Can u get unemployment if you get fired from your job in Texas TWC?

Not automatically, no. Whether you can collect basically depends on WHY you got fired. TWC looks at whether the firing was for misconduct or just because things weren't working out.

Yeah I made the same mistake, assumed fired meant no benefits. Ended up missing out on weeks I probably qualified for. Always worth applying.

This is exactly what I didn't know either. So the reason matters more than the fact that I got fired?

My whole issue is I can never get through to actually talk to someone. Does that service work for the regular TWC Tele-Center number?

Got a question - my firing involved a PIP that I didn't complete. Would the agent be able to tell me if that's the kind of thing TWC classifies as misconduct?

The agent my sister spoke to was pretty specific about what factors matter. For the PIP thing, it's worth calling to explain the full situation since those cases can go different ways.

So vague wording from my employer might actually work in my favor? They never gave me any written warning or documentation before this.

Lack of documentation doesn't automatically mean you win the case but it's definitely relevant. When TWC reaches out to your employer for their side of the story, what they can and can't back up with records matters a lot.

Exactly. TWC sends a notice to your last employer and they have about two weeks to respond with their account of what happened. Then TWC weighs both sides before sending you a determination letter.

Already writing everything down. I saved some emails and kept a couple shift reports too which hopefully helps.

Good instinct. If this goes to an appeal hearing at any point, that kind of documentation becomes really important. The hearing is by phone and you present your side to a Hearing Officer.

Appeal hearings feel scary but honestly it's just you explaining what happened. No lawyer required. And you keep requesting your payment every two weeks the whole time you're waiting, don't stop.

Different things actually. Adjudication is when TWC is still deciding your initial eligibility, usually because there's something to sort out like the reason for separation. An appeal comes after they've sent you a determination and you disagree with it. You have 14 calendar days from the date on the letter to appeal if that happens.

Oh okay so adjudication is like... before the decision, and appeal is after. Got it, thanks for clearing that up.

Made that exact same mix-up when I first filed. The terminology is really confusing when you're new to all this.

Already registered on WorkInTexas.com. Is that the same as doing the work search or do I still need to apply to separate jobs?

Registering on WorkInTexas.com is required but it's separate from the actual weekly activities. You need to do the number of job contacts your letter specifies and log each one. The registration is a one-time setup thing.

Also worth knowing - even if your claim is in adjudication, you should still be putting in your payment requests every two weeks on schedule. Missing one doesn't mean you lose it forever but it creates extra hassle.

Why does the first payment only cover one week? That seems like a lot of lost money.

There's something called a waiting week where TWC holds your first payable week. You eventually get it back but only after you've been paid twice your weekly amount AND either go back to full-time work or use up all your benefits. It's not gone, just held.

The waiting week thing threw me off when I filed last year. I thought my payment was wrong but it's just how the system is set up.

Five weeks is so long when you have bills to pay. Did you do anything to speed it up or was it just waiting?

Mostly waiting honestly. I called in once to check status and they just said it was under review. The determination letter came eventually and then I had my answer.

TWC checks their system overnight so checking UBS or calling Tele-Serv once a day is about all you can do. Calling multiple times a day doesn't change anything.

The misconduct standard is the same across industries. What changes is what the evidence looks like. A warehouse job might have safety policy violations as a factor, an office job might have attendance records or emails. The framework TWC uses to evaluate is consistent.

That makes sense. I was wondering because my husband was let go from a construction gig and I wasn't sure if the rules were different for trade work.

Apply no matter what the job type was. Worst they can say is no, and then you have the option to appeal within 14 days of whatever determination they mail.

This is actually really encouraging to hear. My situation sounds kind of similar.

Just be thorough when you respond to any requests from TWC. If they reach out asking for your version of events, give them the full picture with as much detail as you can.

And don't embellish or leave things out strategically. TWC is comparing your account to your employer's and inconsistencies aren't a good look.

Oh good to know, I already set up WorkInTexas.com so I guess that's already connected.

Yep, same account. Makes it slightly less painful once you realize they're linked.

A flag on your claim from the employer filing late - that's honestly a nightmare I hadn't thought about. Good to know there's a way to actually find out what's going on.

How long did it take for the connection to come through once you set it up?

Pretty quick actually. Within the same day for me. The whole call with the agent was maybe fifteen minutes once I got through.

I haven't done that yet, I thought I had to wait until they approved me. So I should request payment now even though nothing's been decided?

Yes, do it now. You file payment requests on a schedule TWC gives you, completely separate from the eligibility process. You should have gotten a letter called something like 'Instructions: Requesting Benefit Payments' in the mail. The filing window is Sunday through Wednesday but you can still file Thursday through Saturday of that same week if you miss it.

This is one of the most common mistakes people make. The payment request schedule and the eligibility review run on separate tracks. Missing requests means those weeks don't get paid even if you're approved.

No, the weekly amount is based on what you earned, not how you left. TWC looks at your highest earning quarter in the base period and divides it by 25 to get your weekly amount. The separation reason only affects whether you qualify at all, not the dollar figure if you do.

That's a relief. I was worried a firing might mean a reduced amount or something.

The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your claim date. So for a claim filed now it would pull wages from about mid-2025 through mid-2026. If you had a strong earning quarter in there that's what determines your weekly amount.

This needs to be said louder honestly. The employer gets to give their side but they absolutely do not get to decide whether you collect. That's entirely TWC's call.

Mine said something similar and I was definitely shaken by it. Really glad I decided to file anyway.

Apply no matter what they tell you on the way out. Even if they say misconduct, even if they sound confident. Let TWC make the actual determination.

Should I set up direct deposit now or wait until after I know I'm approved?

You can set up direct deposit in UBS before you even know the outcome. Probably worth doing sooner rather than later so it's ready when the first payment processes.

Direct deposit is definitely faster and more reliable than waiting for a physical card in my experience.

How long did you wait between applying and the hearing actually happening?

The initial determination took about five weeks, then I appealed within the 14-day window, and the hearing packet came maybe six weeks after that. It's a long process but it's worth seeing through.

Keep requesting your payment every two weeks the entire time, through the whole appeal. TWC only pays the weeks you actually requested on schedule.

So the clock basically starts over after my employer responds? Or is it all happening at the same time?

It all runs somewhat in parallel. TWC does their review using whatever both sides submit within that window. The four-week estimate from application to determination accounts for all of that.

The daily UBS checks are definitely happening over here. Good to hear it worked out for you.

I did the same thing - obsessive checking, convinced every morning the answer would be different. The nightly update cycle is cruel honestly.

Tele-Serv at 800-558-8321 also updates overnight so you can check that too if you want another way to monitor without logging into UBS every five minutes.

Three weeks in adjudication with no visible update sounds exactly like what I went through. Would've been nice to have some way to actually find out it was fine.

That's exactly what it did for her - confirmed it was normal processing, not a hidden problem. Sometimes that's all you need to hear.

TWC isn't just taking the employer's word for it - they're comparing both accounts. If you submit a detailed, credible version of events and the employer's claim doesn't hold up under scrutiny or they can't back it up, the determination can go in your favor. That's why your documentation matters.

Also if you disagree with whatever TWC decides after reviewing both sides, you can appeal it within 14 calendar days of when the determination letter was mailed. The appeal hearing is where you can really lay out the full picture with whatever you have saved.

Okay so there are multiple chances to tell your side. That's more reassuring than I thought.