Can I get unemployment and social security at the same time? Texas TWC question

That's genuinely reassuring. I'm definitely able to work — I was planning to keep working until at least 67. The layoff just came out of nowhere.

My first week after getting my determination letter, I was asking the same thing. The TWC worker search requirement still applies too — you can't just collect, you have to actively look for work and log it.

Yeah I saw something about work search activities being required. My county is Harris so I think it's 5 per week? Or is that wrong?

Harris County is 5 per week, that's right. TWC mails you a letter spelling out your specific number. That letter is what you go by, not what someone tells you online.

Wait so Social Security retirement specifically doesn't get deducted? That's the part I really needed to hear. I was scared my whole weekly amount would get wiped out.

Sixth week of my claim and I never knew about the pension base-period rule. My old pension is from way before my base period so sounds like I'm fine too. Good to know.

Right, the SS retirement piece is clear — not deducted. The pension thing depends on whether that employer is in your base period, so your situation there might vary.

Mine is straight retirement, not disability related. So sounds like I'm in a cleaner situation than I thought.

Just got to the payment request stage after my adjudication cleared and I didn't realize there were so many different types of SS benefits that could affect things differently. This thread is really helping me understand my own situation too.

Exactly — retirement vs. disability vs. SSI are three completely different things under the TWC rules. Good luck with your payment requests.

Third attempt at getting through to TWC by phone and I feel this comment deeply. The inconsistency between agents is so frustrating. I've been told completely opposite things about my own claim.

Okay so the consensus is definitely that SS retirement doesn't affect unemployment eligibility or the payment amount. I'm going to go ahead and file.

File as soon as possible — the claim starts on the Sunday of the week you apply and TWC can't go back and pay earlier weeks. Don't wait around.

Good point — I want to make sure I'm doing everything right. So I report it on the payment request form but it doesn't actually reduce the weekly amount?

That's my understanding based on what TWC confirmed for me, yes. SS retirement is not in the category that gets deducted. But report it anyway when asked — always answer the questions on the payment request accurately.

Just starting week one of my own claim and I really appreciate this detail. I would have panicked seeing that income question on the payment request.

Okay that explanation of the base period actually makes sense to me now. My SS has nothing to do with any employer in that window obviously.

Finally at the stage where my payment requests are going through and I still didn't fully understand base period until reading this. 11 years at one company before a layoff — if that company falls partly in the base period, I'd need to check my pension situation.

Right, if your pension is from a base-period employer TWC mails a decision on how it affects your benefits. SS retirement though — that's not on that list.

Part time work while claiming is fine as long as you report every dollar you earn — gross wages for the week you actually worked, not when you get paid. Up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount you keep with no reduction. Above that the payment drops by whatever you earned over that threshold.

So like if my weekly amount ends up being $400, I could earn up to $100 from part time without losing any of that $400?

That's exactly how TWC explains it — $400 weekly amount means you can earn $100 with no reduction. Earn $150 and your payment drops by $50 that week. The example comes straight from TWC's own materials.

Good question because I was wondering the same thing. I've been doing some consulting hours here and there.

That could be an issue depending on what TWC asks for. The letter they mail you is what sets your required number. If it says 5 and you only logged 4 that week, you'd want to document what happened and make sure you hit 5 every week going forward. Keep your work search log detailed.

I did get the letter and it said 5. I just miscounted. Hoping TWC doesn't flag that one week.

Keep the log accurate going forward and don't try to backfill or guess. If they ever audit your work search records, what you have documented is what matters.

I had no idea about the payment requests starting before the determination. So I should be doing those now even though I'm still waiting to hear back?

Yes — the instructions letter TWC mails you has the date to start. If you haven't started requesting yet and your two-week window is coming up, do it on a Sunday through Wednesday. Missing the window means you can still file Thursday through Saturday of that week but not after.

I just checked and my first request date is coming up this Sunday. Good thing I read this.

My question about the SS retirement and my specific weekly amount probably needs a real agent to answer. I'll check that out.

For anything claim-specific that depends on your numbers and work history, an agent is really the only way to get a straight answer.

I've been trying to reach TWC for three days about my work search question and keep getting the busy signal recording. I'll try it.

This is exactly what I needed to see. Someone who actually got through the process with the same situation.

The whole process from filing to first determination took about four weeks like others said. Make sure your payment requests are going in on schedule while you wait.

Determined eligible after six weeks on my claim and can confirm the system does work when you follow the steps. Keep logging work search and keep those payment requests going.

Yes that distinction matters a lot. Adjudication is TWC investigating before a decision. Appeal is after you get a determination you disagree with — and you only have 14 calendar days from the date printed on that determination letter to file. Miss that window and you've lost your chance.

Fourteen days from the date on the letter, not from when you receive it. That's the part that almost got me.

About to enter my fourth week and I keep mixing these up too. So adjudication is before the decision, appeal is after. Got it.

Just set up my WorkInTexas account yesterday and yes this confused me too. The registration process doesn't make it obvious they're the same login.

You have to register on WorkInTexas.com as part of the unemployment process anyway — it's required. Once you do that, your UBS login should work there too.

My first week trying to navigate all this and the shared login tripped me up completely. Good thing this thread exists.

So the waiting week isn't lost forever, it just gets held until those two conditions are both met?

Exactly — both conditions together. Not just after two payments alone. If you return to full time work you have to ask TWC for it specifically.

This was definitely something I had wrong. I thought it paid out after two successful payment requests automatically. Good to know you have to request it if you go back to work.

And 'return to full time work' means actually starting a job, not just accepting an offer. The start date is what ends your eligibility for that week going forward.

How specific do the entries need to be? Like employer name, date, method of contact, that kind of thing?

That's what I capture — employer, position, date, how I applied or made contact. I also keep confirmation emails. If TWC ever audits it I want something concrete.

That level of detail is smart. TWC says keep a work search log and they can request it. What counts as a work search activity depends on your local Workforce Development Board so the letter they mail you spelling out your required number is the thing to hold onto.

Fifth day after my first payment and no card yet. This actually makes me feel better — 10 business days means I should calm down.

Just keep checking the mail. The first one takes the longest. After that it's just the debit card you reload.

I set up direct deposit instead to avoid the card entirely. You can choose that option when you're setting up your payment method in UBS.

Oh that's a really important detail for me since I do some consulting. So if I worked the hours in week one, I report it in week one's payment request even if the payment hits my account in week two?

Exactly. The week you performed the work is the week you report it. Getting paid later doesn't change which week it goes in.

Self-employed and gig workers report net profit instead of gross, that's the other nuance. Regular employment is gross wages.

Keep requesting on your schedule. If you're approved the missed requests don't get paid, so staying on schedule matters a lot.

I checked my letter and my first request window opens this Sunday. I won't miss it.

The mailed instructions letter has the specific date. If you're within the Sunday to Wednesday window, do it now. Thursday through Saturday it can still be filed but only for that week.

How long did your adjudication end up taking total?

About six weeks from application to the determination letter. The agent also confirmed my payment requests were being tracked correctly even though nothing had paid out yet.

My UBS status has said in progress for three weeks and I've been going crazy not knowing what's happening. Good to know that getting to an agent can at least tell you something specific.

This is the full-circle update I needed. Filing today. Thank you everyone in this thread — genuinely helped me stop spiraling and just take the step.

Apply as soon as you can. Your claim starts on the Sunday of the week you file and there's no going back to cover earlier weeks.

Wrapping up week eight of mine and this thread has been the most useful single resource I've found. Everything checks out against what TWC actually does in practice.

Good outcomes all around. The SS retirement and unemployment combination is one of those things people assume disqualifies them but it genuinely doesn't under TWC rules.