TWC approved me but employer appealed - will payments continue until hearing date?
I'm freaking out right now. I've been getting TWC benefits for about a month since my claim was initially approved. Yesterday I got a notice that my former employer filed an appeal against my unemployment benefits! My hearing is scheduled for August 11th (about two weeks away). I just submitted my payment request today as usual, but now I'm worried - will TWC still pay me until the hearing decision is made? Or do they freeze everything once an appeal is filed? I really need this money for rent and can't afford to wait until mid-August to find out. Has anyone dealt with an employer appeal before?
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Nina Fitzgerald
Yes, you'll still receive benefits until a decision is made at the hearing. TWC continues paying while the appeal is pending. Just keep requesting payment as usual and make sure you're doing your work search activities (3 per week). I went through the same thing last year and got paid right up until my hearing date. Just make sure you're prepared for the hearing - gather any documentation that supports your case for why you should receive benefits.
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Kylo Ren
•Thank you so much! That's a huge relief. Did you end up winning your appeal? I'm worried about having to pay everything back if I lose.
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Jason Brewer
yep ur good keep requestin paymnt they dont stop until theres a decision
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Kylo Ren
•Thanks! That's what I was hoping to hear.
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Kiara Fisherman
CAREFUL! This is NOT always true! My benefits got FROZEN immediately when my employer appealed! Had to wait 3 weeks with NOTHING coming in! TWC is totally inconsistent about this - depends who's handling your case. Call them ASAP to confirm!!!
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Liam Cortez
•This information is incorrect. According to the Texas Workforce Commission's official policy, benefits should continue during the appeal process until a final decision is made at the appeal hearing. If your benefits were frozen, that was likely due to another issue with your claim that happened simultaneously with the appeal being filed, not because of the appeal itself. The TWC Appeal Tribunal doesn't have authority to stop payments until they've made their decision.
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Savannah Vin
I just went through this in March! You definitely keep getting paid during the appeal. But start preparing NOW for your hearing. My employer brought up all kinds of stuff I wasn't ready for and I ended up losing. Had to pay back like $4500 ðŸ˜
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Kylo Ren
•Oh no! That's exactly what I'm worried about. What kind of things did they bring up? Did you have a lawyer or anything?
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Savannah Vin
•They claimed I violated company policy which I didn't even know was a policy! No lawyer, couldn't afford one. Wish I had recorded more conversations and saved more emails. Definitely gather EVERYTHING you can to support your side.
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Mason Stone
My sister had her hearing last month and she got a letter in the mail with all the instructions. Make sure you call in 15 minutes early and have all your documents ready. They'll ask you questions about why you left the job and your employer will give their side. Benefits keep coming while waiting for the decision though so don't worry about that part.
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Makayla Shoemaker
To clarify what others have said: Yes, your benefits will continue during the appeal process. This is standard TWC procedure. The payments only stop if the Appeal Tribunal rules against you at the hearing. A few important things to prepare for your hearing: 1. Gather all documentation related to your separation (emails, texts, termination notice, etc.) 2. Write down a clear timeline of events 3. Be prepared to explain why you qualify for benefits 4. Be on time for the call (actually, 15 minutes early as someone mentioned) 5. Speak clearly and don't interrupt others If you need to reach TWC to confirm anything about your specific case before the hearing, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a TWC agent quickly. They have a service that calls TWC for you and gets you to an agent without the busy signals and hours of waiting. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh Getting specific details about your case and what to expect at your hearing can really help you prepare properly.
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Kylo Ren
•Thank you for all this information! I'm definitely going to gather everything I can. Has anyone used that Claimyr service before? I've been trying to call TWC for days with no luck.
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Savannah Vin
•I used it when I had my appeal. Worked pretty well - got through to someone in about 20 minutes instead of spending all day redialing. The agent gave me some helpful tips about what to expect at the hearing.
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Jason Brewer
wut was ur reason for separation? that matters more than anything for the hearing
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Kylo Ren
•They said they let me go due to "business needs" but now they're claiming I wasn't meeting performance expectations. But I never received any warnings or write-ups about performance issues!
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Liam Cortez
•That's actually good for your case. If they're changing their story and have no documentation of performance issues, be sure to point that out in the hearing. The burden is on the employer to prove misconduct, and without written warnings or a documented performance improvement plan, they'll have a harder time making their case. Make sure to state clearly that you never received any formal warnings about your performance.
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Nina Fitzgerald
To answer your question from earlier - yes, I won my appeal! My employer tried to say I quit but I had proof I was laid off. The appeal hearing was actually pretty straightforward - about 30 minutes on the phone with a hearing officer who asked both sides questions. Just be honest and stick to the facts. And yes, you'll continue getting benefits until a decision is made, which usually comes about a week after the hearing.
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Kylo Ren
•That's encouraging! I'm going to spend this weekend organizing everything. Hoping for the best but at least I know my benefits will continue in the meantime.
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