes me feel so much better about applying!

I'm in the exact same situation at my construction supply company! Started full-time at 40 hours but now I'm down to maybe 24-30 hours per week because orders have dropped off. I've been stressing about money for months thinking I just had to deal with it. Reading everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - I had no idea partial unemployment was even a thing! It's really encouraging that so many people went through this successfully and their employers were understanding about it. The documentation advice about tracking scheduled vs actual hours is really smart. I'm definitely going to start keeping records and apply online this week. It's wild how many of us are dealing with the same thing - being hired "full-time" only to have hours slashed later. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories and advice - you've given me the confidence to finally apply for help instead of just hoping things will magically get better!

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who shared their experiences in this thread! I've been dealing with reduced hours at my job for about 2 months now (went from 40 hours to sometimes as low as 22 hours per week) and I had no idea partial unemployment was even an option. Reading all these stories from people in manufacturing, retail, construction, and warehouses who went through the exact same thing has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. The common themes I'm seeing are: 1) Don't wait to apply since benefits can't be backdated, 2) Keep detailed records of your original schedule vs actual hours worked, 3) Be honest in the application about still being employed but with reduced hours, and 4) Most employers understand this situation since they're the ones who cut the hours. I'm definitely going to start documenting everything and apply online this week. It's such a relief to know this program exists specifically for situations like ours where we want to work full-time but our employers just can't provide the hours due to business conditions. Thanks again to everyone for sharing - you've given me (and probably many others reading this) the confidence to finally get the help we're entitled to!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a very similar situation at my electronics assembly job - they hired me full-time but I've been getting only 25-32 hours per week for the past month and a half. Management keeps saying it's "temporary" but my bills aren't temporary! Reading everyone's experiences has given me the confidence to finally apply for partial unemployment. The documentation advice is great - I'm going to start tracking my original 40-hour schedule against what I actually work each week. It's reassuring to know that so many people successfully filed and their employers understood since they're the ones who made the decision to cut hours. I had no idea this program existed but it sounds like it's designed exactly for situations like ours. Definitely applying online this week before I lose out on any more potential benefits. Thank you all for sharing your stories and making this feel less intimidating!

I've been following this thread and wanted to add some encouragement - I was in almost the exact same situation at my logistics company about 6 months ago. They hired me at 40 hours but kept cutting me down to 24-28 hours per week saying "freight volume is down temporarily." I was terrified to apply because I thought it might jeopardize my job, but honestly it was one of the best decisions I made. The TWC application process was straightforward - I just had to be completely honest about still being employed but with significantly reduced hours. My employer was contacted for verification but it was totally routine, no drama at all. What really helped my case was having documented proof of the hour reduction - I kept copies of my original job offer showing 40 hours/week and compared it to my recent paystubs showing the reduced hours. The partial unemployment benefits made the difference between keeping my apartment and potentially becoming homeless. Don't let fear stop you from getting help you're entitled to - your employer is paying into this system specifically for situations like yours where hours get cut due to business conditions beyond your control!

I'm in a very similar situation at my packaging facility! They hired me full-time but I've been getting only 20-28 hours per week for the past two months. Reading through all these experiences has been so helpful - I had no idea partial unemployment was even available for people still employed but with reduced hours. The consistent advice about documenting everything (original schedule vs actual hours), being honest in the application, and not waiting since benefits can't be backdated really stands out. It's encouraging that so many people's employers were understanding since they're the ones who made the decision to cut hours. I've been struggling to cover my utilities and car payment on these reduced paychecks, but I kept thinking I just had to wait it out. Seeing all these success stories from people in manufacturing, retail, construction, and other industries gives me the confidence to finally apply. Starting my documentation this week and applying online by the weekend. Thanks to everyone for sharing - this thread has been a lifesaver!