Confused about TWC large initial payment vs smaller biweekly payments - how does it work?

That first payment was likely back pay for all the weeks he waited during the initial processing period. TWC often takes 4-6 weeks to approve claims, and when they finally do, they pay you for all those weeks at once. After that first lump sum, payments normalize to the regular biweekly schedule. The $800 biweekly sounds about right for someone who was making decent money before losing their job. Texas max weekly benefit is currently around $650 per week, so $1,300 biweekly before taxes if you qualify for the maximum. Just make sure when you apply that you request payment for each qualifying week, even while waiting for approval. That way you'll get all that back pay in your first deposit too.

yep big payment = backpay. u have to keep requesting payment every 2 weeks even before ur approved or u wont get that big chunk at first. i messed up and missed a request day and lost 2 weeks of payments i could never get back so DONT FORGET TO REQUEST!!

Just went through this last month! They assign you specific request days based on the last digit of your SSN. You HAVE to request on your assigned day or the day after or you miss out. They have an automated phone system (Tele-Serv) or you can do it online. I set calendar reminders so I wouldn't forget!

The TWC system is DELIBERATELY CONFUSING and designed to make people miss payments!!!! I lost THREE WEEKS of backpay because nobody explained the request system properly. They don't even send proper notifications - you're just supposed to KNOW. And good luck getting anyone on the phone to fix it when you mess up. I called 79 TIMES in one day and never got through!!

After struggling to get through to TWC for weeks about my missing backpay, I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual TWC agent in about 20 minutes instead of endless busy signals. Totally worth it for me since I needed to confirm my ID.me verification that was holding up my payments. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P88?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh or check out claimyr.com. Honestly saved me so much time and frustration.

Let me explain exactly how the TWC payment system works: 1. Initial application date: This is when your claim officially begins 2. Waiting week: Texas has a mandatory one-week waiting period (not paid until you return to work or exhaust benefits) 3. Processing period: This typically takes 3-6 weeks while TWC verifies employment info and calculates your benefit amount 4. Payment requests: You must request payment every two weeks beginning on your designated request day, even during processing 5. First payment: Once approved, you'll receive a lump sum payment for all eligible weeks dating back to your initial application (minus the waiting week) 6. Regular payments: After that, payments will be issued every two weeks when you submit your payment request The large first payment is normal and represents backpay for all weeks while your claim was processing. Your maximum benefit amount (the $20,000 example) represents the total amount available over the life of your claim (typically 26 weeks). Finally, the base weekly benefit amount is calculated as 1/25 of your highest quarter earnings during your base period, up to the current maximum of $652 per week.

my boyfriends first payment was big too but it was because he forgot to request payment for like 2 months after he applied lol. then he finally did it and got all that money at once. just remember you gotta do the payment requests every 2 weeks AND report any work/income during those weeks too. they'll definitely catch you if you lie about working!!

One important thing to add - make sure you're fulfilling the work search requirements from day one. Texas currently requires at least 3 work search activities each week. Document everything - job applications, interviews, resumé submissions, networking events, etc. TWC can request these records at any time, and failure to meet work search requirements can result in benefit disqualification and potential overpayment claims later.

So glad I found this thread! I'm on week 4 of waiting for my claim to process and was wondering why I hadn't received anything yet. Now I know to expect a larger first payment once it finally gets approved. The waiting is so stressful though!

Another tip regarding your first payment - if you've selected direct deposit, make sure your banking information is entered correctly. If there's any error, it will default to a TWC debit card which can take an additional 7-10 days to arrive by mail. Double-check your direct deposit details in your TWC account to avoid delays with that first lump sum payment.