Can substitute teachers qualify for TWC unemployment in Texas during summer breaks?

Yes, substitute teachers CAN qualify for unemployment in Texas during summer breaks, but there are specific conditions. The key factor is whether you have "reasonable assurance" of returning to work when school resumes. If your district didn't give you any written guarantee of employment for the next school year (just a verbal "hope"), that typically means you DON'T have reasonable assurance, which actually works in your favor for unemployment purposes. You should be eligible to apply. When you file, be prepared to provide: 1. Documentation showing your work history (pay stubs, assignment records) 2. Any communication from the district about future employment (or lack thereof) 3. Information about your typical weekly hours and pay rate Be very careful how you answer the "reasonable assurance" question when filing. If you indicate you have assurance of returning, you'll likely be denied.

I was a sub for 3 years and applied EVERY summer! Got benefits each time. Just make sure u say NO to the reasonable assurance question. The schools try to be sneaky by saying they "hope" to use you again but that's NOT a guarantee!!!

This is actually a complicated area of unemployment law that causes a lot of confusion. Here's what TWC considers: 1. Substitute teachers typically DON'T have reasonable assurance if they're only called as needed with no guaranteed hours 2. The "reasonable assurance" standard requires a WRITTEN guarantee of similar employment in the following academic year 3. Being in a substitute pool is NOT enough to constitute reasonable assurance 4. You need to have earned enough in your base period to qualify (at least $2,600 in a quarter) If you've been working 3-4 days weekly, you should have sufficient earnings. Document everything about your work schedule and any communications about future work. When you apply, be precise about your employment status - you're not seasonal, you're a temporary employee without guaranteed future work.

my sister tried to get unemployment as a sub last summer and TWC denied her said she was "between terms" or something??? she appealed but gave up cuz it was taking too long. good luck dealing with them!

I tried calling TWC last summer for the exact same situation and spent WEEKS trying to get through. Busy signals, disconnects, got put on hold for 2 hours then cut off. Honestly I almost gave up but then someone told me about this service called Claimyr that gets you through to TWC really quickly. Totally worked! Got connected to an agent in like 20 minutes who helped me sort out my sub teacher claim. You can see how it works at claimyr.com or check their demo video https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh The TWC agent I spoke with confirmed that without written reasonable assurance, I qualified for benefits during summer break. Worth calling to discuss your specific situation!

i was a sub for 5 years and NEVER got unemployment even tho i applied every summer. its all about how the school district reports your status to TWC. my district always told TWC I had "reasonable asurance" even tho i didnt have any guarantee in writing. kept getting denied!!!

I've been a substitute for 4 years and let me tell you the TRUTH about this whole process. The schools will tell you that you're not eligible to discourage you from filing! They do this EVERY YEAR to save money!!! But TWC actually has specific rules for substitute teachers that PROTECT US. Here's what happened to me: I applied, district contested saying I was "seasonally employed" with "reasonable assurance" - I appealed and WON because they couldn't provide any WRITTEN guarantee of my employment for fall. The hearing officer even said the district pulls this every year with subs! BUT - be prepared for a FIGHT. The districts almost always contest sub claims. And reaching TWC is a NIGHTMARE - busy signals for DAYS!!

Just to add some important information: when you file, TWC will notify your school district, who may respond that you have reasonable assurance even if you don't. If this happens and you receive a denial, you have 14 days to appeal the determination. During an appeal, the burden of proof is on the district to show you have WRITTEN reasonable assurance. A verbal statement or being in a "substitute pool" doesn't qualify as reasonable assurance under TWC rules. Also, be aware that if approved, you must complete the required work searches (typically 3 per week in most Texas counties) and be available for full-time work during the summer. You can't indicate you're only available for temporary work until school starts again - that would make you ineligible.

As someone who's been working in Texas education for over 8 years, I can confirm that substitute teachers absolutely CAN qualify for unemployment during summer break - but you need to be strategic about how you file. The key thing everyone's mentioned is correct: it all comes down to "reasonable assurance." That email saying they "hope" to use you again is actually PERFECT for your case - it's not a written guarantee at all! Here's my advice based on helping other subs through this: 1. File your claim as soon as your last day of work ends 2. When asked about reasonable assurance, answer NO - you have no written contract or guarantee 3. Keep that email as evidence - it actually helps your case since it shows uncertainty 4. Be prepared for the district to potentially contest (they often do automatically) The work search requirement is real though - you'll need to apply to 3 jobs per week and be genuinely available for full-time work. I know it feels weird when you're planning to return to subbing, but that's the trade-off for getting benefits. One more tip: if you do get denied initially, DON'T give up! The appeal process often rules in favor of subs when the district can't provide actual written reasonable assurance. Good luck!

I went through this exact situation last summer as a substitute in Dallas! The process was definitely confusing at first, but I successfully received benefits for the entire summer break. Here's what worked for me: **Documentation I gathered before filing:** - All pay stubs from my substitute work - Email communications with the district (including any vague "we hope to use you again" messages) - Record of my typical work schedule/hours - Screenshot of the district's substitute portal showing no guaranteed future assignments **The filing process:** - I filed online the day after my last substitute assignment - Answered "NO" to reasonable assurance since I had no written contract - Was very specific about my employment status: "substitute teacher with no guarantee of future work" **What happened next:** - The district did contest my claim (seems to be standard practice) - I appealed and provided all my documentation - Won the appeal in about 3 weeks - the hearing officer said verbal hopes don't count as reasonable assurance **Pro tip:** Keep detailed records of every day you worked and didn't work. TWC may ask for specific dates and earnings. Also, start your work search activities immediately - I did mine through WorkInTexas.com and it counted toward the 3 weekly requirements. The whole process took about a month to get fully approved, but I received back pay for the waiting period. Definitely worth pursuing if you don't have any written guarantee for next year!

I just went through this process as a substitute teacher in Houston and wanted to share some recent updates that might help. I successfully received unemployment benefits for the full summer break last year (2024). **Key changes I noticed:** TWC has gotten much stricter about the work search requirements. They now verify your applications more frequently, so make sure you're actually applying to jobs you'd accept. I got called twice during my benefit period to confirm details about positions I'd applied for. **What made my case strong:** - I kept a detailed log of every day I was available for substitute work but wasn't called - Saved all text messages and emails from the district's substitute coordinator - Documented that I was told to "check back in August" with no guarantees **Timing tip:** File your claim on Sunday if possible - TWC processes weekend applications first thing Monday morning, which can speed up your initial determination. **Red flag to avoid:** Don't mention anything about "planning to return to substitute teaching" in your application. Focus on the fact that you're currently unemployed with no written guarantee of future work. You can return to subbing later if called, but during summer you need to be genuinely seeking full-time employment. The appeal process has also gotten faster - mine took only 2 weeks instead of the month+ people used to wait. Stay persistent if you get initially denied, especially if your district contests it. Good luck!