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Andre Lefebvre

TWC Commission Appeal timeline? Appeal Tribunal decision still pending after 5 weeks

I lost my hearing with the Appeal Tribunal about 5 weeks ago (honestly still in shock about it). I immediately filed an appeal to the TWC Commission because I know I was wrongfully disqualified from benefits. My online account just says 'Appeal Pending' and I haven't received any letters or updates. Does anyone know how long it typically takes for the Commission to review and make a decision after you appeal the Appeal Tribunal's ruling? I'm getting really anxious because my savings are almost gone and I can't get any clear answers when I call. Is there anything I can do to speed up the process?

Unfortunately, Commission appeals can take anywhere from 6-10 weeks to process right now. They're severely backlogged since the pandemic. When I appealed my Appeal Tribunal decision last year, it took almost 8 weeks before I got a determination letter. The Commission has to review ALL the evidence and hearing recordings from your case, so it's much more time-consuming than the initial determination. Make sure you're still doing your work searches and requesting payments during this time!

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8 WEEKS?! That's insane... I've already been waiting over a month. Do you know if their decision will arrive by mail or will it show up on my online account first?

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yeah i appealed to the commission back in january and heard back in march so like 7-8 weeks. they sent me a letter in the mail and then it showed up online a few days later. hang in there!

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Thanks for sharing your timeline. Did they just review the evidence from the Appeal Tribunal hearing or did they contact you for more information?

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Mei Wong

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I went through this nightmare last fall. Commission appeals are taking FOREVER these days. Mine took 9 weeks and I was calling CONSTANTLY trying to get updates. The system is completely broken!!! The most frustrating part is that there's literally NOTHING you can do to speed it up - they won't even talk to you about the status when you call. They just say "it's in process" like that's supposed to help. I was about to lose my apartment waiting for their precious decision.

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QuantumQuasar

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I hate when they do that! Did you win your appeal at least?

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Mei Wong

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YES actually! After all that waiting, they reversed the Appeal Tribunal decision. But those 9 weeks of not knowing were pure hell. The stress alone took years off my life.

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Liam McGuire

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After i lost my appeal tribunal i talked to my neighbor who works for a lawer and he said commission appeals take like 2 months usually. something about they only meet to review cases once a month? idk if thats true or not but mite explain why it takes so long

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That's not entirely accurate. The Commission doesn't only meet once a month - they review cases continuously. But they do have to go through a specific review process with three Commissioners, which is why it takes longer than the initial determination or Appeal Tribunal decisions. Just wanted to clarify so people have the right expectations.

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Amara Eze

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I went through this exact situation in February. After my Appeal Tribunal hearing went badly, I appealed to the Commission and waited nearly 7 weeks for a decision. The most helpful thing I did was use Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually reach a TWC agent who could tell me exactly where my appeal was in the queue. They couldn't speed it up, but at least I got real information instead of the vague online status. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh The agent explained that Commission appeals go through multiple review stages before a final decision is made, and each stage can take 1-2 weeks. At least knowing the process made the wait slightly less stressful.

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Thanks for the tip about Claimyr. I've been trying to reach TWC for days with no luck. Did the agent give you any indication of whether your appeal was likely to succeed?

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Amara Eze

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No problem! The agent couldn't tell me about the likelihood of success (they're not allowed to speculate), but they did confirm all my evidence was properly attached to my case file, which was reassuring. Just being able to talk to a real person who could see my actual case details helped a lot with the anxiety of waiting.

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Just wondering - did you submit any additional documentation with your Commission appeal? I've heard that can sometimes slow things down even more because they have to review everything again. When I did my appeal last year I just wrote a brief statement explaining why I thought the Appeal Tribunal decision was wrong and referenced the evidence that was already submitted. Got my decision in about 6 weeks.

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I did submit a new doctor's note and some additional text messages from my employer that I didn't have during the Appeal Tribunal hearing. Maybe that's slowing things down. I was desperate to include anything that might help my case, but now I'm wondering if that was a mistake.

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It's probably not a mistake - more evidence could definitely help your case! It might add a bit of review time, but if those documents strengthen your position, it's worth the extra wait. Just explaining why it might take longer than some others here experienced.

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QuantumQuasar

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has anybody ever had their benefits reinstated while waiting for the commission appeal? im in the same boat and running out of money fast

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No, benefits aren't paid during the Commission appeal process unless they rule in your favor. Then you'd get backpay for all the eligible weeks. That's why it's so important to keep requesting payment every two weeks even though you're not receiving benefits - so you can get that backpay if you win.

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UPDATE: Just got my Commission decision today! It took exactly 6 weeks and 3 days from when I filed my appeal. They actually REVERSED the Appeal Tribunal decision! I'll be getting backpay for all the weeks I've been requesting payment. Just wanted to update everyone in case it helps someone else who's waiting. And thanks for all the advice - knowing that the wait was normal really helped me manage my anxiety about it.

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Mei Wong

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CONGRATS!!! It's such a relief when they actually get it right! Did you do anything special to get them to reverse it?

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Thanks! I think the additional documentation I submitted with my appeal made the difference. The Commission specifically mentioned my doctor's note in their decision letter, which the Appeal Tribunal hadn't considered.

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That's awesome news Andre! Really happy to hear the Commission reversed the decision - it gives me hope for my own appeal that I filed 3 weeks ago. The fact that your additional documentation made the difference is really encouraging. I submitted some extra evidence too so maybe that will help my case. Thanks for updating us on the timeline, it's so helpful to know what to expect. Enjoy that backpay!

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