Do you have to apply for jobs while on unemployment in Texas TWC?

The wage thing matters a lot. For the first eight weeks after you're approved, suitable work is basically anything that pays at least 90% of what you were making before. After eight weeks that drops to 75%. So you don't have to take a job that pays way less than you're used to, at least not right away.

Wait so if I was making like $1,400 a week and someone offers me a job at $900 a week in week one that's technically suitable? That seems like a big cut to have to accept.

Those thresholds are from TWC's own rules, yeah. The 90% mark in the first eight weeks is the official standard. Whether you'd actually get penalized for turning down any specific offer depends on the situation, but technically that's the benchmark. After eight weeks it's 75% so the window gets wider.

The recall thing trips a lot of people up. Even if you're 100% sure your old job is calling you back, you still have to meet your work search requirement every week unless you have a formal waiver from TWC. Don't assume the expectation just goes away.

That's good to know about needing the waiver in writing basically. I was about to stop doing my work search because my manager told me unofficially I'd be back in a month. Sounds like I shouldn't stop until TWC actually says so.

Yeah get it in writing from TWC, not just a verbal from your manager. Manager plans change and then you're the one left without benefits and without a job.

Oh good I actually did go to a virtual job fair last week and I wasn't sure if that would count. So I should log that with the date and the name of whoever hosted it?

Exactly that. Write down the date, the name of the organization running it, what you did there, and any contact info you got. Keep it in a document or spreadsheet so you have it if TWC ever asks.

I kept mine in a notes app and then copy-pasted into a spreadsheet once a month. The monthly thing almost got me because one week I forgot some details. Definitely log it the same day you do it.

Spreadsheet is the move. I had a column for date, employer, method of contact, and any response. Never got audited but felt way better having it organized.

That's exactly the kind of thing I was worried about. So even if I have interviews lined up and things look promising I still have to keep logging activities until I actually start a new job?

Until you actually start, yes. An interview isn't a job. And honestly even after you accept an offer but before your start date, you're still technically on benefits so the requirements still apply.

The 'I have interviews so I stopped' mistake is super common. The requirement doesn't pause for anything other than a formal TWC waiver or actually starting full-time work.

Wait is WorkInTexas.com the same login as the UBS unemployment portal? I set one up but I'm not sure if they're linked.

Yes, same User ID and password. They're connected. But you do get a one-time code every time you log in so have your phone nearby.

I didn't know they were the same login for a while and kept trying to create separate accounts. That was a whole mess. Confirm your WorkInTexas.com profile is actually active and searchable, not just created.

Five a week sounds like a lot honestly. I'm in Travis County so I need to actually read my letter carefully. I had just been doing two because that's what my brother said he had to do.

Travis County is also five per week. Definitely get current on that — if you've been submitting payment requests while only doing two activities, you could have an issue. Worth logging some extra activities this week to catch up and then staying at five going forward.

If the person above has already submitted payment requests certifying they did the required activities but only did two in Travis County, that's a real problem. I'd contact TWC to get ahead of it rather than hoping nobody notices.

Okay that's honestly concerning. I didn't realize I was certifying that I completed all required activities when I submitted my payment requests. I thought those were separate things. Calling TWC first thing tomorrow.

That's a confusing distinction. So you can do gig work and report the earnings, and that's fine, but you still have to say you're available for a full-time job even while doing gigs?

Exactly. The income from gigs is reported and factored into your payment for that week — there's a formula for how earnings affect your benefit amount. But availability for full-time work is a separate question and the answer has to be yes every week or you're not eligible that week.

For self-employed or gig work you report your net profit for the week the work happened, not when you got paid. And the threshold where your payment starts getting reduced is 25% of your weekly benefit amount — earnings below that don't affect your payment at all.

Does selling stuff from your house count? Like clearing out old furniture and electronics?

If you're selling your own used personal stuff that's generally considered not income. The rule kicks in when you're buying things specifically to resell for profit. Casual selling of your own belongings is different from running a resale operation.

The safe bet is to call TWC if you're not sure. They'd rather you ask than have an overpayment situation later that takes months to sort out.

Eight months back is brutal. I keep my log in a shared Google doc so it's dated automatically when I edit it. That timestamp actually helps show when I did each activity.

Okay I've been keeping mental notes and that apparently needs to stop immediately. Setting up a spreadsheet tonight.

The auto-timestamp in a Google doc is actually smart. Shows you entered the info at the time, not all at once right before an audit.

The 75% after eight weeks part catches people off guard. Someone who made $1,500 a week thinks they can hold out for a perfect job and doesn't realize that after two months, something paying $1,125 a week is technically suitable. The job search requirement isn't just about logging activities — it's also about actually being willing to take suitable work.

Does that mean if I'm offered a job at exactly 74% of my old wage I can turn it down and keep my benefits? Or is that too close to call?

The rule is at least 75% so yes, technically below that threshold isn't suitable after eight weeks. But I wouldn't play chicken with it. Turning down offers repeatedly draws attention to your claim.

No hardship exception is real and it's brutal. I had an overpayment from a wages-reporting error I made years ago and TWC was holding future benefits to recover it until it was zeroed out. There's no getting out of it.

They can also offset your federal tax refund to recover it through the Treasury program. So it's not just future benefits they can touch.

So basically being sloppy about reporting or work search can follow you for years. That's genuinely scary.

Can a Workforce Solutions office visit count as one of my activities for that week?

Yes, visiting a Workforce Solutions office and meeting with a career advisor or attending a workshop there absolutely counts. Log the date, the office location, what you did, and who you spoke with if you can.

Workforce Solutions offices also sometimes run mock interview sessions and resume reviews. Those count too and are genuinely useful. Worth calling your local one to see what's available.

The direct employer contact one is underutilized. A lot of people think you have to apply to a posted job, but reaching out to inquire about upcoming work counts. Just document the contact.

Exactly and in construction a lot of positions never get formally posted anyway. It's all word of mouth and direct outreach. Knowing that counts was a relief.

Does calling a company count or does it have to be in writing? I'm in a similar trade situation.

Calling works, just log the name of the company, who you spoke with if anyone, the date, and what you discussed. The more detail the better in case they ever audit it.

Keeping WorkInTexas.com current is part of being available and actively looking. An employer who tries to find you through the system needs an accurate profile to even contact you.

Yeah the notice I got specifically said something about the profile needing to reflect your current availability and job objectives. It wasn't a disqualification but I didn't want it going further.

So it's not just registering once and forgetting it. You have to actively maintain it. Adding that to my checklist.

That's a useful distinction. Working is working, and searching is searching. They're two different things on the payment request.

Makes sense. So doing the tutoring and reporting it as income is fine, but it doesn't check a box for the work search requirement.

Right, you'd still need to do your required number of separate work search activities that week on top of whatever paid work you're doing.

The 'when you did the work, not when you got paid' rule is one people get wrong constantly. I did for my first month.

And if you accidentally report it in the wrong week there can be overpayment or underpayment issues depending on how the numbers fall. When in doubt call TWC to correct it before they flag it on their end.

For self-employed gig work specifically, you report your net profit — what you made minus what you spent to do the work. Regular employment is gross wages before taxes.

Piling on this because it's so important. The letter with your county's requirement is basically your personal contract with TWC. If you can't find it call TWC and confirm your number so you're not guessing.

Mine said five per week for Travis County. And now I know I need to actually hit that number every single week. No excuses.

The declined offer piece is tricky because if the job was suitable under TWC's wage thresholds, turning it down could affect eligibility. The documentation is smart regardless.

The agent also looked at her wage history and confirmed the offer was actually below 90% of her previous pay at that point in her claim, so the decline was okay. Glad we called to confirm instead of guessing.

That's exactly the kind of situation where knowing the actual threshold matters. If she'd been past eight weeks and the offer was between 75-90% of previous wages, the answer might have been different.

The 14 days goes fast. I know someone who thought the 14 days started from when they received the letter, not when it was mailed. Lost the right to appeal because of that.

The mailing date at the top of the letter is what counts, not when it arrives in your mailbox. Open every TWC letter the same day it comes and check that date immediately.

And keep submitting payment requests throughout the appeal. Benefits only get paid for weeks that were requested on time — if you skip requests while waiting for the appeal to resolve you lose those weeks permanently.