How many work weeks needed to qualify for TWC benefits? Confused about eligibility

In Texas, you need to have earned wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period (that's the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you apply). You also need to have earned at least 37 times your weekly benefit amount in total during your base period. So with 5 months at your retail job, it depends on when those months fell and if you had ANY work in Texas before that. Even if it was part-time or temporary, it might count toward your base period earnings. I'd recommend applying anyway - the worst they can say is no, but they might approve you if you meet the minimum requirements. When you apply, have your employment info from Oklahoma handy too just in case.

just apply! they'll figure it out for u. i lost my job last yr and thought i wouldnt qualify cuz i only worked 4 months but got approved anyway. u never know til u try

To clarify the base period question - it's NOT the last 5 months. Here's how TWC calculates it: If you file in June 2025, your base period would be January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 (they don't count January-March 2025, which is the quarter you're in, and they don't count April-June 2025, which is the current quarter). So if you worked from January through June 2025, that actually doesn't count in your base period at all. But your seasonal job in November-December 2024 WOULD count. If you had any work in Texas during 2024, that would help your claim. The 37x weekly benefit amount means your total earnings in the base period need to be at least 37 times what your weekly benefit would be. TWC determines your weekly benefit amount based on your highest-earning quarter in the base period. Here's the good news - if you don't qualify using the standard base period, TWC will automatically check if you qualify using an alternate base period, which includes more recent work history. I recommend applying online through ui.texasworkforce.org and being very thorough with your work history.

THE TWC SYSTEM IS RIDICULOUS!!! I worked for 4 months in 2024 and got DENIED because of this stupid "base period" nonsense. They said I didn't have enough wages in my "base period" even though I CLEARLY worked enough hours!!! They just want excuses to deny people. The whole system is designed to make it IMPOSSIBLE to get benefits when you need them. Good luck but don't get your hopes up!!!

When I was trying to reach TWC about my eligibility issues last month, I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual TWC agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending days trying to get through. The agent was able to explain exactly why I wasn't qualifying and what I needed to do to fix it. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh that shows how it works. Definitely worth it for peace of mind instead of stressing for weeks not knowing if you'll qualify.

my cousin had same problem last month she only worked like 4 months but still got benefits. think it depends on how much u made not just how long u worked. she made like $5000 total i think

One more important thing - when you apply, make sure you answer the work separation question correctly. Since your store closed, select "lack of work" or "business closed" as the reason. Don't put anything that might suggest you quit or were fired for cause. Also, once you apply, you'll need to request payment every two weeks and complete at least 3 work search activities each week. Start documenting your job applications now - keep a record with the company name, position, date applied, and contact info. Regarding your timeline: If approved, your first payment would typically come 2-3 weeks after applying, assuming there are no issues with your claim. The initial request for payment usually can't be submitted until ~10 days after you apply.

When I filed in 2023 I was in a similar situation and the best advice I got was just be 100% honest on the application, especially about all your past jobs. I think I messed up by not including a really short temp job I had and that caused delays. Oh and make sure to check your TWC correspondence inbox daily - they sent me an important message there and I almost missed the deadline to respond because I didn't know to check it!