TWC demanding $21,500 repayment after year-long appeal silence - suddenly scheduled interview

The EXACT same thing happened to my brother. They came after him for $19k, then ghosted his appeal for like 10 months. The interview is probably to determine if you committed fraud or if it was TWC's mistake. If it was their mistake you can get a waiver but if they say it was fraud you're screwed. Good luck!!

Did your brother end up having to repay? I definitely didn't commit fraud - I submitted everything they asked for and was approved initially. Did the interviewer tell him why he was suddenly deemed ineligible after being approved?

He got lucky and they determined it was their error in approving him when he didnt qualify. he got a waiver for most of it! but he had to prove he didnt lie on his application. bring ALL your paperwork to prove whatever u told them was true

I've been through the TWC appeal process and can offer some guidance. What likely happened is that your appeal got stuck in their massive backlog from the pandemic. They're still working through cases from 2022-2023.\n\nFor your interview:\n\n1. Have ALL documentation ready - original application, determination letters, proof of job separation, income verification, and any communication with TWC.\n\n2. Take detailed notes during the interview.\n\n3. Specifically ask the interviewer to explain WHICH eligibility requirement they believe you didn't meet. They are required to tell you this during the hearing.\n\n4. Request a copy of your file through an open records request if they won't tell you before the interview.\n\n5. Be very careful about what you say - stick to facts and don't speculate or get emotional.\n\nThe most common reasons for retroactive ineligibility are incorrect income reporting, job separation issues (quitting vs. laid off), or work search compliance problems.

Thank you so much for this detailed advice. I've gathered all my documentation but I'm still confused about which eligibility requirement might be in question. I was laid off due to COVID business closure and provided all verification they requested. I've never missed a work search requirement either.\n\nWould it be worth hiring a lawyer for this hearing? $21,500 is life-changing money for me to owe.

You're welcome. Based on the amount ($21,500), it might be worth consulting with an attorney who specializes in employment law, particularly if you're confident you met all eligibility requirements. Some offer free consultations.\n\nOne thing to consider - was there any period where you might have earned income while collecting benefits? Even small unreported amounts can trigger overpayment demands. Also, if your employer contested your unemployment claim after initially approving it, that could be another reason.

I went through this EXACT NIGHTMARE last year!!! TWC is IMPOSSIBLE to deal with!!! I spent WEEKS trying to call them about my overpayment notice and NEVER got through... always busy signals or disconnected after waiting 2+ hours!!! BEYOND FRUSTRATING!!!!

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to TWC? It's the only thing that worked for me after two weeks of constant busy signals. It gets you in the callback queue without you having to keep redialing. I used it to resolve my overpayment issue and actually got someone helpful. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh\n\nIt's worth checking out especially for something as serious as a large overpayment demand where you need to talk to an actual rep.

NO I haven't heard of that!! Would have been nice to know before I spent 50+ hours trying to call them!!! I'll check it out since I'm STILL dealing with the aftermath of their mistakes!!!

umm have u checked if they sent u notices online that maybe u didnt see? they stop sending paper mail sometimes and expect u to check ur twc account messages. also they sometimes send important stuff to old addresses

Yes, I've checked my online portal religiously. There's nothing there except the original determination letter from last year. No updates on my appeal status at all. And I haven't moved, so they have my correct address. It's like my appeal just disappeared into a black hole for a year.

I worked in UI appeals (not Texas, but similar system). Here's what's happening: your appeal didn't \

This is incredibly helpful information - thank you! When you say the burden of proof is on TWC, does that mean I don't need to proactively defend myself against every possible eligibility issue? Should I just wait for them to state their specific reason and then respond to that?\n\nAlso, does having received benefits for nearly 8 months before they questioned my eligibility strengthen my case at all? It seems weird they would approve me for so long if I was clearly ineligible.

Yes, they must state specifically why they believe you were ineligible. You don't need to proactively defend against every possible issue. Let them present their case first, then respond directly to their stated reasons.\n\nRegarding the 8 months of payments - it doesn't legally strengthen your case in terms of eligibility (they can determine ineligibility retroactively), but it does potentially strengthen a waiver request if they uphold the overpayment. You can argue you had no reason to believe you were ineligible since they continued approving payments for 8 months.\n\nOne more tip: If the interviewer starts asking questions that seem unrelated to your eligibility, politely ask how those questions relate to the specific eligibility issue being examined. This keeps them focused on the actual legal basis for their determination.

I had to repay about $15,000 to TWC last year because they said I didn't qualify for regular benefits and should have been on a different program. The whole system is designed to confuse people then blame us when THEY make mistakes! I did manage to negotiate a payment plan though. Only $75/month for like forever lol. Better than them taking my tax refunds.

That's exactly what I'm afraid of - paying for their mistakes! Did you try appealing the decision? I'm going to fight this because I truly believe I was eligible based on everything I submitted. But it's good to know a payment plan might be possible if I lose the appeal. $21,500 would absolutely destroy me financially if they demanded it all at once.

my sister had a similar issue where she got approved for benefits then they suddenly said no and wanted like $8000 back. she ended up talking to her state representative's office and they actually helped sort it out with TWC! might be worth a try

That's a great suggestion I hadn't thought of. I'll look up my state rep's contact information. Did your sister contact them before or after her appeal hearing?

she contacted them right after getting the overpayment notice. they have staff who specifically help with TWC issues! they can sometimes get answers when regular people cant

One more important thing - if the interview determines you need to repay, immediately request a \

This is such important information! My cousin had an $11,000 overpayment waived completely using this process. The key was proving he applied in good faith and that TWC made the error in approving him when they shouldn't have. The financial hardship part was pretty straightforward - just basic documentation of income and expenses showing inability to pay.

That gives me some hope! I definitely applied in good faith and provided all documentation honestly. I'll prepare my financial information ahead of time in case I need to request this waiver. Thank you both for this advice!