How much unemployment will I get if I make $600 a week in Texas TWC?

$312 — okay that's actually more than I expected. And the six weeks of reduced hours, does that mess with my calculation at all?

The base period covers the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed, so those reduced-hour weeks do factor into the highest-quarter math. If your hours were cut a lot, your quarterly total dips and so does your weekly amount.

Makes sense, the cut was pretty significant so I might end up closer to $280 or $290 then. Appreciate the breakdown.

My situation is similar — some weeks I worked overtime, some I barely hit 30 hours. Would the agent be able to tell me my actual number before the determination letter comes?

That's what the agent did for her — pulled up the wage data and gave her the calculated amount on the call, didn't have to wait for the letter.

So I could run out of benefits before 26 weeks if my base period wages were on the lower side?

Exactly. Run the math both ways — 26 times your weekly amount, and 27 percent of total base period wages — and whichever number is smaller is your maximum benefit amount.

I didn't realize there was a second cap. I always thought it was just 26 weeks flat.

Most people don't know about the wage-based cap until their benefits run out early. Good info.

The determination letter does list your maximum benefit amount at the top, but it's easy to miss because there's so much text on that page.

Mine said something like 'MBA' with a dollar figure and I just assumed it was a typo or placeholder. No context.

MBA on the letter stands for Maximum Benefit Amount. Once you've collected that total they close your claim for the year even if the 52 weeks aren't up yet.

Right, I was still getting paid during the cut, just less per week. So my highest quarter is probably still Q4 of last year when I had full hours.

Then your calculation is probably close to what was posted above — based on the full-hour quarter, not the reduced one.

I haven't picked up any side work yet but I'm thinking about doing some gig deliveries. Would that affect my check?

Yes, you'd report those earnings for the week you did the work, not when you get paid. You can earn up to 25 percent of your weekly benefit amount without any reduction. Anything above that gets subtracted from your payment dollar for dollar over that threshold.

So for a $312 weekly benefit, you could earn up to $78 from gig work without losing anything, and above that it starts coming off your payment.

That's the right math. And you need to be earning more than $312 plus that $78 in a single week before you'd get zero for the week.

Tips count too? Like if you're doing delivery and you get tips on the app?

Anything you earn for work you did that week gets reported. Tips included.

And for gig work TWC has you report net profit, not gross. So subtract your actual expenses like mileage and fees from the app before you report.

I filed the same week I was laid off so I should be okay on that. The notice TWC mailed said to request payment starting around two weeks out.

That's right, you don't wait for a determination before you start requesting payments. Keep making those requests on schedule even if your claim is still showing pending.

I made the mistake of waiting for my adjudication to clear before I requested payments. Lost several weeks because of it. File on time regardless of what your status shows.

Wait so it's not just paid after two payments? I thought after you got paid twice the waiting week just shows up.

Nope, both conditions have to be met — the two-times amount AND one of the two endings. If you go back to full-time work, you can actually request the waiting week through UBS or Tele-Serv before you stop claiming.

I didn't know I'd have to actively request it if I go back to work. Good to know so I don't leave money on the table.

Tele-Serv Option 2 then Option 4 is how you request it by phone, or there's a link in UBS to request your waiting week directly.

I'm in Bexar County so five a week. That's a lot but okay. Does applying for a job on Indeed count as one activity?

Yes, submitting a job application counts. So does an employer interview or a resume submission. Keep a record of the company name, position, date, and how you applied for each one.

Don't forget you also have to register on WorkInTexas.com — that's a requirement separate from the work search activities themselves.

Exactly. I got audited four months into my claim and scrambled to reconstruct my log from my email sent folder. Barely pulled it off.

An email sent folder is actually smart backup. Screenshots of Indeed applications with timestamps work too.

The audit is random — doesn't mean anything is wrong with your claim. Just have the records ready.

Ha, I've already been refreshing it like every hour. Good to know I'm wasting my time doing that.

Everyone does it. Set a morning alarm to check once and step away from it the rest of the day.

Mine had the reduced-hours stretch so I'm bracing for something in that range. Did your determination letter show the breakdown by quarter?

Yes, the letter lists each base period quarter with the wages TWC has on file. Compare it to your pay stubs to make sure it's right.

If the wages on the determination letter don't match your records, you can appeal or call in to get it corrected. Don't just accept a wrong number.

I thought adjudication meant my claim was denied when I saw it on my portal. Nearly gave up and didn't follow up.

It just means they're still evaluating — could be your job separation, could be an identity check, could be something with your wages. The determination letter explains what they're looking at.

Mine just says 'pending' not 'adjudication' so hopefully it moves soon.

I don't have severance coming but that's good to know the agent can actually give you case-specific answers.

She looked at my actual claim on her screen and walked through it line by line. Way more useful than the website.

I called the payment requests 'weekly claims' for the first two weeks and the TWC website kept confusing me because it doesn't use that term anywhere.

Texas calls them payment requests, not weekly certifications or weekly claims. Good to know the right term so you're searching for the right thing on the site.

Filing days are Sunday through Wednesday, but if you miss that window you have until Saturday of that same week to still file for those weeks. After Saturday it's gone.

I set up direct deposit when I applied — does that change anything about the two-business-day timeline?

Direct deposit follows the same two-business-day window after your first payment, so no difference on timing there.

Just make sure the bank account info you entered is exactly right. A wrong digit sends the payment into limbo and fixing it takes a call to TWC.

Good call, I'll set up the withholding now so I don't get hit with a surprise bill in April.

Exactly why I mention it. Most people opt in after getting a tax bill their first year on benefits.

The 1099-G is also available digitally in UBS under IRS Tax Information, usually by late January, in case the mailed copy doesn't arrive.

Fourteen days from the mailed date, not from when you open the envelope. That is a painful detail to miss.

The online submission through UBS is the safest move for the same reason — you get a confirmation and there's no question about when it was filed.

I missed an appeal window by two days because I counted from when I got the letter. Lost the appeal chance entirely. File the moment you see the determination.

Based on this thread I'm estimating somewhere between $280 and $312. I'll know for sure when the determination letter lands but at least I have a ballpark now.

That's a reasonable range for $600-a-week wages depending on how those reduced-hours weeks shook out. The letter will confirm and show the quarterly breakdown.

And remember that's your weekly benefit amount for a full week of no work. If you do pick up any gig work you'll be doing the 25 percent threshold math each week to figure out what you actually receive.