TWC income limits - how much can I earn and still get unemployment benefits?
I just got a part-time job offer while on unemployment, but I'm confused about how much I can earn before losing my benefits completely. Right now I get $425/week in unemployment, and this job would pay around $18/hr for about 22 hours a week. Will I still qualify for partial benefits? How does TWC calculate the cutoff point? I don't want to accidentally earn too much and lose everything, but I also don't want to turn down good work. Anyone know the maximum income threshold for Texas unemployment?
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Selena Bautista
In Texas, you can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount (WBA) without any reduction. After that, TWC reduces your benefit dollar-for-dollar for anything you earn above that 25% threshold. So with your $425 WBA, you can earn up to $106.25 (25% of $425) with no reduction. If you earn more, they subtract the excess from your benefit. So if you work 22 hours at $18/hr, that's about $396 per week. Calculation would be: $396 - $106.25 = $289.75 reduction $425 - $289.75 = $135.25 in benefits You'll still get some benefits, but reduced. As long as you get at least $1 in benefits, you'll also get the $22 weekly supplement.
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Tasia Synder
•Thank you! That makes a lot more sense now. So basically the cutoff would be if I earned over $531.25 per week ($425 + $106.25), I'd lose benefits completely? And do I just report the earnings each time I request payment?
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Mohamed Anderson
my brother lost all his benefits when he started making to much at his part time job. gotta watch out they don't tell u when ur about to go over the limit and then boom no more money!!
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Ellie Perry
•This happened to me too! I picked up an extra shift at my retail job and suddenly my benefits stopped completely. Had to spend three weeks trying to get through to someone at TWC to understand what happened. The worst part is they don't warn you - the system just cuts you off.
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Landon Morgan
Just to clarify what the person above said - the maximum you can earn while still getting some unemployment is your Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) plus 25% of your WBA. So in your case: $425 + $106.25 = $531.25 If you earn $531.26 or more in a week, you'll receive $0 in benefits for that week. And yes, you must report all earnings during your payment request periods, even if it's just a few hours of work. Make sure you report the gross amount (before taxes). Also important: if you earn over your limit for 3 consecutive weeks, TWC may close your claim entirely, and you'd need to reapply if your hours get reduced again.
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Tasia Synder
•That's really helpful, thank you! I'll make sure to keep track of my hours carefully. Do you know if there's a way to calculate this on the TWC website before I submit my payment request? I'm worried about accidentally going over.
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Teresa Boyd
Dont forget that when u get a job offer u HAVE to take it or they can diqualify u for benefits!! Unless the pay is like WAY below what ur supposed to make..
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Selena Bautista
•This isn't entirely accurate. You only have to accept "suitable work," which TWC defines based on several factors including pay compared to your previous wages, distance from home, and if it fits your skills and experience. If the job pays less than 80% of your previous wages during the first 8 weeks of unemployment, you generally can decline without penalty.
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Lourdes Fox
I was in your exact situation last year and it was a NIGHTMARE trying to get answers from TWC. I called for THREE WEEKS straight - busy signals, disconnects, or getting put on hold for hours only to get disconnected. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a TWC agent in under 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh The agent explained everything about partial benefits and even helped me calculate exactly how much I could earn. Best decision I made during my unemployment claim stress!
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Tasia Synder
•Thanks for the tip! It's been so frustrating trying to get through to anyone. I'll check out that service if I can't get my questions answered through the portal.
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Bruno Simmons
am i the only one who thinks its dumb that they punish u for trying to work??? like if i get a part time job i loose benefits but if i just sit at home i get full money? makes no sense
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Landon Morgan
•It's not a punishment - it's actually designed to encourage partial work. Think about it: if you earn just under the limit, you'll actually make more total money (wages + partial benefits) than if you didn't work at all. The system is supposed to incentivize taking whatever work you can find while still providing a safety net.
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Mohamed Anderson
watch out they check ur work search too every week even with part time work!! still gotta do them 3 job searchs
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Selena Bautista
•Yes, this is correct. Even if you're working part-time, you still need to complete and document your work search activities (3 per week in Texas) to remain eligible for partial benefits. The only exception would be if you have a definite return-to-work date with your previous employer within 8 weeks.
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Ellie Perry
Don't forget that if you get even $1 in unemployment benefits for a week, you still get access to all your other unemployment benefits like healthcare subsidies (if you're getting those). Sometimes it's worth keeping your hours just under the limit to maintain eligibility for those additional benefits. I made this mistake last year - worked just a few hours over my limit for two weeks in a row and lost my subsidized health insurance, which ended up costing me WAY more than the extra hours were worth.
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Tasia Synder
•I hadn't even considered the healthcare angle. I'm currently on a marketplace plan with subsidies tied to my unemployment status. That's a really important point - thank you!
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Aileen Rodriguez
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE YOU!!!! they want you to make mistakes so they can deny benefits and save money!!!! happened to my entire department when we got laid off. half of us got benefits denied for stupid reasons
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Selena Bautista
•While the system can definitely be confusing, I don't think it's intentionally designed to trick people. The partial benefits formula has actually been the same for many years. The best approach is to carefully document everything and double-check your calculations before submitting payment requests. If you're uncertain, you can always request a determination from TWC about your specific situation.
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