Can I still get TWC benefits with fluctuating part-time work while searching for another job?

Yes, you can definitely still receive partial unemployment while working part-time AND looking for another part-time job. This is actually quite common! TWC uses what's called a "partial unemployment" calculation where they deduct 30% of your weekly benefit amount, then subtract your earnings from that week. As long as you earn less than your weekly benefit amount, you'll receive some payment. For example: If your WBA (weekly benefit amount) is $420, TWC doesn't count the first $126 (30% of $420) of your earnings. So you can earn up to $126 and still get your full $420. After that, each dollar reduces your benefit by a dollar. Regarding work search - YES, you still need to complete 3 work search activities each week when requesting payment. Being part-time employed doesn't change that requirement. Make sure you're documenting these properly in your payment requests.

I went thru this last yr. TWC system is SO confusing with part time work!!! Some weeks u get paid some weeks NOTHING even when ur hours are similar!! Make sure u report EXACTLY what u earned each week not wat u got paid. The week ends Saturday at midnight for TWC. I almost got hit with an overpayment bc I reported wrong!

Let me clarify a few things about your situation: 1. You can absolutely receive unemployment while working part-time AND searching for another part-time job. TWC doesn't require you to look for full-time work only. 2. The calculation works like this: TWC subtracts 30% of your Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA), then subtracts your gross earnings (before taxes) for that week. Whatever remains is your payment. 3. Work search requirements: Yes, you must complete 3 work search activities EACH week you request payment, even if you already have part-time work. This is a common misunderstanding. 4. Important: Be very careful to report wages for the week you EARNED them, not when you got paid. The TWC week runs Sunday through Saturday. 5. Keep detailed records of all your work searches and hours worked. TWC can audit you up to a year later. Hope this helps clarify things!

This situation sounds familiar... I was working like 20ish hours at a restaurant last year while on unemployment. TWC actually stopped all my benefits for 3 weeks because they said I wasn't doing enough work searches even though I was already working! Had to call them to fix it and it was IMPOSSIBLE to get through. Spent days just calling and getting busy signals.

The system is designed to FAIL US!!! I went through the exact same thing and TWC flagged my account for "inadequate work search" even though I was working 20 hours already! Then they DEMANDED I pay back $2100 in benefits! It took EIGHT WEEKS of appeals to get it resolved. They don't care about part-time workers AT ALL!!!! The entire system is broken!!!!

heya i work 2 part time jobs and still get unemployment sometimes. just make sure ur reporting both jobs when u do ur payment request thing. also they only care about what u made that week not how many jobs u have

Since no one has mentioned it yet - make sure you're using WorkInTexas.com for at least some of your work searches. TWC prefers this, and it automatically documents your work search activities. Also, any week you earn more than your WBA, you won't receive benefits, but you still need to request payment and report your work searches to keep your claim active. If you don't request payment for three weeks in a row, your claim becomes inactive and you'll need to reapply.

Just wanted to add one more important detail that might help - when you're working part-time with fluctuating hours like you described, TWC calculates your benefits based on your GROSS earnings (before taxes) for each specific week. So if you work 15 hours one week at $12/hour, that's $180 gross that week. If your WBA is $300, they'd subtract 30% ($90), leaving $210, then subtract your $180 earnings, giving you $30 in benefits for that week. The key is being super consistent with reporting. I've found it helpful to keep a simple weekly log with: dates worked, hours worked, gross pay earned, and work search activities completed. This way when you do your payment request, you have everything organized by TWC's Sunday-Saturday week format. Also, don't stress too much about finding that second part-time job affecting your benefits - as long as your combined earnings from both jobs stay under your WBA after the 30% deduction, you'll still qualify for partial benefits. The system is actually designed to encourage people to work while job searching!

I'm currently in almost the exact same situation! Working part-time at a grocery store with hours that bounce between 16-30 per week, and I never know which weeks I'll get TWC benefits until I submit my payment request. It's such a rollercoaster financially. One thing I discovered that might help you - when you're doing your work search activities, make sure to save confirmation emails or screenshots from job applications. I got randomly selected for a TWC audit last month and they wanted proof of every single work search I'd reported for the past 8 weeks. Having those confirmations saved me from a potential overpayment situation. Also, I've found that searching for "part-time" specifically on WorkInTexas.com actually brings up more relevant opportunities than just browsing all jobs. Since we're already working part-time, a lot of employers are more willing to work around existing schedules for another part-time position. The uncertainty is definitely stressful, but knowing that I can potentially add another part-time job and still receive some benefits (as long as my total earnings stay under my WBA) gives me hope for building more stable income. Keep us posted on how your job search goes - it sounds like several of us are in similar boats and could learn from each other's experiences!