Can my father-in-law file for TWC benefits a year after being let go?

He should of filed right away sis...TWC has a time limit of 1 year from the date of job separation. After that ur prolly outta luck. But he should still call and check, maybe they'll make a exception.

Hi there. Unfortunately, the previous commenter is correct. According to TWC rules, you must file your initial claim within 12 months of the date you were separated from your employment. Since it's been over a year, your father-in-law has likely missed the window for filing a claim for that specific job separation. However, he should contact TWC directly to explain his situation. While it's unlikely they'll make an exception to the time limit, a representative might be able to provide information about other assistance programs he might qualify for based on his age and circumstances. There are reemployment services and training opportunities through Workforce Solutions that don't require active unemployment claims.

The same thing happened to my brother-in-law! He thought unemployment was only for people who got fired for doing something wrong, not laid off people. By the time I found out and told him he could have been getting benefits, it was way too late. The whole system is confusing on purpose I swear!!

I know this is frustraiting but maybe there's a silver lining? If he's been using savings this whole time, he probably wouldn't have qualified for much unemployment anyway since they look at your earnings in the base period (which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file). So it might not be as big a loss as you think.

Getting through to TWC to ask about his options might be tough - their phone lines are ALWAYS jammed. I was in a similar situation (though only 3 months late, not a year) and spent 2 weeks trying to reach someone. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me a callback from TWC in about 30 minutes. Saved me hours of redial hell. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh Even though it's probably too late for UI benefits, the TWC agent was able to suggest some workforce retraining programs that I qualified for. Worth asking about!

To provide some additional context: While the 12-month filing deadline is firm for regular unemployment benefits, your father-in-law should know that TWC can sometimes authorize "backdating" an unemployment claim - but generally only for a few weeks, not an entire year. For someone his age (59), I'd recommend he contact: 1. TWC's Workforce Solutions - they have specific programs for workers 55+ through their "Senior Community Service Employment Program" 2. His local American Job Center 3. AARP's job search program for older workers These programs can provide job training, placement assistance, and sometimes small stipends during training periods. The most important thing is to get him connected to the system now rather than continuing to go it alone.

Wait has he had ANY job since getting let go last year? Even part time work? Because if he got a new job and then lost THAT job within the last year, he could possibly file based on the newer job loss!

Sorry to hear about your father in law's situation. My neighbor went thru something similar last year. The missed benefits hurt but the silver lining was that WorkForce Solutions helped him with his resume and he found a better job than his old one within 2 months!