Finally won TWC disaster unemployment appeal after Hurricane claim filed under wrong category
Just got the best news after fighting TWC for what feels like forever! I applied for disaster unemployment after my construction job site was destroyed in Hurricane Delilah (September 2025). The TWC agent who processed my claim originally denied it saying I 'voluntarily quit' which was completely false. I was unable to work because the entire site was underwater and the company temporarily closed! After THREE appeal hearings (first one got rescheduled because they didn't have my documents, second one the hearing officer didn't show up!), I finally got a call today saying I won my appeal. Turns out the original intake person categorized my claim under the wrong disaster code - they put 'flood damage' instead of 'hurricane disaster'. The TWC rep said they'll be sending paperwork for me to claim the $7,800 in back benefits I'm owed from September through December. I haven't received the official determination letter yet, but the phone call confirmed I was approved. If anyone else is fighting a wrongful denial - DON'T GIVE UP! Make sure you have documentation for everything. I had emails from my employer about the site closure, pictures of the damage, and the official disaster declaration for my county. Worth the fight!
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StarSailor
CONGRATS!!!! This gives me hope! I've been stuck in appeal hell for 6 weeks after my employer falsely claimed I was fired for misconduct. My hearing is next Thursday and I'm so nervous. Did you have to get a lawyer for your hearing? What kind of questions did they ask you?
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Sofia Morales
•No lawyer needed! Just organized all my evidence in chronological order and wrote down a simple timeline of events. They mostly asked when I found out the job site was closing, whether I was offered alternative work (I wasn't), and whether I had documentation proving the closure was due to the hurricane. Be calm, stick to facts, and have dates ready. Good luck with your hearing!
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Dmitry Ivanov
This is a perfect example of why properly categorizing disaster-related unemployment claims is so important! As a former TWC employee, I can tell you that disaster unemployment assistance (DUA) and regular unemployment insurance (UI) are processed very differently. DUA doesn't count against your employer's account like regular UI does, which is why they won't fight it as hard. For anyone in a similar situation, make sure to specifically mention the disaster declaration number for your county when you apply. Also, request a copy of your claim notes through the portal so you can see exactly how your claim was categorized. If you notice errors like OP did, contact TWC immediately to correct them before the appeal process.
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Ava Garcia
•wait you can request claim notes?? how do you do that? i've been trying to figure out why my claim says "pending adjudication" for weeks
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Ava Garcia
wait you can request claim notes?? how do you do that? i've been trying to figure out why my claim says "pending adjudication" for weeks
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Yes, you can request your claim notes through the "Correspondence" section of your UI portal. Look for the option to "Request Claim Information" or something similar. If you can't find it, you'll need to call TWC directly. "Pending adjudication" usually means they're investigating some aspect of your claim - often employer statements that contradict yours or missing information.
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Miguel Silva
omg this whole system is so broken. my cousin had the EXACT same thing happen with hurricane anthony last year and gave up after the second appeal got rescheduled. im sending her this post right now!!
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Sofia Morales
•Tell her to try again! The appeal deadline is usually within 14 days of the determination letter, but they might make an exception for disaster claims. Worth a shot!
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Zainab Ismail
I'm dealing with a similar hurricane claim issue and have been trying to call TWC for 2 weeks straight. The line is always busy or disconnects me after 45 minutes on hold. It's absolutely maddening. How did you manage to actually talk to someone about your claim being categorized wrong?
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Connor O'Neill
•After fighting with the TWC phone system for weeks, I finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a TWC agent in under 20 minutes. They have this system that holds your place in line and calls you when an agent is available. I was skeptical at first but it worked! Their demo video explains it well: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh They were able to help me resolve an issue where my disaster claim had been incorrectly processed too. Definitely worth it instead of wasting hours redialing.
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QuantumQuester
Disaster unemployment is totally different than regular unemployment! My wife went through this last year. Make sure when you get that determination letter that the benefit amount is correct. Sometimes they mess up the calculation for disaster claims. Check all the paperwork carefully when it arrives.
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Sofia Morales
•Thanks for the tip! I'll double-check all the numbers when I get the official letter.
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StarSailor
How long did it take from your hearing until you got the determination letter? My hearing is next week and I'm freaking out about how long I'll have to wait for a decision.
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Sofia Morales
•I actually got the call about the approval before receiving the determination letter (still waiting on that). The hearing officer said I should receive it within 7-10 business days. The call was unexpected but a huge relief! From what I've heard, regular UI appeals can take 1-3 weeks for the determination letter to arrive after the hearing.
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Miguel Silva
did u have to pay back any of the benefits? my friend got approved then like 3 months later they said she was overpaid and had to return everything.
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Sofia Morales
•No, I haven't received any benefits yet since I was initially denied. That's why they're sending the paperwork for me to claim the back weeks. But that sounds like a nightmare situation for your friend! Did she appeal the overpayment?
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Connor O'Neill
This happened to my brother too! Except his was filed as "power outage" instead of hurricane damage. These intake agents really need better training. It took him 7 calls to even get someone who knew how to fix the category. He ended up using Claimyr.com to get through after days of busy signals. Their system held his place in line and got him connected to an actual TWC agent who could fix the coding issue. Their demo video shows how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh
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StarSailor
•I've been hearing about this Claimyr thing. Does it actually work? I'm desperate to talk to someone before my hearing.
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Dmitry Ivanov
Just an important note for anyone with disaster-related claims: make sure you're still completing the work search requirements unless you've been explicitly exempted. Many disaster claimants think they don't need to search for work, but unless TWC has specifically waived this requirement for your disaster area, you still need to complete and report your minimum 3 work search activities each week. Otherwise, you could be disqualified even after winning your appeal.
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Sofia Morales
•This is a good point! In my case, they did waive the work search requirement for the first 4 weeks after Hurricane Delilah, but then I had to start doing the 3 activities per week. I made sure to document everything through WorkInTexas.com to be safe.
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