TWC denied my benefits after employer suddenly shut down - 12 months of work not enough?
I can't believe this is happening AGAIN! My employer just announced 3 days ago they sold the business and we're all immediately terminated. No warning, no severance, nothing. Just 'thanks for your 12 months of service, now get out.' I was making $17.31/hour full-time and was counting on unemployment to get me through until I find something new. THEN I get an email from TWC saying I 'didn't make enough money' to qualify for benefits??? How is this even possible?? I worked FULL-TIME for a YEAR! This is the second job in a row where this has happened - my previous employer also shut down without warning in 2021, and I got unemployment then. Does anyone know if there's some weird rule about needing to work longer than 12 months? Or did TWC make a mistake? I'm panicking because I have bills due next week and zero income now.
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Eli Butler
TWC looks at your base period earnings, not just your most recent job. The base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you apply. So if you applied in April 2025, they'd look at Jan-Dec 2024, not Jan-Mar 2025. If you had a gap between your last unemployment claim and starting this job, you might have some quarters with low/no earnings. If you're sure you should qualify, request a reconsideration and see if they made a calculation error. It happens more often than people realize.
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Ian Armstrong
•Omg thank you for explaining this! I think this might be the issue - I did have a gap between my last unemployment ending and starting this job. Is there anything I can do? Can I appeal this decision?
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Marcus Patterson
same thing happened 2 me last fall... got laid off after only working 8 months and twc said i didnt make enough either. tried to appeal and everything but no luck. system is rigged against workers!!
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Ian Armstrong
•That's awful! Did you find any other assistance programs that helped? I'm seriously worried about making rent next month.
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Marcus Patterson
•ended up taking 2 part time jobs until i found something better. check with 211 they can tell u about emergency assistance for rent and stuff. good luck
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Lydia Bailey
You CAN appeal this determination! I got the same email last year, and it turned out they were missing wage information from one of my employers. You need to call TWC right away and ask about a wage investigation and file an appeal. Be prepared to provide pay stubs or W-2s that prove your earnings. The TWC system isn't perfect, and sometimes employers don't report wages correctly or on time.
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Mateo Warren
•Good luck getting through to TWC on the phone! I spent THREE WEEKS trying to reach them about my appeal last month. Busy signals all day every day 🙄
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Sofia Price
Hey there, this sounds like a really frustrating situation! TWC has specific requirements about qualifying wages that can trip people up. Here's what you need to know: 1) You need at least $2,735 in wages during your base period (this amount increased for 2025) 2) Your total base period wages must be at least 37 times your weekly benefit amount 3) You need wages in at least 3 of the 4 base period quarters If you had a big gap between jobs or worked less than full-time hours for portions of your base period, you might not meet all these requirements. Request a detailed explanation of why you were denied, then you can appeal if you find any mistakes!
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Ian Armstrong
•Thank you so much for breaking this down! I think my issue might be the 3rd requirement - I only worked in 2 quarters of the base period if I'm understanding correctly. My previous unemployment ended in February 2024, and I started this job in April 2024. If they're looking at 2023-2024 for the base period, I'd only have wages from Q2-Q3 of 2024. This system feels so unfair!
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Sofia Price
•You're exactly right about the timing issue. Unfortunately, this is a common problem with the way TWC calculates eligibility. Since you've identified the issue, you could still try to appeal with an explanation of your work history. Sometimes TWC can make exceptions or use an alternate base period in special circumstances. Make sure to submit any documentation that shows your consistent work history despite the gap. The appeal process is free, so it's worth trying!
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Alice Coleman
i worked for 11 months then got laid off and got the same message from twc but i just went to my local workforce solutions office and they helped me fix it...turns out my employer never reported my wages correctly! bring your paystubs and W2 if you have them
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Eli Butler
•This is really good advice. In-person help at Workforce Solutions offices can be much more effective than trying to resolve things over the phone. They can look at your specific situation and sometimes find solutions that aren't obvious.
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Owen Jenkins
The Texas unemployment system is DESIGNED to deny benefits whenever possible. They use these complicated base period calculations specifically to disqualify people who need help. I've been dealing with TWC for years and seen all their tricks. FILE AN APPEAL IMMEDIATELY! You only have 14 days from the determination letter. Even if you think you won't win, file anyway. Sometimes they reverse decisions just because you challenge them. And request a wage investigation at the same time. DON'T GIVE UP!
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Ian Armstrong
•Thanks for the encouragement. I'll definitely appeal today! And I'll try that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually get through by phone. It's just so stressful to have zero income right now.
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Sofia Price
UPDATE: I called TWC using that Claimyr service (it actually worked!), and the agent confirmed I only had wages reported in 2 quarters of my base period. BUT she said I might qualify for an alternate base period since I had a gap due to my previous unemployment claim ending right before starting this job. She's sending me a form to fill out for a wage investigation. I have all my pay stubs so I can prove my earnings. The agent said my case is actually pretty common and that I should keep filing payment requests while this is being investigated. There's hope! Thank you all for your help and advice. I'll update when I hear more.
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Lydia Bailey
•This is great news! The alternate base period option has saved many claims. Keep on top of any deadlines they give you and make sure to submit crystal clear documentation. Glad you were able to get through to someone who could actually help!
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