Should I file for TWC unemployment after being laid off and working brief 1099 job?

Yes, file your claim right away! Your eligibility is mostly based on your W-2 employment during the base period (roughly the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters). A few days of 1099 work wouldn't disqualify you, but you would need to report any earnings for that week when you request payment. The important thing is being honest about all work and earnings when you file and during payment requests. Since the 1099 work ended through no fault of your own, it shouldn't affect your eligibility negatively.

The TWC system is SUCH a pain! They will probably flag your account for "review" the second you mention 1099 work and you'll be stuck in pending status for WEEKS!!! Happened to me in January and I couldn't get ANYONE on the phone for almost a month. They make it impossible to reach someone when there's any kind of issue with your claim!!

hey i did somthing similar last year, just file and make sure u report those days u worked when u do ur payment request. its not a big deal but dont forget to mention it or TWC might come after u later for overpayment

File your claim immediately. The date you apply affects your benefit year and potentially the amount you receive. For the 1099 work, you'll need to report the gross earnings during your payment requests for that specific week. Make sure you have documentation of your layoff from your primary employer - TWC will contact them to verify separation reason. Since your 1099 work was temporary and ended due to lack of work, it's not considered refusing suitable employment. Here's exactly what you need to do: 1. File online at twc.texas.gov or call 800-939-6631 2. Have your last 18 months of employment info ready 3. When you request payment for the week you did 1099 work, accurately report those earnings 4. Continue doing at least 3 work search activities each week once approved 5. Document everything in case of questions later The most important thing is to be completely transparent about all work activity.

i got laid off in august filed right away even though i had a couple days at another job that didnt workout. just be honest about the dates and money. twc is actually pretty understanding about this stuff.

If you're having trouble actually getting through to TWC once you file (which is likely - took me 17 calls before I got through), try Claimyr.com. It helped me get through to a TWC rep in about 15 minutes when I was having issues with my claim staying stuck in pending. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh. Saved me so much frustration especially after spending days getting busy signals.

Make sure you have PROOF of why that 1099 job ended!!! When I had a similar situation they demanded an email or letter from the company stating why the work ended. Otherwise they might say you "voluntarily quit" which disqualifies you! The burden of proof is ALWAYS on the claimant!!

also dont forget u gotta do those work search activities every week. they want at least 3 for most counties in texas and u gotta keep a log of them

File immediately, and do your work search activities starting right away. Keep detailed records of every application, contact, or work search activity. For your specific situation, make sure you note the exact dates and earnings from your 1099 work during your first payment request. Since you worked 3 days, you'll report those earnings in the week they were earned, which may reduce your benefit for just that week, but won't affect other weeks. The system will calculate any partial payment for that week automatically. And regarding your previous question - yes, TWC will contact your former employer to verify the separation reason and potentially other details. This is standard procedure and why it's important your application accurately reflects the circumstances of your job loss.

Just wanted to add something that might help - when you file your claim, TWC will ask about your reason for separation from your most recent employer. Since your banking job ended in September and the 1099 work was just a few days, make sure you're clear that your primary separation was the layoff from banking, not the end of the contractor work. The 1099 gig was just temporary income while you were already unemployed. This distinction can be important for how they process your claim. Also, if you haven't already, gather your final pay stub from the banking job and any layoff documentation they provided - TWC might ask for these during the application process.

One more thing to keep in mind - when you do your weekly payment requests, you'll need to answer questions about your work search activities and any work performed that week. For the week you did the 1099 work, you'll answer "yes" to working and report those earnings, but you'll also still need to show you did your required work search activities that same week (unless you worked full-time hours). Don't assume that working a few days exempts you from the work search requirement - TWC expects you to continue actively looking for permanent employment even while doing temporary work. Also, make sure you understand your local workforce area's specific work search requirements since they can vary slightly by region in Texas.

Good question @Lily Young! Contract/1099 applications definitely count toward your work search activities - TWC considers any legitimate job search effort valid, whether it's W-2 or 1099 positions. What matters is that you're actively seeking work that matches your skills and experience. Just make sure to keep detailed records of each application including the company name, position, date applied, and method (online, in person, etc.). You can also count networking events, job fairs, career counseling sessions, and even creating/updating professional profiles on sites like LinkedIn as work search activities. The key is showing consistent effort to find employment. Since you're in banking, I'd suggest mixing both traditional employment applications with contract opportunities since the financial sector often uses both types of positions.