TWC Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) backdating to May storm - possible for self-employed?

Yes, DUA can be backdated to the date of the disaster that caused your unemployment, regardless of when you filed. The standard is different from regular UI claims. For disaster claims, TWC is supposed to pay from the date the disaster impacted your employment, not just from when you filed. However, you need to specifically request the backdating and explain why you didn't file immediately (not knowing you were eligible is actually a valid reason for DUA). Make sure you're talking to someone who understands Disaster Unemployment Assistance, not regular unemployment. Regular TWC agents sometimes get confused about DUA rules.

i got DUA after hurricane last yr and they WOULD NOT backdate mine even tho i tried 4 different times!!! so frustrating!!! one agent told me yes then another said no the next day. good luck but dont count on it tbh

You absolutely CAN get DUA backdated to the date of the disaster. Federal guidelines for DUA specifically allow for this, but here's what you need to know: 1. There is a 30-day filing deadline from when the disaster is announced, BUT this can be extended if you show "good cause" for late filing 2. Not knowing you were eligible as a self-employed person is considered "good cause" under DUA guidelines 3. You need to request a "backdated claim review" specifically for DUA (use those exact words) 4. You'll need to document that your work loss was directly caused by the May disaster 5. Be prepared to submit documentation of your self-employment income before the disaster I recommend submitting this request in writing through your TWC correspondence portal, not just by phone. Agents are often not well-trained on DUA rules since they're less common than regular UI claims.

TWC has been USELESS with my DUA claim too!!! I've tried calling 37 TIMES this month alone and either get disconnected or the person has NO IDEA what they're talking about! It's like they're actively trained to be incompetent! I'm still waiting on 3 weeks of back payments that were approved but never deposited. The whole system is designed to make us give up!!!!

my cousin got backdate for hurricane DUA last year so its possible but he had to talk to a supervisor i think

I process disaster claims (not for TWC but another state). Here's the actual rule: DUA claims must typically be filed within 30 days of the disaster announcement, BUT there's a process called "good cause extension" that can allow backdating. For your specific situation, you need to: 1. Submit a written statement explaining why you didn't file until July (lack of knowledge about eligibility is valid for DUA) 2. Request a "determination of timeliness with good cause consideration" 3. Provide documentation showing your self-employment and that your work loss was directly caused by the May disaster The confusion happens because regular UI rules and DUA rules are different, and many agents primarily handle regular UI. DUA is federally funded and has different guidelines. Also, you mentioned "I was approved" - make absolutely sure you were approved for DUA specifically and not regular UI. They're different programs with different rules.

what storm was this in may? was it the one that hit houston or the dallas one? i lost work in the dallas storm but didnt even know i could apply for anything

Quick update on this topic - I just checked the TWC website and found their official policy on DUA backdating. The key things you need to know: 1. The normal filing deadline is 30 days from the announcement of DUA availability 2. Late applications can be accepted if you can show "good cause" for filing late 3. For the May 2025 storms, the filing deadline was extended until August 31, 2025 (this was a special extension) Since you filed in July, you're actually within the extended deadline period! This means you shouldn't even need a "good cause" explanation. Your claim should be backdated to when the disaster actually affected your employment in May. I recommend printing this information from the TWC website and including it with your backdating request. Sometimes the agents aren't aware of special extensions for specific disasters.

I finally got through to TWC after trying for 3 weeks straight (busy signals, disconnects, the whole mess). I used Claimyr.com to get connected - took about 15 minutes instead of days of calling. The agent I spoke with confirmed that for DUA claims, they CAN backdate to when the disaster affected your employment, regardless of when you filed, as long as you filed within the disaster-specific deadline (which was extended for the May storms). Definitely worth checking out their service if you're still having trouble getting through. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh so you can see how it works. Good luck with your backdating! Based on what the agent told me, you should be eligible since you filed in July.