TWC ineligible determination - calling the right number impossible!

same thing happened to me last month. their system is completely broken. i tried calling for 2 weeks straight and never got through. ended up having to file the appeal online without talking to anyone first

The determination letter number (866-403-1688) rarely connects you to an actual person. You need to call the main TWC Tele-Center number at 800-939-6631 instead, but be prepared to wait 2-3 hours or get disconnected multiple times. When you do get through, immediately explain you're calling about an ineligible determination and need to discuss your appeal options. Make sure you're documenting all your call attempts - date, time, and outcome. This can be helpful if your appeal is delayed due to TWC contact issues. Also, don't wait on the phone calls to file your appeal - you can submit a written appeal through your online portal under the "Determination Letters" section. There should be an appeal button there.

I've been through this EXACT situation - those determination letter numbers are practically USELESS! I spent days trying before I discovered Claimyr. It's a service that connects you with a TWC agent usually within 30-45 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. I was skeptical but it worked perfectly and I finally got my issue resolved. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh that shows how it works. The website is claimyr.com - seriously saved my sanity when dealing with my wrongful ineligibility determination.

just file ur appeal and include AS MUCH DOCUMENTATION AS POSSIBLE!!!! dont wait 4 them to ask. i got denied initially 2 and had to appeal. won my case cuz i included all my termination paperwork and emails from HR. the deadline to appeal is 14 days from the determination letter date so dont miss it!!!

The TWC phone system is extremely overloaded right now due to seasonal layoffs. Here's what you need to know: 1. You must appeal within 14 days of the determination letter date (not when you received it) 2. An online appeal is just as valid as a phone appeal 3. Include all evidence with your initial appeal - separation notice, emails about layoff, etc. 4. If your appeal is denied at the first level, you can request a hearing with an actual judge I worked in HR for years and helped many employees navigate the TWC system. The "voluntary quit" determination is a common error when employers don't respond to TWC's request for information about your separation. This is actually fairly easy to overcome with proper documentation.

I'm going through this nightmare rn too! Did u try calling right at 7am when they open? That's what the lady at the workforce center told me but even then I still got disconnected three times this morning before I gave up. This whole system feels designed to make us give up on benefits we deserve. So frustrating. Let me know if anything works for you!

UPDATE: I filed my appeal online and uploaded all my documentation! Also, I tried calling the main number at 800-939-6631 like suggested above and finally got through after a 2.5 hour wait. The agent confirmed they received my appeal and said it would take approximately 3-4 weeks to process. She also submitted notes to my file clarifying that I was laid off due to restructuring, not voluntary quit. Fingers crossed this gets resolved! Thanks everyone for your help.

Glad to hear you got through and filed your appeal! Just wanted to add that while you're waiting for the appeal decision, you should continue to request payment certification if you're still unemployed - even though you're not receiving benefits right now. If your appeal is successful, TWC will backpay you for all the weeks you were eligible but didn't receive benefits due to the wrong determination. Missing your weekly certifications could cause you to lose those weeks of backpay even if you win the appeal.

This is such great advice from everyone! I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got a determination saying I quit voluntarily when I was actually part of a mass layoff. The phone system is absolutely broken. I've been trying the determination letter number for days with no luck. Going to file my appeal online today and try the main 800-939-6631 number. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through so many hoops when we're already stressed about being unemployed. Thanks for sharing your experience and the step-by-step process - it gives me hope that this can actually get resolved!

This thread is so helpful! I'm dealing with a similar wrongful "voluntary quit" determination right now and was about to give up on those useless phone numbers. Reading through everyone's experiences here gives me hope that this can actually be resolved. Going to file my online appeal today with all my layoff documentation and try the main TWC number at 800-939-6631. It's crazy that we have to become detective investigators just to get the unemployment benefits we're entitled to, but at least now I have a clear roadmap thanks to everyone sharing their experiences. Will update if I make any progress!

This whole thread is exactly what I needed to see! I'm currently dealing with the same frustrating situation - got a "voluntary quit" determination when I was actually laid off due to company downsizing. I've been banging my head against the wall trying to call that useless number on the determination letter for over a week. Reading everyone's experiences here, especially Justin's successful resolution, gives me a clear plan of action. Filing my online appeal today with all my layoff documentation and will try the main 800-939-6631 number. Really appreciate everyone sharing the actual steps that work instead of the broken official process. The tip about continuing weekly certifications during the appeal is crucial - almost would have missed that! Will definitely update once I make progress.

I'm in the exact same boat right now! Got my determination letter yesterday saying "voluntary quit" when I was clearly laid off due to budget cuts at my company. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea the phone numbers on the determination letters were basically useless. Going to file my appeal online today and try the main 800-939-6631 number instead. It's so frustrating that we have to figure out the actual process through community forums instead of getting clear guidance from TWC directly. Really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences here, especially the tip about continuing weekly certifications during the appeal process. That could have cost me weeks of backpay if I'd missed it! Will definitely update once I make some progress.

I'm going through this exact nightmare right now too! Got my determination letter three days ago claiming "voluntary quit" when I was actually part of a company-wide layoff due to budget constraints. Like everyone else here, I've been calling that useless number on the letter with zero success - it just rings a few times and disconnects. This thread has been a godsend though! I had no idea I could file the appeal online or that I should be calling the main TWC number instead. Filing my online appeal today with all my layoff documentation (termination letter, company announcement about budget cuts, etc.) and will try the 800-939-6631 number. The tip about continuing weekly certifications during the appeal process is huge - I almost stopped doing them since I'm not getting paid anyway. Could have cost me serious money in backpay! It's absolutely ridiculous that we have to crowdsource the actual process that works while dealing with job loss stress. TWC's official guidance is completely useless. Thanks to everyone for sharing real solutions instead of just venting - this gives me hope that persistence will actually pay off!