Can I still get unemployment if I was fired? Texas TWC rules explained

That actually makes me feel a little better. My whole thing is that the bar kept moving — quota one month, different quota the next. Never any formal write-ups either.

TWC sent me a questionnaire after I filed that asked specifically about why I was separated. Very detailed questions about dates, what was said, any documentation. Keep anything you have from that job.

Questionnaire makes sense. I still have my onboarding paperwork and some emails where my manager contradicted himself on expectations. Saving all of it just in case.

My online status has been sitting at the same message since I filed so getting to an actual person would help a lot. Might try this.

My situation is a little different — dealing with an overpayment question — but I'm going to look into it too.

Does it work if you're calling about a specific determination letter, not just general status? Trying to reach someone about mine.

That's exactly why I used it — it was about a determination on my claim, not just a general status check. The agent pulled up my file and went through it with me.

This is a point I wish someone had told me before I filed. I panicked assuming fired meant disqualified and didn't even bother appealing when I should have.

Okay so the vagueness of the performance standard might actually matter here. Good to know that detail isn't irrelevant.

Worth knowing TWC also sends a notice to your former employer giving them 14 days to respond with their side. So whatever the employer says matters too — not just what you tell TWC.

Wait — so I should be requesting payment even before I know if I'm approved? I had no idea that's how it worked.

Yes exactly. The way TWC works is you request on schedule and if they later determine you're eligible, they pay the weeks you requested on time. Miss those request windows and they won't go back and pay those weeks.

This tripped so many people up. The request schedule starts about one to two weeks after you apply — the exact date gets mailed to you in a letter called something like Instructions for Requesting Benefit Payments.

Four weeks is about what I'm bracing for. At least hearing it played out okay for someone else with a similar reason helps.

About four weeks is pretty typical from what I've seen on here. Sometimes a little longer depending on how complicated the job separation question is.

I'll stay patient then. Already submitted my request log and saving all my work search activities too.

Already got that letter. I'm in Harris County so mine is 5 per week. Keeping a spreadsheet.

5 activities a week in Harris County is correct. And just to be clear — activities include things like submitting applications, employer contacts, that kind of thing. The letter explains what counts.

Also make sure your WorkInTexas.com profile is set up and active. That's part of the registration requirement and TWC checks it.

That's genuinely the part stressing me out most right now. I have no idea what my supervisor is going to claim.

Document everything you remember while it's fresh — specific dates, what was said, any emails. If it goes to appeal later, that stuff matters a lot.

Appeal is the word for the second stage, by the way, not adjudication. Adjudication is what's happening right now — that's just TWC reviewing your claim. Appeal is if you disagree with the determination they send you.

Neither absolute is right. Performance alone doesn't automatically become misconduct, but if someone is capable of doing the job and just refuses to or keeps messing up on purpose, that could cross into misconduct territory. The line is roughly whether you were trying but falling short versus not trying at all or breaking a known rule.

And the first person who said poor performance 'never counts' as misconduct — that's not exactly right either. TWC lists failing to do the work adequately when you're capable of it as one of their examples of misconduct. The key word is capable. Consistently underperforming when nothing is stopping you could factor in. That said there's a lot of gray area and TWC looks at the full picture.

okay that makes more sense. so it really just depends on the specifics of what happened

That's encouraging honestly. I think if TWC hears my side and looks at the lack of documentation from the employer it'll go okay.

He made sure to explain clearly on his questionnaire exactly what happened, with dates and specifics. Kept it factual and didn't editorialize too much.

Filed the same week I got let go, so at least that part's done. The payment request schedule is clearer to me now after reading this thread.

Claims start on the Sunday of whatever week you applied — that detail matters a lot for anyone still in the application window.

I did not know they send multiple separate letters. I'll watch the mail carefully. What do I do if one comes back as cannot pay?

You have 14 calendar days from the mailed date on that determination to appeal it. You can do that through UBS online. Missing that window is a big deal so watch the date printed at the top of the letter, not the date you receive it.

The 14 days runs from when it was mailed, not when you got it. If the mail is slow that can eat into your window so check UBS regularly so you're not caught off guard.

Really glad to hear that. The 'hopeless' feeling is exactly where I am right now.

it really does take like 4 weeks of just waiting with nothing happening. then everything moves fast once it starts

Already registered on WorkInTexas.com. Got that done when I applied. Logging activities weekly in a spreadsheet now.

The spreadsheet approach is solid. Some people use a notes app, some use a physical calendar. As long as it has dates, employer names, what you did and how you contacted them, you should be fine if TWC asks.

That's exactly the kind of info I'd want to know instead of just sitting in limbo. If my status hasn't changed by next week I think I'm going to try it.

Wage discrepancies are more common than people think. Former employer sometimes reports different quarterly wages than what you remember and TWC has to reconcile that before they can calculate your weekly amount.

I hadn't even tried to calculate it yet. Good to have a formula to work from.

The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed. So if you filed in late 2026, they're looking at your wages from roughly July 2025 through June 2026.

Makes sense. I worked the whole year at this job so my wages should be there. The salary was consistent so I can estimate it pretty easily.

Every time I see that word I feel my stomach drop. Good to hear it's just standard procedure for a firing situation.

The adjudication just means they haven't made a decision yet. It's the waiting period. The actual decision comes in the determination letter.

i thought adjudication meant it was under appeal lol. had no idea it was just the review stage

Had no idea about the ReliaCard. I'll set up direct deposit as soon as my claim is active.

Direct deposit setup is under the payment options in UBS. Takes about two minutes once you're logged in.

An hour to get through sounds way better than what I've been dealing with trying to call directly.

The hold time calling TWC direct is brutal. This was just a much cleaner process for a specific question I needed answered.

How specific is 'work enough weeks and earn enough' exactly? Just curious what that threshold looks like.

You'd need to work at least 30 hours a week for six weeks or earn six times your weekly benefit amount in that job, then lose it without fault. And then you'd file a new claim on that job. It's essentially starting over but it does work.

Good to know there's a path even if the first determination goes badly. Hoping it doesn't come to that but at least there's something.

10 percent withholding option is smart. I'll set that up. Thanks for thinking ahead to that — I definitely wasn't.

Texas has no state income tax so at least that's one less thing to worry about on the state side. Federal is what matters.