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Lucas Adams

Can I get a TWC benefit extension after exhausting regular unemployment in 2025?

I've been on unemployment since January and just got the notification that I only have 2 more payment requests before my benefits run out completely. My industry (hospitality management) is still struggling in my area and I haven't found work yet despite doing all my work searches faithfully. Does TWC offer any kind of extension once you've used up all your regular benefits? I've heard people mention something about "extended benefits" but I can't find clear info on the TWC website about whether that's still available in 2025 or how to apply for it. I'm getting really anxious as my last payment is coming up in 2 weeks and I have no job prospects yet. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Harper Hill

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nope ur done when ur done. texas doesnt do extensions anymore since covid ended. they used to have it but not now sorry

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Lucas Adams

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Oh no, that's what I was afraid of. Are you 100% sure about this? The TWC website isn't very clear.

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Caden Nguyen

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The WHOLE SYSTEM is designed to kick you off as fast as possible!!!! I exhausted my benefits last month and TWC doesn't care AT ALL if you still can't find work. They told me to apply for SNAP instead. SNAP!!!! Like that's gonna cover my mortgage. The extended benefits program ended years ago and they NEVER brought it back. It's all about corporate profits now, not helping actual TEXANS who need assistance!!!

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Lucas Adams

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That's so discouraging. Did you end up finding work after your benefits ended? I'm really worried about what comes next.

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Caden Nguyen

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I pieced together some gig work and my sister helped me with rent last month. Still looking for something permanent. The system is BROKEN!!!

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Avery Flores

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Unfortunately, Texas doesn't currently offer additional benefit extensions beyond the standard 26 weeks of regular unemployment insurance. Extended Benefits (EB) and other extension programs were available during the pandemic and some previous recessions, but they aren't active in Texas right now. Here are some options to consider: 1. Double-check your total benefit amount on your TWC account - sometimes people miscalculate their remaining benefits 2. Look into Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) if your job loss was related to foreign trade 3. Consider applying for Disaster Unemployment Assistance if you're in a federally declared disaster area 4. Reach out to your local Workforce Solutions office for job placement assistance and training opportunities 5. Apply for SNAP benefits and other assistance programs to help with basic needs while job searching Also, I'd recommend calling TWC directly to confirm you've understood your benefits exhaustion correctly. Sometimes there are nuances to individual cases.

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Lucas Adams

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Thank you for such a detailed response. I really appreciate it. My job loss wasn't trade-related and there's no disaster declaration, so those options won't work for me. I'll definitely double-check my benefit amount though - maybe I misunderstood something. And I'll look into Workforce Solutions too.

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Zoe Gonzalez

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i was in the same situation last year and what saved me was getting into a training program through workforce solutions. if you get approved for their training program you can sometimes get a stipend while learning new skills. worth checking out

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Lucas Adams

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That's really good to know! What kind of training did you do? And how long did it take to get approved?

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Zoe Gonzalez

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i did IT certification training. took about 3 weeks to get approved but your area might be different. go to the workforce office in person - way better than trying to do it online

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Ashley Adams

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One thing nobody's mentioned is that you should keep requesting payments even after your benefits are exhausted. This seems counterintuitive, but it's important because: 1. If there's ever a federal extension program implemented (which sometimes happens during economic downturns), you'll already be in the system as someone actively requesting benefits 2. TWC sometimes makes retroactive adjustments to benefit amounts based on quarterly wage recalculations 3. It demonstrates continuous job search activity if you later need to reapply Regarding contacting TWC directly - I was in your situation in March 2025 and tried calling for weeks. Always busy signals or disconnects. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual TWC representative in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh The TWC rep confirmed what others have said - no extensions currently available, but gave me specific information about training programs I qualified for through Workforce Solutions.

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Lucas Adams

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Thank you so much for the tip about continuing to request payments! I wouldn't have thought of that. And I've been trying to call TWC for days with no luck, so I'll check out that Claimyr service. Did you end up doing one of the training programs they mentioned?

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Ashley Adams

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Yes, I did their healthcare administration program. It took 12 weeks and I got a job within a month of finishing. The stipend wasn't much but it helped bridge the gap. The key was getting accurate information about which programs had the best job placement rates in my area, which I wouldn't have known without speaking to an actual TWC specialist.

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My cousin said he got an extension but I think he was talking about his claim from 2021 during COVID. Things are totally different now.

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Avery Flores

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You're absolutely right. During COVID, there were multiple extension programs including PEUC (Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation) and PUA (Pandemic Unemployment Assistance) that provided additional weeks beyond regular benefits. Those programs have been discontinued and haven't been replaced with any other extension options in Texas.

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Aaron Lee

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I work in hospitality too and it's been brutal this year. Have you tried looking at healthcare jobs? Sounds weird but a lot of us from hotels have been able to transfer our customer service skills to medical office jobs. They're desperate for people and many places will train you. Just a thought!

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Lucas Adams

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That's actually a really interesting suggestion I hadn't considered. Did you make that switch yourself? I've been so focused on staying in my industry that I might be missing opportunities elsewhere.

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Aaron Lee

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Yes! I was a hotel front desk supervisor and now I work in patient registration at a hospital. Similar skills - dealing with stressed people, handling sensitive information, multitasking. Pay is actually better and the hours are more predictable. Many places are hiring with just a high school diploma if you have good people skills.

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Avery Flores

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One last suggestion - check back with TWC in late July. Benefit availability sometimes changes with the start of new fiscal quarters, and occasionally new programs become available. If you continue making payment requests as another commenter suggested, you'll remain active in their system and be notified if anything changes. Also, TWC does periodically review the economic conditions in the state to determine if the Extended Benefits (EB) program should be triggered. While it's not currently active, that status can change if unemployment rates hit certain thresholds. It's rare outside of major economic downturns, but worth keeping an eye on.

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Lucas Adams

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Thank you for this hope! I'll definitely keep requesting payments and check back in July. This has all been really helpful information.

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Zadie Patel

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I'm in a similar situation and just wanted to share what I've learned from calling around to different agencies. While TWC doesn't have extensions right now, I found out that some local churches and nonprofits have emergency assistance programs that can help with utilities or rent while you're transitioning. Also, if you have any military experience, the VFW sometimes has special job placement programs. And don't forget to check if your county has any local workforce development grants - some areas have programs that aren't widely advertised. It's tough out there but there are more resources than you might think if you dig around. Hang in there!

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Nia Jackson

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This is really helpful advice, thank you! I hadn't thought about reaching out to local churches or nonprofits for emergency assistance. Do you have any specific suggestions for how to find these programs? I'm not military but the idea of looking for local workforce development grants is great - I'll start checking with my county office. It's encouraging to hear there might be more resources available than what's obvious on the surface.

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Chloe Harris

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@Zadie Patel Thank you so much for mentioning these local resources! I hadn t'even thought about churches or nonprofits for emergency assistance. Do you happen to know the best way to find these programs? Should I just start calling churches directly or is there some kind of directory? I m'willing to try anything at this point. The county workforce development grants idea is brilliant too - I ll'call my county office tomorrow. It s'really encouraging to know there might be help available that I haven t'discovered yet.

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Grace Johnson

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@Zadie Patel This is such valuable information! I m'going to start calling local churches and nonprofits in my area tomorrow. Do you know if United Way maintains a database of these emergency assistance programs? I ve'also heard that some food banks have connections to other local resources beyond just food assistance. Really appreciate you sharing these ideas - it gives me some hope when I was feeling pretty desperate about my situation after benefits run out.

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@Zadie Patel This is really helpful! I m'going to start looking into these local resources right away. For finding church and nonprofit programs, I ve'had luck calling 211 - they usually have a database of local assistance programs. Also, your local library often has information about community resources that aren t'well-publicized online. Some food pantries also keep lists of other local assistance programs, so that might be another good starting point. Thanks for giving me some new directions to explore - I was feeling pretty hopeless but this opens up some possibilities I hadn t'considered.

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Carmen Vega

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I'm sorry to hear you're going through this stressful situation - hospitality has definitely been hit hard and the job market is tough right now. Unfortunately, what others have said is correct - Texas doesn't currently offer benefit extensions beyond the standard 26 weeks. The Extended Benefits program that existed during COVID and previous recessions isn't active. However, don't give up hope! Here are some immediate steps I'd suggest: 1. Contact your local Workforce Solutions office ASAP about their training programs - some offer stipends while you learn new skills, and as others mentioned, they often have better job placement rates than going it alone 2. Call 211 for a comprehensive list of local assistance programs for rent, utilities, and food while you transition 3. Consider expanding your job search beyond hospitality - your customer service and management skills are highly transferable to healthcare admin, retail management, and office environments 4. Keep filing your payment requests even after benefits end (as someone else wisely mentioned) in case any federal programs become available 5. If you're able to get through to TWC (try that Claimyr service another commenter mentioned), ask specifically about Trade Adjustment Assistance or any disaster-related programs you might qualify for The next few weeks will be challenging, but many people have successfully transitioned from hospitality to other industries. Your management experience is valuable - don't underestimate how that translates to other fields. Hang in there!

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Arjun Kurti

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@Carmen Vega Thank you so much for this comprehensive response! This is exactly the kind of roadmap I needed. I m'definitely going to call 211 first thing tomorrow morning - I had no idea that was even a resource. And you re'right about not limiting myself to hospitality. I ve'been so focused on finding the same "type" of job that I might be missing better opportunities elsewhere. The suggestion about healthcare admin is particularly interesting since a couple other people mentioned that field too. I m'feeling more hopeful now that I have concrete next steps instead of just panicking about my benefits ending. Really appreciate you taking the time to lay all this out!

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I went through the exact same thing in hospitality management last year and it's absolutely terrifying when you see those final payments approaching. What really saved me was diversifying my approach - I ended up getting hired at a corporate event planning company where my hotel management experience was actually a huge asset. They loved that I understood logistics, vendor management, and could handle high-pressure situations with demanding clients. A few practical tips that worked for me: - LinkedIn was more helpful than job boards for management positions. I messaged hiring managers directly explaining how my hospitality skills transferred - Temporary staffing agencies often have immediate openings in office management and customer service roles that can bridge the gap - Check out your local community college's continuing education programs - some offer free courses in software like QuickBooks or Excel that can make you more competitive Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're claiming every deduction possible on your taxes and look into whether you qualify for any local energy assistance programs. Every little bit helps when you're stretching resources. The job market is definitely tough right now, but your management background is more valuable than you might think outside of hospitality. Don't give up!

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Javier Torres

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@Morita Montoya This gives me so much hope! I never thought about event planning companies valuing hospitality management experience, but you re'absolutely right about the logistics and vendor management skills transferring over. That s'such a smart pivot. I ve'been hesitant about reaching out directly to hiring managers on LinkedIn because I wasn t'sure how to position my hospitality background for other industries, but your example shows exactly how to frame those transferable skills. The temporary staffing agency idea is brilliant too - I could use some immediate income while I figure out my next move. Thank you for sharing your success story and the practical tips. It s'encouraging to hear from someone who was in the exact same situation and found a way through it!

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