Can I work for DoorDash while receiving TWC unemployment benefits?

Yes, you can do DoorDash while collecting unemployment, but you MUST report ALL earnings when you request payment every two weeks. TWC uses a formula where they deduct a portion of what you earn from your weekly benefit amount. Specifically, you can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount without any deduction, then they reduce your payment dollar-for-dollar for anything over that threshold. For example, if your weekly benefit is $400, you can earn up to $100 without reduction. If you earn $150 that week, they'll deduct $50 from your benefit. Just make sure you're honest about reporting because they do check with employers and gig platforms.

did doordash myself when i got laid off last year!!! just make sure u report EVERYTHING even if its just like $40 for a day. they will find out if u dont & make u pay it all back later with penalties!!

Working for DoorDash while on unemployment is considered self-employment in Texas, and reporting requirements are strict. Each payment request, you must report gross earnings (before expenses) for the week they were earned, not when you got paid. Keep detailed records of all deliveries and income. And don't forget - you still need to complete 3 work search activities each week for regular full-time employment, even if you're doing gig work. The DoorDash work doesn't count toward your work search requirements.

I tried doing the same thing with Uber Eats last year and it was a NIGHTMARE with TWC! I reported my earnings correctly but they still flagged my account for an "earnings discrepancy" and froze my payments for almost 3 WEEKS while they investigated!!! Had to keep calling their impossible-to-reach phone lines trying to get someone to fix it. Total disaster.

My sister did instacart while on unemployment and TWC ended up saying she was overpaid bc she didnt report right and now she owes like 2 thousand dollars back just be careful

To answer your specific question about the 25% threshold - with a weekly benefit amount of $362, you can earn up to $90.50 per week without any reduction (that's 25% of $362). Anything over that gets deducted dollar-for-dollar from your benefit. So if you earned $120 from DoorDash in a week, TWC would deduct $29.50 from your benefit payment (that's $120 - $90.50 = $29.50). You'd receive $332.50 for that week instead of the full $362. Just remember that you need to report based on when you WORKED, not when you got paid. DoorDash might pay you on Thursdays, but you need to report based on which TWC benefit week you actually did the deliveries.

dont forget that doordash doesnt take out taxes so youll need to set aside money for taxes on that income too! made that mistake my first time on unemployment lol

@OP yeah it was worth it for me! i did doordash like 2-3 days a week, made like $100-150 each week & still got partial unemployment. better than nothing while u look for work

One more important thing - when you do your payment requests, make sure you answer "Yes" to the question about whether you worked or earned money, even on weeks where you might not have received a payment from DoorDash yet. You'll need to provide the dates worked and gross amount earned before expenses. Also, keep very detailed records of your DoorDash work including: 1. Hours/days worked each week 2. Gross income before expenses 3. Screenshots of your earnings summaries TWC may request verification later, and having these records will protect you if there's ever a discrepancy.

Just want to add that when you're doing DoorDash, make sure you understand the difference between "active time" and "dash time" in their app. For TWC reporting purposes, you need to report earnings for the actual week you worked, not when DoorDash processes the payment. Also, if you're planning to do this regularly, consider setting up a simple spreadsheet to track your weekly earnings by TWC benefit week (Sunday-Saturday). This makes it way easier when you're doing your payment requests every two weeks. I learned this the hard way when I was scrambling to figure out which earnings belonged to which benefit week! And definitely listen to the advice about setting aside money for taxes - as a 1099 contractor, you'll owe both income tax AND self-employment tax on your DoorDash earnings.

I'm in a similar situation and just wanted to share what I've learned from talking to TWC directly. When you report DoorDash earnings, you need to be really careful about the timing. TWC benefit weeks run Sunday to Saturday, so if you work Monday through Wednesday of one week and Thursday through Saturday of the next week, you need to split those earnings between two different payment requests. Also, something I didn't see mentioned - if you're doing DoorDash in multiple cities or even just different areas, keep track of where you worked too. TWC sometimes asks for location details if they have questions about your self-employment income. One tip that's helped me: I take a screenshot of my DoorDash earnings summary at the end of each TWC benefit week (Saturday night) so I have a clear record of what I earned that specific week. Makes the reporting much easier and more accurate. Good luck with the job search! The combination of partial unemployment plus DoorDash income can definitely help bridge the gap while you're looking for full-time work.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also be prepared for potential delays in your unemployment payments if TWC needs to verify your DoorDash earnings. When I was doing gig work while on unemployment, there were a couple times where they put a temporary hold on my benefits while they cross-referenced my reported earnings with what DoorDash reported to them. Also, if you're planning to do DoorDash regularly, make sure you understand that busy periods (like dinner rushes or weekends) might tempt you to work more hours and potentially earn over your benefit threshold. It's easy to get caught up in the moment when orders are flowing and accidentally work too much in a single week. My advice would be to set a weekly earning goal that's comfortably under your $90.50 threshold - maybe aim for $70-80 max per week. This gives you a buffer in case you have a surprisingly good day and also accounts for any tips that might push you over. Keep track of your mileage too since that's a deductible expense when you file taxes, but remember that TWC wants your GROSS earnings before any deductions when you report.

Hey there! I was in almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago - got laid off from a manufacturing job and started doing DoorDash while collecting TWC benefits. The advice here is solid, but I wanted to add a few things from my experience: First, definitely download the DoorDash driver app's weekly summary feature - it breaks down your earnings by actual calendar days which makes it SO much easier to figure out which TWC benefit week your earnings belong to. Second, be extra careful during holiday weeks or busy periods. I made the mistake during Super Bowl week of working way more than usual because the orders were crazy good, and I ended up earning like $180 that week. Since my threshold was similar to yours, I basically got no unemployment payment that week. Not a huge deal, but it caught me off guard. Also, just a heads up - when you do find full-time work again, make sure to report your last day of DoorDash work correctly on your final unemployment request. I almost messed that up because I forgot I had done a few deliveries the day before starting my new job. Overall though, it worked out great for me. The combination of partial unemployment plus DoorDash income was actually more than I was making on unemployment alone, and it kept me busy while job searching. Good luck!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's currently doing exactly this! I've been doing DoorDash for about 3 months while on TWC unemployment and it's been working out pretty well. A few additional tips from my experience: 1. Sign up for DoorDash's weekly email summaries - they send a breakdown every Monday that shows your previous week's earnings, which lines up perfectly with TWC's Sunday-Saturday benefit weeks. 2. I keep a simple note in my phone where I jot down my earnings at the end of each day. Takes 30 seconds but saves me so much stress when I'm doing my payment requests. 3. Don't forget that you can still claim work-related expenses on your taxes even though you have to report gross earnings to TWC. Keep receipts for things like phone mounts, insulated bags, etc. 4. If you're in the Dallas or Houston area, avoid working during major events (like Cowboys games or big concerts) unless you're okay with potentially going over your threshold that week - the surge pricing can add up fast! The flexibility has been great for fitting in job interviews and keeping my schedule open for potential employers. Just stay disciplined about tracking everything and you should be fine. Good luck with both the gig work and the job search!

I've been doing DoorDash while on TWC unemployment for about 2 months now and wanted to share what's worked for me! The biggest game-changer has been using a simple weekly tracker - I created a Google Sheets document with columns for date, hours worked, gross earnings, and which TWC benefit week it falls into. One thing I learned the hard way is to be super conservative with your earnings estimates when planning your week. I thought I could easily stay under the $90 threshold (my benefit amount is similar to yours), but between tips, peak pay bonuses, and those surprise $15-20 orders, it adds up faster than you think! My strategy now is to aim for about $60-70 per week, which gives me plenty of buffer room. I usually work 2-3 days (typically lunch and dinner shifts on weekdays to avoid weekend traffic), and it's been the perfect amount to supplement unemployment without losing benefits. Also, don't underestimate how helpful it is for your mental health to have some structure and purpose while job hunting. The DoorDash work keeps me active and motivated, plus you get to know your local area really well which can be helpful for networking and finding businesses to apply to! Just remember that every single dollar counts - even that $3 delivery that seems barely worth it needs to be reported. TWC doesn't mess around with unreported income. Good luck!

I've been doing gig work (Uber Eats and Instacart) while on TWC unemployment for the past 4 months, and honestly it's been a lifesaver financially. One thing I don't think anyone mentioned yet is that you should also consider the wear and tear on your car when deciding how much to work each week. I started out being really aggressive with my hours because I wanted to maximize my income, but after a few weeks I realized I was spending a lot on gas and putting serious miles on my car. Now I'm more strategic about when and where I work - I focus on areas close to home during peak hours rather than chasing orders all over town. Also, keep your car maintenance receipts! While you have to report gross income to TWC, those are legitimate business expenses you can deduct when filing taxes. Same with phone bills, phone accessories, delivery bags, etc. One more tip - if you're planning to work dinner shifts, try to wrap up by 9 PM on Saturdays since that's when the TWC benefit week ends. I made the mistake early on of working until 11 PM on a Saturday and then having to figure out which payment request those late earnings belonged to. Not a huge deal but just easier to keep things clean. The flexibility really is great for job searching though. I've been able to schedule interviews without worrying about missing shifts or asking for time off. Good luck with everything!

One thing that's been super helpful for me is setting up DoorDash's "Automatic Weekly Summary" emails. They send you a detailed breakdown every Monday morning that shows exactly what you earned during the previous Sunday-Saturday period, which matches TWC's benefit week perfectly. This has saved me so much time trying to calculate earnings across multiple payment periods. Also, I'd recommend downloading a mileage tracking app like MileIQ or Everlance. Since you'll be driving a lot for deliveries, you'll want to track those business miles for tax deduction purposes. The IRS standard mileage rate for 2024 is $0.67 per mile, so it can really add up to significant tax savings even though you still have to report gross income to TWC. Just started doing this myself after getting laid off from retail, and the key is really staying organized and being conservative with your earnings goals. Better to leave some money on the table than accidentally go over your threshold and lose that week's unemployment payment!

I just wanted to add one more consideration that I learned from my experience doing UberEats while on unemployment - track your "active" vs "waiting" time carefully. DoorDash pays you based on completed deliveries, but you might spend hours waiting for orders or driving to hotspots without earning anything. For TWC reporting purposes, you only report what you actually earned, but for your own planning it's helpful to track your true hourly rate. I found that during slow periods, I was making way less per hour than I expected, which helped me decide which times of day were actually worth working. Also, consider signing up for multiple apps (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub) so you can switch between them if one is slow. Just make sure to track earnings from ALL platforms when reporting to TWC - they'll eventually get records from all these companies. The most important thing is staying disciplined about your weekly earning limits. It's really tempting to keep working when you're having a great day, but going over that threshold even once can cost you more than you'd make from the extra deliveries. Set phone alerts or use the DoorDash earnings tracker to stop yourself when you're getting close to your limit!

I've been doing DoorDash while on TWC unemployment for about 8 months now, and here's my biggest piece of advice: create a simple daily earnings log that you update immediately after each shift. I use a basic notebook where I write down the date, hours worked, and gross earnings right when I get home. This has saved me countless times when doing my bi-weekly payment requests. One mistake I made early on was not accounting for "hidden" income like referral bonuses or weekly challenges that DoorDash sometimes offers. These count as earnings too and need to be reported to TWC! I got a $50 referral bonus once and almost forgot to include it in my payment request. Also, if you're planning to do this long-term while job searching, consider the psychological aspect. Some weeks when orders are really good, it's tempting to think "maybe I don't need to find a regular job right away." Don't fall into that trap! Use the DoorDash income as a bridge, not a destination. Keep applying to full-time positions and treating your job search as your real "job." The earnings formula everyone mentioned is spot-on, but remember that TWC can and will cross-reference your reported earnings with what DoorDash reports to them at tax time. So even if it seems like they're not checking now, they absolutely will catch discrepancies eventually. Honesty really is the best policy here!

I've been doing exactly this for about 5 months now - DoorDash while collecting TWC unemployment - and it's definitely doable if you stay organized and disciplined about reporting. The advice here is all really solid, but I wanted to add one thing that's been a game-changer for me: I set up a separate checking account just for DoorDash earnings. Every week, I transfer my DoorDash income into that account and immediately calculate what I need to report to TWC. Then I leave the money there until I file my taxes so I don't accidentally spend the portion I'll owe in self-employment taxes. It's helped me stay much more organized and avoid the temptation to overspend thinking I have more disposable income than I actually do. Also, since you mentioned you worked in a warehouse, you might find DoorDash to be a nice change of pace! It's definitely more flexible and you're not stuck in one location all day. Just make sure you have a reliable car and don't mind putting miles on it. One last tip - download the Stride app for tracking business expenses and mileage. It automatically tracks your miles while you're dashing and categorizes your expenses. Makes tax time so much easier, and since you'll be doing this while actively job searching, good record-keeping will save you stress later when you need to focus on starting your new job. Good luck with both the DoorDash work and finding your next full-time position!

I've been doing DoorDash while on unemployment for about 3 months and wanted to share a few things that have really helped me stay compliant with TWC reporting: First, set up DoorDash's "Fast Pay" feature but DON'T use it for regular withdrawals. Instead, let your earnings accumulate in the app during each TWC benefit week (Sunday-Saturday), then on Sunday morning, take a screenshot of your total weekly earnings before cashing out. This gives you a perfect record that aligns with TWC's reporting periods. Second, create a simple rule for yourself about surge pricing and peak pay bonuses. These can push you over your threshold quickly, so I personally stop accepting orders once I hit $75 for the week (well under my limit) to account for any surprise bonuses or really good tips that might come through. Also, during your job interviews, don't be afraid to mention that you're doing gig work to stay active while searching. Several hiring managers have actually told me they appreciate that I'm being proactive about staying busy rather than just sitting at home collecting benefits. The extra income really does help bridge the gap, but like others said, keep your focus on finding that full-time position. The flexibility is great but there's no substitute for steady employment with benefits. You got this!

I've been following this thread and it's incredibly helpful! As someone who just started doing DoorDash while on TWC unemployment last month, I wanted to add one small thing that's made a huge difference for me: I set a daily earnings alarm on my phone. Since my weekly threshold is similar to yours ($90.50), I set my phone to alert me when I've earned about $12-13 per day (aiming for around $70-75 per week to stay safe). The DoorDash app shows your daily earnings in real-time, so when my alarm goes off, I check the app and usually call it a day if I'm close to my target. This has helped me avoid those "just one more delivery" situations that could accidentally push me over my weekly limit. Plus it gives me a good stopping point so I can focus time on job applications and interviews without feeling like I should be out earning more. The consistency has been great too - I know roughly what to expect each week for my combined unemployment + DoorDash income, which makes budgeting so much easier while job searching. Sometimes the steady routine is just as valuable as the extra money!