TWC denied me in March, reapplying in September - will my benefit amount change?

They will absolutely recalculate your benefits based on a new base period. When you file in September, your base period will be different than it was in March. The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So now it will include some of those newer wages you earned over the summer. Definitely worth applying again, especially since you earned nearly $10k since your last application. Just make sure when you reapply, you're clear this is a new period of unemployment, not a continuation of the previous one.

gud 2 know this happens 2 others too. i got denied in February n then worked at UPS for 4 months. gonna try again soon hope it works

You need to understand how the base periods work. When you apply in September 2025, your base period will be July 2024 - June 2025. So some of your summer work from this year would count, but not all of it depending on exactly when you worked. They look at the wages in the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. Did you keep all your pay stubs? TWC sometimes misses wages in their system, especially from smaller employers who don't report properly. You might need to dispute their wage determination if they don't have all your earnings recorded correctly.

I've had to deal with TWC for years (unfortunately lol) and they DEFINITELY recalculate each time you apply. It's a completely new claim with a new base period. Your $9,800 should help but remember they look at the distribution of wages too - like if you earned enough in multiple quarters. The minimum qualifying wages changed this year too I think. Also, don't forget you'll need a new reason for job separation that qualifies. Being laid off from the temp job would qualify, but if you quit without good cause or were fired for misconduct, that could still disqualify you even if you have enough wages now.

When I reapplied last year, I couldn't get through to TWC at all to ask questions - their lines were constantly busy or I'd get disconnected after waiting for 2+ hours. Finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a TWC agent in about 25 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh Might be worth using if you need to talk to someone about your specific situation with the recalculation. They got me through when I needed to sort out a similar wage calculation issue.

The TWC system is SO WEIRD with this!! My friend and I both got laid off from the same company and applied the same week. She got $487/week and I only got $321/week because we had different work histories before that job. It's all about your specific base period earnings.

To answer your question about estimating your benefit amount: TWC typically calculates your weekly benefit amount as 1/25th of your highest quarter wages in the base period, up to the current maximum of $693 per week in 2025. So if your $9,800 was earned across multiple quarters, they'll look at the highest quarter. If it was all in one quarter, your weekly benefit might be around $392 (9800 ÷ 25), assuming all those wages fall within your base period as others have explained. Don't forget that you'll need to meet work search requirements once approved - currently 3 work search activities per week in most Texas counties.

GET READY FOR THE TWC NIGHTMARE!!! I reapplied after being denied the first time too and they STILL messed up my wages even though I had proof. Took 5 WEEKS and MULTIPLE CALLS to get it fixed!!!! Their system is complete garbage and they don't care at all about people who need help. Hope your experience is better than mine but I'M NEVER COUNTING ON TWC AGAIN!!!!

Just wanted to follow up on something important - since you mentioned this temp job lasted April-August, make sure you have documentation ready in case there's any confusion about why it ended. If it was truly a temporary position with a defined end date, that's usually pretty straightforward for TWC to process. In my experience, when reapplying after a previous denial, it sometimes triggers additional review because they see you in their system already. Don't get discouraged if you have to wait a bit longer than a first-time applicant might.