TWC not returning calls after urgent letter requiring response by the 18th - any alternatives?

I had almost the same situation last month. Those letters are serious, and you definitely need to get through to them before the deadline. There are a couple of things you can try: 1. Call right when they open at 7:00 AM - I mean literally dial at 6:59 and hit call at 7:00 sharp. This slightly increases your chances. 2. Try the Telecenter alternate numbers: 512-340-4300 (Austin), 915-832-6400 (El Paso), or 956-984-4700 (McAllen) depending on what's closest to you. 3. Contact your state representative's office - they often have direct channels to TWC and can help escalate urgent cases. Also, check your TWC correspondence inbox online - sometimes they send clarification about what the issue is there, which might help you prepare when you do get through.

I HATE how they do this!! They send these threatening letters then make it IMPOSSIBLE to actually reach them! This has happened to me TWICE and both times I was literally in tears from stress. The whole system is designed to make people give up. I ended up having to call over 200 times in 3 days before I finally got through last time. Keep trying different times of day - I found mid-afternoon on Wednesday was slightly better than other times.

Try using Claimyr.com - it's a service that helps you get through to TWC without spending hours redialing. They basically hold your place in line and call you when they have a TWC agent on the line. Saved me days of frustration when I had a similar urgent letter about my extended benefits. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh Those determination letters with deadlines are no joke - it could be anything from a simple verification to questioning your work search activities or eligibility. Better to get it resolved before the deadline passes.

have u tried emailing ui.ombudsmen@twc.texas.gov ? thats another way to contact them. sometimes they respond faster to emails than phone calls. also make sure ur checking ur correspondence inbox on the twc website cuz sometimes they send messages there that explain why theyre trying to contact u

Another important tip - when you do get through, ask them to make a note in your file that you've been attempting to contact them before the deadline. This creates a record that you were trying to comply with their request, which can help if they try to take adverse action because you missed the deadline. Also, save your phone records showing all your call attempts as proof.

my sister got one of those letters and it turned out they just needed to verify her identity again with id.me even tho she already did that when she first applied lol. such a waste of time and stress. but dont ignore it, my cousin did and they stopped his payments for like 6 weeks while he appealed

I just went through this exact situation last month. If you've already left multiple voicemails with no response, I'd honestly recommend trying Claimyr. It cost me a bit but saved me days of stress and got me connected within a couple hours. My issue turned out to be that they needed additional documentation for one of my previous employers, and I only had 2 days left before my benefits would have been suspended. Another option is to contact the Workforce Solutions office in your area - sometimes they can help escalate urgent TWC issues or at least give you information about what the letter might be regarding.

I had this EXACT same issue! Called 800-939-6631 like 50 times over 3 days and nothing but voicemail. The trick that finally worked for me was calling their Tele-Center number for my area (I used the Dallas one) right at 7:00:01 AM. Still took 4 tries but I finally got through on the 4th day. Turns out they just needed me to verify my last employer's contact information. All that stress for something so simple! 🤦‍♀️ Keep trying different numbers at different times. The system is absolutely horrible.

Update from what I've heard: TWC was dealing with a backlog of verification issues recently, and many of these urgent letters were sent out in batches. Several people in my job networking group received similar notices. In most cases, it was related to either: 1. Income verification from a previous employer 2. Work search activity documentation 3. ID.me reverification 4. Questions about availability for work Whatever you do, don't miss that deadline - document all your attempts to contact them. Also, try the TWC Chat function on their website. It sometimes works for getting basic information even if you can't resolve the full issue that way.

I feel for you - those urgent letters with vague wording are the worst! One thing that worked for me when I had a similar deadline crunch was calling the TWC appeals department at 512-463-2807. Even though it's technically for appeals, they sometimes have better availability and can at least tell you what the issue is about or transfer you to the right department. Also, if you have a fax machine or access to one, try faxing a response to 512-475-0775 explaining your situation and that you've been unable to reach anyone by phone despite multiple attempts. Include your claim number and contact info. Sometimes written documentation of your compliance efforts can buy you extra time while they sort things out. Good luck - you've got this!

Just wanted to add another resource that helped me when I was in a similar panic situation - try calling your local state representative or senator's office. I know it sounds like overkill, but they often have constituent services staff who can contact TWC directly on your behalf for urgent issues. When I called my rep's office, they had someone from TWC call me back within 24 hours. You can find your representatives at house.texas.gov and senate.texas.gov by entering your zip code. Also, if you're still employed part-time or recently separated from a job, sometimes calling the employer relations department at 512-463-2222 can help - they handle different cases and might be able to route you to the right person faster than the main claimant line. Document every single call attempt with date, time, and duration - if this goes to an appeal hearing, that documentation could save your benefits. Hang in there!

I went through this nightmare scenario just two months ago! Here's what finally worked after days of panic calling: Try the TWC Business Services line at 512-463-2826 - it's technically for employers but sometimes they can transfer you or at least tell you what department handles your specific issue type. Also, if you have access to a TTY/TDD service (for hearing impaired), their TTY line 800-735-2989 often has shorter wait times and the operators there can sometimes connect you to regular customer service faster than the main line. Another trick - try calling exactly 15 minutes before they close (they close at 6 PM). I know it sounds counterintuitive, but I've had better luck getting through during that window when the call volume drops off. Lastly, check if your local library has a fax machine you can use for that fax number someone mentioned earlier. Having that written documentation of your attempts to reach them before the deadline could be crucial if they try to take adverse action. Don't give up - I was literally crying from stress when I was going through this, but there ARE ways to get through to them!

I went through this exact same stress last year and it's absolutely maddening! Here's what I learned from my experience: if you still can't get through by tomorrow, try calling the TWC Fraud Detection unit at 800-252-3642. I know that sounds weird since it's not fraud, but they often have shorter hold times and can sometimes transfer you to the right department or at least look up your case to see what the urgency is about. Also, create an account on CAPPS (the state employee portal) if you don't have one - sometimes TWC sends additional correspondence there that doesn't show up in your regular UI inbox. One more thing - if you're on social media, try reaching out to @TexasWorkforce on Twitter with your situation. They sometimes respond to public complaints faster than phone calls, especially when there's a deadline involved. Screenshot your attempts to call and include those. The most important thing is to document EVERYTHING you're doing to try to reach them. Even if you miss the deadline, having proof that you made reasonable efforts to contact them can protect you during an appeal. You've got this - don't let their broken phone system discourage you from fighting for your benefits!

This whole situation is exactly why I hate dealing with government agencies! I went through something similar a few months back and the stress was unreal. Here's what I'd add to all the great advice already given: Try calling the TWC main line during lunch hours (11 AM - 2 PM) - sometimes there's a slight dip in call volume then when people are busy with other things. Also, if you have a smartphone, try using the callback feature if they offer it instead of staying on hold forever. One thing that really helped me was calling my local Workforce Solutions office first - they can't resolve TWC issues directly, but the staff there often know which specific department is handling certain types of letters. They might be able to give you a more direct number or at least tell you what "continued eligibility" usually refers to. Also, keep calling even AFTER you send that fax or email - don't assume they'll get back to you in time. I made that mistake and almost lost my benefits because I was waiting for them to respond to my written request. Document literally everything - phone logs, screenshots, email receipts, everything. If this goes sideways and you need to appeal, that paper trail will be your best friend. The whole system is designed to frustrate people into giving up, but don't let them win!

I'm going through the EXACT same thing right now! Got one of those vague "urgent" letters last week with a deadline that's coming up fast, and I've been calling that 800 number obsessively with zero callbacks. The anxiety is killing me because they make it sound like your whole claim is in jeopardy but won't tell you what's actually wrong. Reading through all these responses is giving me hope though - I had no idea there were so many alternative numbers and approaches to try. I'm definitely going to attempt that 7 AM sharp calling strategy tomorrow and maybe try some of those other department numbers people mentioned. Has anyone had success with the online chat function recently? I tried it a couple times but it just kept directing me back to the phone number that doesn't work. Also wondering if anyone knows approximately how long these "urgent" matters usually take to resolve once you finally get through? Trying to figure out if I should take time off work to deal with this or if it might be a quick call. Thanks for starting this thread - it's so helpful to know other people are dealing with the same broken system and that there are actually ways to get around it!

I feel your pain! I went through this exact nightmare in January and it was one of the most stressful experiences I've had with any government agency. Here's what finally worked for me after 4 days of panic calling: The key was persistence with multiple strategies at once. I called the main line at exactly 7:00 AM while ALSO having my partner call the Austin Telecenter number (512-340-4300) at the same time. We got through on the Austin line after about 20 minutes on hold. My "urgent" letter turned out to be about verifying my work search activities - they wanted me to provide more detail about one of my job applications from 3 weeks prior. Took literally 5 minutes to resolve once I had someone on the phone. Also, here's something nobody mentioned yet - if you're really desperate, try calling the TWC Benefit Payment Control unit at 800-558-8321. It's technically for payment issues, but they can sometimes see what flags are on your account and transfer you to the right department. Document EVERYTHING and don't give up! The system is absolutely broken but these urgent letters are usually about minor verification stuff that gets blown way out of proportion. You've got tons of great backup strategies from this thread - one of them will work!