How often does TWC send unemployment payments - weekly or biweekly?

In Texas, you REQUEST payments every two weeks, but each payment request covers two separate weeks. So technically you're getting paid for each week, but the actual payments come biweekly after you submit your payment request. You'll submit your request through the TWC portal or Tele-Serv on your assigned day (based on the last digit of your SSN), and if everything's in order, you should receive the payment 2-3 business days later via direct deposit or debit card depending on what you selected.

The TWC system is COMPLETELY MESSED UP! They say biweekly but sometimes it takes WAY LONGER to actually get your money. I had to wait 3+ weeks for my first payment because of "pending issues" they never told me about!!! Don't count on getting it on any specific schedule until you've gone through a few payment cycles. The system is designed to make it as difficult as possible!!!!

To clarify what others have said: Texas Workforce Commission has a biweekly payment request schedule. You request payment every two weeks, reporting your work search activities and any earnings for each week separately within that request. After you submit your payment request, you'll typically receive your benefits within 2-3 business days if there are no issues with your claim. The payment will cover both weeks that you requested. For example, if you request payment on June 14, 2025, you'd be requesting payment for the weeks of May 31-June 6 and June 7-13. Each week is calculated separately (based on your weekly benefit amount minus any part-time earnings), then combined into one payment. Just make sure you're completing the required 3 work search activities for each week and reporting them correctly during your payment request.

its every 2 weeks but u have to request it on ur day or u might miss it. my day is wednesday bc of my ssn. u get paid for 2 weeks at once but they calculate each week separate. if u miss ur day u can still request the next day but dont miss that one two

When I was on unemployment last year the payment schedule was so frustrating because I couldn't get through to anyone at TWC when my payments were delayed. I finally found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to a TWC agent in less than 10 minutes! You might want to check out their video demo at https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh if you run into any payment issues. Their website is claimyr.com - it saved me hours of busy signals and disconnected calls.

My sister got unemployment and she had to request every two weeks but then she got a job and forgot to stop requesting! Now they're saying she owes all this money back! Make sure you stop requesting as soon as you start working or you'll end up with an overpayment notice!

hey so i think noone mentioned this but if ur claim has any problems they might put a hold on ur payments and u wont get anything until its cleared up. happened to me bc they needed extra identity verification and i didnt see the message in my correspondence inbox for like a week lol. def check ur inbox regularly!!

One last thing to note about the payment schedule: while you request payment biweekly, your work search requirements are weekly. So you need to complete at least 3 work search activities each week (that's the current requirement for most counties in Texas). When you request payment, you'll report your work search activities for each of the two weeks separately. Keep good records of all your activities in case TWC requests verification. Also, pay attention to your correspondence inbox in your TWC account. TWC sends important notices there rather than to your email, and missing those can cause payment delays.

Just wanted to add - make sure you also understand the difference between your "request day" and your "payment day." Your request day is assigned based on the last digit of your SSN (Sunday through Saturday), but your actual payment will arrive 2-3 business days after you submit that request. So if your request day is Monday and you submit on time, expect payment Wednesday or Thursday. This timing can vary slightly during holidays when banks are closed. I learned this the hard way when I was budgeting for rent and didn't account for the processing time!

Another thing to keep in mind is that your first payment might take longer than the usual 2-3 business days. When I started my claim, it took about a week for my first payment to arrive because they had to set up my direct deposit and do some additional verification. After that first payment though, it was pretty consistent with the 2-3 day timeline. Also, if you chose the debit card option instead of direct deposit, that can add extra time initially since they have to mail you the card first. Just don't panic if your very first payment takes a bit longer than expected - that's totally normal!

Just to add one more helpful tip - TWC actually has a payment schedule calendar on their website that shows all the request days for the year. You can find it under the "Unemployment Benefits" section. It's super useful for planning ahead, especially around holidays when the schedule might shift by a day or two. I printed mine out and keep it on my fridge so I never miss my request day. Also, if you're ever unsure about your specific request day, you can log into your TWC account and it will show your assigned day right on the homepage. The system assigns your day based on your SSN, but having that visual reminder really helps with staying organized!

One thing I learned the hard way is to always screenshot your payment request confirmation page! TWC's system sometimes glitches and doesn't save your request properly, but if you have that confirmation screenshot with the date and time, it can help resolve any issues if your payment doesn't show up. I had this happen once where I submitted my request but it didn't go through on their end, and having that screenshot saved me from missing a whole payment cycle. Also, if you're using Tele-Serv instead of the website, write down the confirmation number they give you at the end of the call. It's just a good backup to have in case anything goes wrong with the system!

One more thing that might help with budgeting - you can actually check the status of your payment request online or through the app after you submit it. In your TWC account, there's a "Payment Request Status" section that will show whether your request is processing, approved, or if there are any issues. It usually updates within 24-48 hours after you submit. This can give you peace of mind and help you know if your payment is on track or if there might be a delay. I check mine the day after I submit my request just to make sure everything looks good. If the status shows "Payment Pending" for more than a few days, that's when you might want to call TWC to see if there's an issue that needs to be resolved.

I've been on unemployment for about 6 months now and want to share some practical advice about the payment timing. Yes, it's biweekly requests like everyone said, but here's what I wish someone had told me at the beginning: set up your budget assuming payments will arrive on the LATER end of that 2-3 business day window, not the earlier end. I used to stress out when my payment didn't hit my account on day 2, but now I just plan for day 3 or 4 and treat anything earlier as a bonus. Also, keep about $50-100 buffer if possible because occasionally there are small delays due to bank processing times or holidays. The system is actually pretty reliable once you get into the routine - it's just that first month or two where you're learning the rhythm that can be nerve-wracking!

Just want to add something that helped me a lot when I first started - if you're worried about timing, you can actually see your payment history and amounts in your TWC account under the "Payment History" section. This shows you exactly when each payment was issued and for how much, so after your first few payment cycles you'll start to see the pattern for your specific situation. It's also helpful for tax purposes later since you'll need to report the total amount you received. I keep a simple spreadsheet tracking my request dates and payment dates just to stay organized, but the TWC system keeps all that info for you too. The key is just being patient with that first payment while everything gets set up properly!

I've been through the TWC unemployment process twice now, and I can confirm what others have said about the biweekly schedule. One thing I'd add is to make sure you understand what happens if you have partial work during a week you're claiming. If you work part-time and earn less than your weekly benefit amount, you can still receive partial benefits for that week - but you MUST report those earnings accurately when you submit your payment request. TWC will calculate how much to reduce your benefit based on what you earned. The important thing is to be completely honest about any work or earnings, even if it's just a few hours or a small amount. Not reporting earnings can create serious overpayment issues down the road that are much harder to deal with than just getting a reduced payment for that week.

As someone who just went through this same confusion a few months ago, I can confirm what everyone's saying about the biweekly schedule. Here's what actually happens: you submit your payment request every two weeks on your assigned day (mine is Tuesday based on my SSN), and that request covers the previous two weeks. Each week is calculated separately - so if you had any part-time work one week but not the other, only that week gets reduced. The payment usually hits my account 2-3 business days later via direct deposit. My advice is to set up direct deposit if you haven't already (way faster than the debit card), and definitely check your TWC correspondence inbox regularly since that's where they'll notify you of any issues that could delay payment. The first payment took about 5 days for me, but after that it's been pretty consistent. Good luck!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been navigating the TWC system for a few months now. The biweekly schedule can definitely be confusing at first, but here's what I've learned: you're essentially getting paid weekly amounts, but you request them in biweekly batches. So if your weekly benefit amount is $300, you'll request $600 every two weeks (assuming no part-time work). One thing that really helped me was setting up text alerts through my bank for deposits - that way I know immediately when the payment hits instead of obsessively checking my balance. Also, I'd recommend having at least one backup plan for those first few weeks while you're getting used to the timing. Maybe ask a family member if you can borrow money for groceries if your payment is delayed, or see if any bills can be pushed back a few days. The system does work once you get the hang of it, but having that safety net really reduced my stress during the adjustment period!

One thing that really helped me when I first started was to treat my payment request day like any other important appointment - I set a recurring reminder on my phone for the same time each week. Even though you only request every two weeks, having that weekly reminder ensures you never miss your actual request day. I also learned to submit my request early in the day (like 8-9 AM) rather than waiting until evening, because if there are any technical issues with the website, you still have time to try again or call Tele-Serv as a backup. The TWC website can get overloaded, especially on Mondays when a lot of people have their request day. Having that buffer time in your day can save you from a lot of stress if the system is running slow!