TWC partial unemployment with reduced hours - qualify with only 6 hours weekly?

Yes, you absolutely qualify for partial unemployment! When your hours are reduced this significantly, TWC considers it an underemployment situation. The basic rule is that if you're earning less than your weekly benefit amount (WBA), you can receive partial benefits. Here's how it works: 1. Apply for unemployment just like you would if fully unemployed 2. Report your actual earnings each week when you request payment 3. TWC will calculate a partial benefit (they deduct a portion of what you earn from your benefit amount) With only 6 hours a week, you're well below the threshold. Your WBA will be based on your earnings when you were working full-time. Make sure to indicate on your application that your hours were reduced, not that you quit or were fired. I went through this last year when my retail hours got cut to 10 hours weekly. The process is pretty straightforward!

ur definitely eligible!! i had da same thing happen at my warehouse job... went from 40 hrs to like 12 per week. applied for partial and got approved no prob. just make sure when u file u say "still employed but hours reduced" not laid off or anything! TWC will ask for ur current pay so they know how much to give u!

YOU NEED TO BE CAREFUL HERE. The restaurant industry is notorious for manipulating workers out of benefits. I got burned by this exact situation in 2022. My hours were cut to almost nothing, but when TWC contacted my employer, they claimed they had "full hours available" but that I was "choosing" to work less!!! It took THREE MONTHS of appeals to get it straightened out. Make sure you document EVERYTHING. Get something in writing (even text messages) showing that your employer is the one reducing hours. Save all schedules they give you. If they post schedules online, take screenshots every week. Don't let them screw you over like they did to me!

You definitely qualify for partial unemployment with those severely reduced hours. The formula TWC uses is that they subtract 30% of your weekly benefit amount from what you earn each week. The remaining amount is deducted from your full weekly benefit amount. For example, if your WBA is $400 and you earn $94 in a week: - 30% of $400 = $120 (this is your "earnings disregard") - Since your earnings of $94 are less than the disregard amount, you'd receive your full $400 WBA - If you worked more and earned, say, $200 that week, they'd subtract ($200 - $120) = $80 from your WBA, so you'd get $320 in benefits You do need to report your earnings accurately each week when requesting payment. And yes, document your reduced schedule in case your employer tries to claim otherwise. One thing I learned trying to call TWC recently - if you're struggling to get through on the phone lines, check out a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They have a system that helps you get through to TWC agents without waiting for hours. Saved me days of frustration when I had an issue with my claim. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh

Be prepared for verification delays!! When I applied for partial last month, TWC put my application "under review" for 3+ weeks because they were verifying my reduced hours with my employer. Meanwhile I was struggling to pay bills! If your boss is responsive it might go faster but just wanted to warn you it's not always quick.

One more important thing: you need to do your work search requirements even though you're still technically employed. For partial unemployment in Texas, you still need to complete the minimum 3 work search activities each week and document them when you request payment. You can use job applications, interviews, networking, creating profiles on job sites, or attending job fairs or workshops. Just make sure you keep track of everything you do because TWC can ask for verification. Also, your employer will be notified when you file, so it's usually better to give them a heads-up first. Just present it matter-of-factly: "Since my hours have been reduced so significantly, I'll be filing for partial unemployment while I look for additional work.

just wondering... did ur boss actually tell u that hours would pick up again soon or r they just keeping u hanging?? cuz my friend was in this exact spot and they kept her at like 8hrs for MONTHS hoping she'd just quit so they wouldn't have to pay unemployment!!

Hey OP, just checking back - did you end up applying? Did you run into any issues? The TWC website can be a nightmare to navigate for partial unemployment claims.

That's awesome that your manager was understanding! That makes such a huge difference. I had a similar situation where my boss was actually relieved when I told him I was applying for partial - he said it took some pressure off him knowing I wasn't going to quit over the reduced hours while business was slow. Keep us updated on how the process goes! Your timeline will be helpful for others in similar situations. And don't stress too much about the initial determination - with only 6 hours a week you clearly qualify. The hardest part is usually just getting through all the paperwork and waiting for approval. Good luck! 🤞

Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me when I was dealing with reduced hours - make sure you keep detailed records of your weekly earnings AND hours worked. TWC sometimes asks for clarification on your reported income, and having a simple spreadsheet with dates, hours, and pay made everything so much smoother. Also, if your restaurant uses any scheduling software or posts schedules digitally, screenshot those every week! I learned this the hard way when my employer claimed they "couldn't find" old schedules when TWC was verifying my hours reduction. The fact that your manager is being supportive is huge - that's honestly half the battle right there. Sounds like you're in a much better position than a lot of people who go through this process. Hope your determination comes back quickly!

Just want to echo what everyone else has said - you definitely qualify! I went through this exact situation with my retail job about 8 months ago. Went from 35+ hours to about 8 hours per week when they "restructured" (aka cut everyone's hours to avoid paying benefits). One thing I wish someone had told me earlier: don't wait too long to apply! I hesitated for like 3 weeks thinking maybe my hours would go back up, but they never did. Those 3 weeks of potential benefits were just lost money. Also, when you do your weekly certifications, be super accurate with your reported earnings. I made the mistake of rounding up my first week (reported $95 instead of $94.50) and it flagged my account for review. Nothing major came of it, but it delayed my payments by a week while they sorted it out. Your manager being supportive is going to make this SO much easier. Half the horror stories you hear are from employers who fight the unemployment claims. Sounds like you're in good hands!

Just wanted to share some encouragement as someone who's been in your shoes! I was in almost the exact same situation about 6 months ago - restaurant job, hours cut from 30+ to just 8 per week. The whole process felt overwhelming at first, but it really does work out. A few things that helped me: - Keep all your pay stubs from the reduced hours period (you'll need them for documentation) - Don't stress too much about the work search requirements - they're actually pretty reasonable. I counted things like updating my resume, applying to jobs online, and even networking conversations - The partial benefits really do help bridge the gap while you figure out your next move It sounds like you've got a supportive manager and you're being proactive about the whole situation. That puts you way ahead of where a lot of people are when they start this process. The fact that you've been through unemployment before (even if it was full unemployment) means you already know the basics of how TWC works. Hang in there - this is definitely the right move given how drastically your hours were cut. Six hours a week is basically nothing, and you deserve the support while you either wait for things to improve or find something better!

I'm in a really similar situation right now! My hours at a retail job got cut from 25-30 per week down to just 10 hours. I've been hesitating to apply because I wasn't sure if it was worth the hassle, but reading through all these responses has been super helpful. One question I have - for those who've been through this, how long did it typically take to get your first partial payment after applying? I know the initial determination can take a while, but I'm trying to plan my budget around when I might actually see some money coming in. Also, StarSurfer, it sounds like you're handling this really well! Your manager being supportive makes such a huge difference. I'm still nervous about that conversation with my boss, but seeing how well it went for you gives me more confidence to bring it up. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - this thread has been incredibly informative for those of us dealing with reduced hours!

I just wanted to jump in and say how helpful this entire thread has been! I'm dealing with a similar situation at my job where my hours got slashed from 32 hours down to about 12 hours per week. Reading through everyone's experiences has given me the confidence to finally apply for partial unemployment. A few things that really stood out to me from all the advice shared: - Document EVERYTHING (schedules, pay stubs, any communication about hours) - Be completely accurate when reporting weekly earnings - Don't wait around hoping hours will magically increase - Give your manager a heads up before applying if possible StarSurfer, it sounds like you're handling this really well and asking all the right questions. The fact that your manager was understanding is huge - that's going to make the whole process so much smoother. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar boat, it's clear that with severely reduced hours like 6-12 per week, you definitely qualify for partial benefits. The key seems to be documenting the reduction properly and being patient with TWC's verification process. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is such a valuable resource for navigating these tough situations!

I'm so glad to see this thread has helped so many people! I'm actually in HR for a restaurant group here in Texas, and I wanted to add some perspective from the employer side that might be helpful. When employees apply for partial unemployment due to reduced hours, it's actually not a big deal for most legitimate employers. We get a notice from TWC asking us to confirm the employee's work status and earnings, and we just provide the requested information. There's no penalty to the employer for having employees on partial unemployment - it's actually built into the system for exactly these situations. The key things we verify are: - Whether the hours reduction was employer-initiated (not employee choice) - The employee's current weekly earnings - Whether the employee is still available for their scheduled shifts For anyone worried about their employer's reaction, remember that partial unemployment is a safety net that benefits both workers AND employers. It helps employees stay afloat during slow periods, and it helps employers retain trained staff instead of having everyone quit when hours get cut. StarSurfer, with only 6 hours per week and a supportive manager, you're in an ideal situation for partial benefits. The restaurant industry goes through these cycles, and partial unemployment is designed exactly for situations like yours. You're doing the right thing by applying!

This is such valuable insight from the employer perspective - thank you for sharing! As someone new to this community but unfortunately not new to employment struggles, it's really reassuring to hear that legitimate employers generally don't view partial unemployment claims as a problem. I think a lot of people (myself included) worry that applying for partial benefits might somehow hurt our relationship with our current employer or make us look bad. But you're absolutely right that it's designed as a safety net that actually benefits everyone involved. The point about partial unemployment helping employers retain trained staff during slow periods is something I hadn't considered before. It makes total sense though - if employees can get some income support during reduced hours periods, they're less likely to jump ship and find other jobs, which saves the employer from having to recruit and train new people when business picks back up. For anyone still on the fence about applying due to employer concerns, this HR perspective should definitely help put those worries to rest. Thanks for taking the time to explain how it actually works from the business side!