Missed my TWC appeal hearing - can I still fight disqualification for 'quitting'?

Thank you so much! Will a car breakdown on the way to the hearing count as a good reason? That's literally what happened - my transmission gave out 30 mins before the hearing and I couldn't get to a phone in time. Will try the appeals portal now.

That gives me hope! Did he have to do that Motion to Reopen thing? How long did it take for him to get it resolved?

ya he did the motion thing and had to wait like 3 more weeks for another hearing. the second time he made sure to call in like 20 min early lol. but after that hearing they fixed it pretty quick and paid him backpay too

8 weeks?! I can't wait that long! Did going to the office in person actually help? There's one about 30 minutes from me but I wasn't sure if they handle appeals stuff there.

They don't technically handle appeals at the local office BUT they CAN tell you exactly what to do and sometimes they'll let you use their fax machine to send your documents directly to the appeals department! At least at my office they did. Better than nothing!

This is excellent advice. Actually, you should continue to request payment even if you're denied benefits for ANY reason while an appeal is pending. Keep doing your work searches too and documenting everything. The system won't let you submit the work searches if you're disqualified, but keep track of them anyway because you'll need to provide that information if your appeal is successful.

My hearing was supposed to be by phone but I was driving to somewhere with better reception when my car broke down. By the time I got help I had already missed it. I should have planned better :

oh that sucks man. yea always gotta be ready like 30 min early for those calls. hope u get another chance

Thank you! I've never heard of that service but I'm getting desperate. I'll check out that link. Did you win your appeal after you got the Motion to Reopen accepted?

Yes! The Motion was approved and I got a new hearing scheduled within 3 weeks. I made sure to be super prepared for the second hearing - had all my documentation ready and organized. I won my appeal and got all my back benefits. The key was being able to talk to someone who could explain exactly what I needed to do for the Motion to be accepted.

This is incredibly helpful! I still have the tow truck receipt in my email and the estimate from the mechanic. I'll include copies of those. For the restructuring, I have the company-wide email announcing the changes and my termination letter that specifically mentions "position elimination due to departmental restructuring" - will that be enough?

Those documents sound perfect. The company-wide email and termination letter specifically mentioning "position elimination due to departmental restructuring" are exactly what you need. Make copies of everything (don't send originals) and keep a digital backup as well. When you get your new hearing date, call in at least 15 minutes early and have all documents organized and in front of you. Be calm and factual when explaining your situation.

That's good to know there's another option if this doesn't work! I definitely won't give up - I've paid into this system for years and need the help now. Thanks!

Oh wow that would be terrible! I'll make sure to put my full name, cause number, last 4 of SSN, and claimant ID on everything. Thanks for the tip!

This timeline is super helpful - thank you! 6 weeks total doesn't sound too bad considering I was panicking that this would take months. I love the idea about organizing everything chronologically, I'm definitely going to do that. For witnesses, I do have my former supervisor's contact info and she was really sympathetic about the whole situation. Do you know if witnesses need to be available for the entire hearing or just when they're called to speak?

Witnesses typically only need to be available when they're testifying, not for the entire hearing. The hearing officer will usually ask you at the beginning how many witnesses you have and approximately when you'll need them. They'll call your witness, let them give their testimony (usually takes 5-10 minutes), allow the other party to ask questions if they want, then dismiss the witness. Your former supervisor sounds like she'd be perfect since she can verify the restructuring wasn't your choice. Just make sure to prep her beforehand on what questions she might be asked - like confirming you didn't quit, explaining the department restructuring, and that your position was eliminated through no fault of your own.

This is exactly the kind of detailed advice I needed! Thank you so much for breaking it down step by step. I'm definitely going to file the Motion to Reopen today - I'm on day 4 since the decision so I still have time. I've got all my documentation ready including the tow receipt and repair estimate. One quick question - when you say "use the exact wording from your termination letter," do you mean I should quote it directly in the motion, or paraphrase it? I want to make sure I get this right the first time. And I'll definitely call in super early for the new hearing if I get one. Really appreciate you sharing your experience!

Quote it directly! When I wrote my motion, I included a section that said something like "My termination letter states: '[exact quote from your letter]'" - this shows TWC that you have official documentation contradicting their determination that you "quit." The hearing officers really pay attention when you can provide exact quotes from official company documents that directly dispute their findings. Since your letter mentions "position elimination due to departmental restructuring," that's perfect language to quote verbatim because it clearly shows this wasn't voluntary on your part. Make sure to also attach a copy of that letter to your motion as supporting evidence. You're doing everything right - just stay organized and persistent!