Do you get unemployment if youre fired from a Texas TWC claim?

That's actually reassuring to hear. I was assuming fired automatically meant denied, which is apparently not how it works. Did TWC ask you a lot of questions about why you got fired when you applied?

yeah they asked me stuff when i was let go last year. just be honest about what happened, that's the main thing

The determination letter is key - TWC mails a separate letter for each issue on your claim. If your job separation is the only open issue, that one letter is what matters. Read every word of it when it arrives.

How long did it take her to get the determination after she applied? I'm trying to figure out my timeline for bills and stuff.

timing varies so much, it's hard to give a straight answer. generally figure four weeks from when you apply before you see a decision but sometimes longer if there's back and forth between TWC and the employer

the employer gets like two weeks to respond to TWC's notice before they even start deciding anything, so the clock starts ticking from there

How specific can they get on those calls? Like would they be able to tell me if my employer already responded to their notice?

The agent I talked to pulled up my whole file and answered everything I asked - so yes, they can definitely tell you if the employer has responded and what's in the system about your claim.

gonna try this for my own situation, been trying to reach them about an overpayment notice for three weeks

Wait, so I should be doing payment requests even before they decide if I'm eligible? I didn't know that.

Exactly - you request on schedule no matter what. If they approve your claim later, you'll only get paid for weeks you requested. Miss the window and those weeks are just gone.

this is the most important thing in this whole thread honestly. i learned this the hard way and lost like three weeks of benefits

I did register there when I applied. I didn't realize I had to do work search activities while still waiting though. What counts as an activity?

Applying for a job counts, so does things like attending a job fair or submitting a resume to an employer. Keep a log of everything with dates and employer names because TWC can ask to see it at any time.

don't skip the log even if it feels like extra work. got audited on mine once and had to scramble to piece it all together

I genuinely never got anything in writing. Just a few conversations with my supervisor saying I needed to improve. Would TWC see that as important?

TWC is going to look at what both you and the employer say. No documentation on their end is not nothing - it's part of the picture. I'm not saying it guarantees anything but it's worth mentioning accurately when TWC contacts you.

this is why i always kept copies of everything from my job, emails and stuff. never thought id need it until i did

That's genuinely good to hear. Were there any delays or did it go pretty smooth for him?

Pretty smooth once the determination came. The waiting is the worst part but once it was approved the payments came through fast.

How do I even figure out what my base period quarters were? I've been at this job two years so I'm guessing most of my wages count.

For a claim filed this quarter, your base period would run from roughly July 2025 through June 2026. Two years at the same job means your wages there are almost certainly the main input into your calculation.

the payment calculator on twc.texas.gov gave me a rough estimate when i was trying to figure out what i'd get. not exact but close enough to plan around

I hadn't even thought about that angle. So they have a financial reason to try to get my claim denied?

Benefits paid out get charged to your former employer's account generally, which affects what they pay. So yeah, some employers contest claims more aggressively than others. Just another reason to keep your account of events clear and accurate.

had an employer flat out lie to TWC about why i was let go. it's infuriating but that's what the appeal process is for if the determination goes wrong

14 days feels really short. What if I don't get the letter for a few days?

The clock runs from the date printed on the letter, not the day you receive it. So if mail takes a few days you lose some of that window. Check your UBS account regularly so you're not caught off guard by a determination.

check UBS every day honestly, they update overnight and the letter might show there before the physical mail arrives

TWC's definition is about things like violating company policy, breaking the law, or just not doing the job when you're fully capable of it. It's not really about whether you meant to mess up - it's more about whether you knew what was expected and blew it off anyway. 'Gross' is just a word your manager used; TWC makes its own call based on what actually happened.

okay that makes more sense. my manager threw that word around like it was magic but twc doesn't care what your manager called it

So the first week I'm paid for isn't actually the first check I get? Or am I misunderstanding?

Right - there's one week that's held back as a waiting week. You'll see your payment history in UBS and there will be a week that shows as payable but held. It comes eventually, just not with your first payment.

To be exact about it - TWC holds that week until you've been paid two times your weekly amount AND you either go back to full-time work or run out of benefits. Both conditions have to be met. The person above is right that it's not lost, though.

Super common misconception. Laid off is usually more straightforward because there's no question of fault. Fired for misconduct is where it gets complicated. But fired for other reasons - including a lot of performance situations - can still be approved.

that changes how i think about my old job situation from two years ago. too late now but still

An employer dispute is exactly what I'm worried about. Glad to know you could get real info that way.

The agent was straightforward about what was in the file. At least you know what you're dealing with instead of just watching the status screen and guessing.

Watch for mail and check UBS once a day. TWC might send a questionnaire about your job separation - fill that out fast and return it. Beyond that, keep doing your work search activities and filing payment requests on schedule. That's really all you can do on your end.

okay so i shouldn't just be sitting here panicking, i should be filing payment requests and doing work search. that's actually helpful to know

If TWC sends a questionnaire and you don't respond, they'll decide based on whatever the employer submitted. So respond to any mail from them promptly.

Did you have to gather documentation for your hearing or did TWC have everything already?

I brought anything I still had - old emails, pay stubs, copies of my schedule. Some of it mattered, some didn't. Better to have more than less going in.

At the Appeal Tribunal hearing the officer only rules on what gets presented there. So if you have anything that helps your case, bring it. Don't assume TWC already has it.

wait adjudication and appeal are different things right? i keep seeing both terms and mixing them up

Different stages. Adjudication is when TWC is still investigating and deciding - your claim is under review. An appeal is what happens after they issue a determination and you disagree with it - you have 14 days to file one in writing. So adjudication comes first, appeal comes later if needed.

i mixed those up for weeks and was asking the wrong questions every time i called. good to have it spelled out

What format does the log need to be in? Is there a specific form?

no specific form required from what i know. she just used a spreadsheet with the date, company name, what she did, and contact info. twc seemed fine with that

TWC's site has a sample log format if you want something to follow. Just needs the basic info - date, employer or activity, what you did. The key is having it and being able to show it.

Thanks for saying that. I've been catastrophizing about this all week. At least I feel like I have a clearer picture of what to actually do now.

Stay on top of your UBS account too. Status changes often show up there before anything arrives in the mail and you want as much of that 14-day appeal window as possible if you ever need it.