TWC claim stuck in review for 6+ weeks while 2023 applications processed faster - what gives?

The TWC system is completely overwhelmed right now. There was a massive layoff in the healthcare sector last month plus all those retail closures in Houston. When I applied in January 2025, my claim was approved in 3 weeks, which I thought was bad enough. Six weeks is definitely excessive though. Have you checked your correspondence inbox in the portal? Sometimes they request additional information but don't notify you by email or text.

mine took 7 weeks just got approved last friday. hang in there!!

I was in the EXACT same situation in February. My advice: check if there are any identity verification issues. That's what held mine up. Go to the "Claim and Payment Status" section, then click on "Claim Information" and look for any notes about identity verification or ID.me issues. The system won't always tell you directly what's wrong. Also, in my experience, the TWC agents ARE processing claims, but they're dealing with a ton of fraud cases right now which slows everything down. The unfortunate reality is that those of us with legitimate claims get caught in their safety measures.

TWC IS THE WORST!!!! i waited EIGHT WEEKS and then got DENIED for some BS reason about my employer contesting it even tho they FIRED ME without warning!! now im in the stupid appeal process thats taking FOREVER TOO!!! the whole system is BROKEN ON PURPOSE to make people give up!!!!

I work as an employment counselor and can tell you that yes, TWC processing times have definitely increased since 2023. There are several reasons for this: 1. The pandemic-era additional staff have been reduced 2. The automated systems put in place for COVID claims have been replaced with more thorough review processes 3. There has been a significant increase in fraudulent claims, causing legitimate claims to face more scrutiny 4. Budget cuts at the state level have affected staffing and resources The best approach is persistence. If you haven't been able to reach anyone by phone, I recommend trying at exactly 7:00am when their system opens or using the Claimyr service (claimyr.com). They have a system that helps you get through to TWC representatives much faster than calling directly. I've had several clients use it successfully when facing similar delays. They have a video that shows exactly how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh Also, while waiting for approval, make sure you're still requesting payment every two weeks and documenting your work search activities. When your claim is finally approved, you'll be eligible for backpay for all those weeks if you've kept up with the requirements.

Anyone saying the system isn't deliberately broken is naive. My claim sat for 7 weeks, then I finally got through to someone who told me they needed one more pay stub from my previous employer. Why didn't they just EMAIL ME and ask for it??? Instead they let my claim sit for almost 2 months. After I sent the document, it was approved in 3 days. The whole thing is designed to make people give up.

Have u checked ur spam folder? Somtimes the emails from twc go there. Happened to me and almost missed deadline 4 submitting docs

Just an update on what I mentioned earlier - I had my claim delayed because I had worked in two states during my base period (Texas and Oklahoma). If you worked out of state at all in the past 18 months, that might be causing the delay. Interstate wage verification takes forever.

I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned earlier and it actually worked! Got through to TWC in about 20 minutes instead of calling for days. Found out my claim was delayed because they couldn't verify my last day of work - my employer had put a different date than I did. The agent was able to update it while I was on the phone. Worth the money to finally get some answers!

Quick update for you: I just spoke with my cousin who works at TWC (not in claims processing but in the IT department). She says they're currently working through a backlog because they migrated to a new processing system in March. Claims filed in February-April are taking longer because of this transition. She suggested calling the Tele-Serv automated line (800-558-8321) to check if there's any specific status info that might not show up on the website.

UPDATE: Finally got through using Claimyr this morning! The TWC agent told me my claim was stuck because there was a question about my reason for separation. My employer didn't contest it, but the way I worded it on my application triggered a manual review. The agent updated some notes and said it should be processed within 3-5 business days. She also submitted all my payment requests that I should have been doing this whole time (thank you to the person who mentioned that!). Such a relief to finally know what's happening! Will update again when I hopefully get approved.

That's such great news! I'm so glad you finally got some answers and movement on your claim. It's crazy how something as simple as wording can trigger a manual review that drags on for weeks. Really shows how important it is to get through to an actual person who can see what's really going on behind the scenes. Definitely keep us posted on whether you get approved in those 3-5 days - I think a lot of people here are dealing with similar delays and your experience could really help them know what to expect. Thanks for sharing the update!

This whole thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation - my claim has been stuck for 5 weeks now. Reading everyone's experiences, I think I need to try that Claimyr service too. It's ridiculous that we have to pay a third party just to get basic information about our own claims, but at this point I'm desperate. @Arnav Bengali really hoping your claim gets approved in those 3-5 days like the agent said! Your update gives me hope that there might actually be a simple explanation for why mine is stuck too. Going to call first thing Monday morning.

I'm in week 4 of waiting and reading through this thread gives me both hope and anxiety! It sounds like most people eventually get through, but the lack of communication from TWC is just brutal. @Arnav Bengali thanks so much for sharing your journey and especially that update about getting through with Claimyr - that's really encouraging! I'm definitely going to try that service this week. Quick question for anyone who's been through this: when you finally got approved, did you get the full backpay automatically or did you have to request it separately? I've been doing my biweekly requests like suggested but want to make sure I don't miss any steps. This whole process is such a nightmare but at least this community helps us feel less alone in dealing with it!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I've been dealing with the exact same issue - my claim has been stuck in review for 5 weeks now and I was starting to think I was the only one. Reading everyone's experiences here is both frustrating (that this is happening to so many people) but also reassuring that I'm not alone. The tip about continuing to request payments even while in review status is huge - I had no idea I was supposed to keep doing that! I've been documenting my job searches but not submitting payment requests because I thought I had to wait for approval first. Going to fix that immediately. Also definitely going to try the Claimyr service this week after seeing multiple people say it worked for them. It's ridiculous that we have to pay a third party to get basic information about our own claims, but at this point I'm willing to try anything. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver when dealing with TWC's terrible communication!