Maternity leave ended + company sold + no contact from new owner = TWC claim?

You should definitely file for unemployment right away. This counts as a layoff due to company reorganization/acquisition, which is not your fault. When you file, just explain exactly what happened - that you were on approved maternity leave, the company was sold, and upon your return date, you discovered your position was eliminated. TWC considers this a qualifying separation. Make sure to document all your attempts to contact the new company - dates/times of calls, emails, etc. This will help if they try to contest your claim.

omg this happend to my cousin last yr!! they didnt tell her nothing either just stoped paying her while she was on materniyt leave. she ended up getting unumployment but it took like 2 months i think

The NERVE of these companies!!! This is ILLEGAL treatment of a new mother returning from protected leave! The new company HAD AN OBLIGATION to honor your employment status during acquisition. Make sure you tell TWC EXACTLY what happened because this could potentially be a FMLA violation as well as wrongful termination. They can't just pretend you don't exist because you were on maternity leave when they bought the company! I went through a similar thing (not maternity but medical leave) and TWC found in my favor because the company couldn't prove they had legitimate business reasons to eliminate ONLY my position.

I had a nightmare getting through to TWC when something similar happened to me (company relocated and eliminated my position). Spent days getting busy signals and disconnects. Finally used a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a TWC agent in about 20 minutes. Worth every penny because the agent was able to properly code my claim as a no-fault separation and my benefits started the next week. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh

Same thing just happened to my wife last month lol. She went on leave in December, company got bought in January, and nobody bothered to tell her until she showed up for work and couldn't get in the building! The new owners were like "who are you?" Total disaster. She applied for TWC benefits and checked "laid off due to company buyout/merger" on the application. Got approved in about 10 days. But they asked for documentation proving she was employed before the leave, so have your last paystub and something showing your return-to-work date ready.

To properly file your TWC claim in this situation: 1. Use your original employer's name and information, as they were your last actual employer 2. Select "Laid off due to company buyout/acquisition" as your reason for separation 3. In the detailed explanation section, clearly state you were on approved maternity leave with a scheduled return date of [date], but upon that date discovered the company had been acquired and your position eliminated 4. Document all attempts to contact both the original and new company 5. Provide your last paystub, approved leave documentation, and any communication about the acquisition This is considered a qualifying separation event with no disqualification period. Be prepared for the TWC to contact both your original employer and the acquiring company to verify details. If your claim is initially denied, immediately file an appeal - this happens sometimes with complex situations but is often resolved in the appeal process.

For work search requirements, yes, your field and geographic location are considered. In Texas, you need to complete at least 3 work search activities each week. These don't have to be just applications - they can include updating your resume, attending networking events, or taking skills training relevant to your field. If healthcare administration jobs are limited in your area, TWC will expect you to look for jobs that use transferable skills from your previous position. Document all your search activities carefully in the TWC portal. If you're limiting your search geographically due to childcare constraints, note that in your work search log.

my friend said you should file for partial unemployment if you can get even a lil part time work while looking for a full job

Update: I filed my claim yesterday following everyone's advice. I listed my separation reason as layoff due to acquisition and explained the situation in detail. I uploaded my last paystub, leave approval, and return-to-work date documentation. Fingers crossed it goes through smoothly! I'll update once I hear anything.

That's absolutely correct about requesting payments. So many people make the mistake of waiting for approval before making their biweekly payment requests. Even if your claim is still under review, log in and request payment when scheduled. If approved, you'll receive all eligible back payments for properly requested weeks.