TWC demanding $8,000 overpayment repayment after giving me wrong info - appeal failed & Open Records Request ignored

I went through something similar last year, though my overpayment was smaller (about $3,400). Here's what I learned from my experience: 1. You can request a more affordable payment plan. TWC has some flexibility - I got mine reduced to $125/month after showing them my actual budget and expenses. Call the Collections department directly at 512-463-2624. 2. Even though it's frustrating, keep detailed documentation of EVERYTHING moving forward. Every call, email, letter - note the date, time, who you spoke with. 3. File a complaint with your state representative's office. This was what actually helped me. Their constituent services team contacted TWC on my behalf, and suddenly TWC was much more responsive. 4. Consider filing a formal complaint with the Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division. Sometimes this internal pressure helps. The Open Records Request situation is particularly concerning. There are specific timeframes they're required to respond within. You might want to contact the Texas Attorney General's Office about that specific issue.

omg this happend to me to!!! they said i reported wrong but i swear i did exactly what they told me over the phone. ended up having to pay back like $5k and it totally screwed me. the whole system is rigged against regular people. they make the rules so confussing on purpose then blame us when we follow their wrong advice. good luck but they always win :/

I'm a former UI claims examiner, and unfortunately, I see this scenario play out too often. A few important points: 1. The burden of proof falls on the claimant in these cases, which is fundamentally unfair when the TWC fails to provide requested evidence. 2. You still have one more option before a lawsuit: you can request a hardship waiver. TWC can waive repayment if you can demonstrate that it wasn't your fault AND repayment would cause severe financial hardship. The form is available on the TWC website under "Overpayment Information." 3. For the Open Records Request failure - file a complaint with the Texas Attorney General's Office Public Information Coordinator. By law, they must respond to your request within 10 business days. 4. If you decide to pay, definitely negotiate the monthly amount. Collections has significant discretion to reduce payments based on your financial situation. One thing to note: the statute of limitations on these collections is 10 years, but if you make any payment, even a small one, that 10-year clock restarts.

Just wanted to say I'm so sorry you're going through this. The TWC can be absolutely INFURIATING to deal with. The same people telling you how to file your claims are the ones who later decide you did it wrong! Make it make sense! Did you try contacting your state representative yet? That actually worked for my brother when he had issues with his claim (different problem, but still TWC being difficult).

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to an actual TWC agent? I was dealing with a complex appeal situation and kept getting disconnected or waiting hours. Someone here recommended Claimyr (claimyr.com) and it actually worked - got me connected to a TWC agent in about 15 minutes instead of spending all day calling. You might be able to speak to someone in the appeals or collections department who can actually help. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh In my experience, getting to an actual person who can see your full claim history makes a huge difference versus trying to handle everything through the portal.

You should deffintely pursue that hardship waiver the former claims examiner mentioned. My sister-in-law got her overpayment completely waived because she could prove she had followed the TWC rep's instructions exactly. The key was she had taken detailed notes during every call - dates, confirmation numbers, and rep names. Do you have anything like that? Even if you dont have the recordings, your own detailed notes might help.

theyve been doing this to TONS of people lately!!! its a total scam to balance their budget on the backs of working people. i know 3 different people dealing with overpayment notices right now. they tell you one thing then blame you later. the whole system is broken

I want to add something important about those payment plans - if your financial situation changes (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), you can request a modification to your payment plan. Don't just stop paying if you can't afford it, as that can lead to more penalties. Also, regarding the Open Records Request - there's a specific form for appealing a denied or ignored request. It's called a Petition for Review of Denial of Access to Public Information, which you file with the Attorney General's office. The fact that they held your appeal hearing without providing the requested information is problematic and could potentially be grounds for reopening your appeal. Lastly, even though your attorney said litigation would be expensive, you might want to check with Texas RioGrande Legal Aid or Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas - they sometimes take cases like this pro bono if there's a clear procedural error by a government agency.

Thank you all SO MUCH for these responses! I feel like I have actual options now instead of just panicking. Here's my plan based on your advice: 1. Call the Collections department tomorrow to discuss a lower monthly payment 2. Apply for the hardship waiver using my detailed call notes as evidence 3. Contact my state representative's office 4. File a complaint about the ignored Open Records Request with the AG's office 5. Reach out to the legal aid organizations for possible free help I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share your experiences and knowledge. This community has been more helpful than the actual TWC! I'll update once I've made some progress.