TWC denied me DUA but I lost job from storm damage - am I totally ineligible?

This is actually good news! If your determination says you have sufficient base period wages, it means you qualify for REGULAR unemployment (UI), which is typically better than DUA anyway. DUA is only for people who DON'T qualify for regular unemployment. Since you worked steady for 2 years, you should definitely qualify for normal UI benefits. What you need to do is file a regular unemployment claim if you haven't already. The system might have automatically reviewed you for regular UI and found you eligible, which is why they're denying the DUA claim. Check your TWC account to see if there's a regular UI claim already started.

TWC is automatically screening DUA applicants for regular UI eligibility first. If you qualify for regular UI, you'll be denied DUA - it's actually a positive thing! Regular UI benefits are usually higher than DUA anyway. Check your correspondence inbox for any additional letters that might explain your benefit amount for regular UI. Also make sure you're completing your payment requests every two weeks regardless of whether you've been approved yet.

Had the exact same thing happen 2 me. Got denied DUA but qualified 4 regular. Ended up being a good thing cuz my weekly amount was higher.

I've been dealing with the TWC system for weeks now trying to resolve my claim after the March storms. The phone lines are completely jammed - I tried calling over 30 times yesterday and couldn't get through. If you're stressed about reaching someone, I finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a TWC agent in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh Saved me so much frustration since I needed answers about my determination letter too. The agent confirmed exactly what others are saying - if you qualify for regular UI, you'll be denied DUA because regular benefits are typically better.

Is anyone else getting really worried about how long disaster claims are taking this year? My neighbor still hasn't gotten her first payment and it's been over a month!

THE TWC SYSTEM IS A NIGHTMARE!!!! They literally make it as confusing as possible so people give up. I got the EXACT SAME letter last year after hurricane season and had to call 72 TIMES before getting through to someone who could explain it. Turns out I was eligible for regular UI but had to verify some employment details first. KEEP CALLING THEM and don't give up!!!

To answer your original question more specifically - this definitely doesn't mean you're ineligible for everything. It actually means you're likely eligible for regular UI instead of DUA, which is a good thing. Regular UI is the standard unemployment program, while DUA is specifically for people who wouldn't normally qualify for unemployment but were affected by a disaster. Make sure you're completing your bi-weekly payment requests even while your claim is pending. Also, check your TWC correspondence inbox for any requests for additional information - sometimes they need wage verification or other documents before they can process your claim.

did u reqeust payment yet? u have 2 do that every 2 weeks even if ur not approved yet

For anyone dealing with disaster-related claims in 2025, here's what you need to know about the difference between DUA and regular UI: 1. Regular UI: For people with sufficient work history and wages in the base period (typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before filing) 2. DUA: For people who DON'T qualify for regular UI but lost work directly due to a federally declared disaster The system always checks your eligibility for regular UI first. If you qualify for regular UI, you'll be automatically denied for DUA because you can't receive both, and regular UI generally provides better benefits. This is why you got that determination letter. Right now, your pending regular UI claim is likely waiting for two things: 1. ID verification through ID.me (which you just completed) 2. Employment verification (this happens automatically when TWC contacts your employer) With the March flooding, TWC is processing thousands of claims, so expect 3-4 weeks for processing. As long as you keep requesting payments every two weeks, you'll receive all back payments once approved.

did they also tell you you need to do the work search activities? I got confused cuz I thought DUA didnt require that but then for regular UI I had to submit 3 job contacts every week? whole system is confusing

Based on all your responses, it sounds like you're doing everything right! You've: 1. Completed ID.me verification 2. Been requesting payments every two weeks 3. Following the work search requirements 4. Found your regular UI claim that's pending At this point, it's just a waiting game. With disaster-related claims, TWC is experiencing high volume, so it might take another week or two for your claim to be processed. Once approved, you'll receive all back payments for the weeks you've been requesting payment. If you need to speak with someone at TWC urgently about your claim status (especially with bills coming due), that Claimyr service mentioned above is probably your best bet for getting through quickly rather than spending hours redialing.