TWC payment request confusion - reporting wages when pay is held back for 2 weeks

You need to report the wages for the week you WORKED, not when you got paid. TWC goes by when you earned the money, not when it hits your bank account. So if you worked this week, report those hours/wages on this week's payment request, even if your actual paycheck won't come for another 2+ weeks. This is one of the most common mistakes people make with unemployment. If you don't report accurately, TWC might determine you were overpaid benefits and demand repayment later.

omg i had this EXACT same issue last year!! its so confusing right?? you def report when u worked not when u get paid. twc doesnt care about ur payday schedule they just want to know which weeks u actually worked

You absolutely report wages when earned, not when paid. Ask your supervisor for a copy of your timesheet or hours worked so you can calculate your gross wages (before any deductions) to report to TWC. If you can't get the exact amount, make a reasonable estimate based on your hourly rate × hours worked. Keep documentation of your calculations in case TWC has questions later. It's always better to slightly overestimate than underestimate if you're unsure. And remember - this might reduce or eliminate your benefits for the week, depending on how much you earned, but that's normal when transitioning back to work.

The TWC system is SO BROKEN!! I went thru this same nightmare and then got hit with an overpayment notice 6 months later because I reported my wages when I got PAID not when I WORKED. They wanted $2,700 back!!! Had to set up a payment plan and everything. The instructions are super unclear and then they punish YOU for their confusing system!!!

My cousin had this same issue when he started at HEB. Just report what you worked this week. If you're not sure of the exact amount put your best guess and save any documentation.

Since you mentioned not being able to reach TWC, I had the same problem but found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual TWC representative in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days on my own. They basically keep dialing for you until they get through. Saved me so much stress! Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh The agent I spoke with confirmed exactly what others are saying - you report wages for the week you worked, not when you're paid. The TWC rep also noted that this is one of their most frequent questions.

when I started my new job I jus didn't report nuthin til I got paid but then I had to do a phone interview with TWC later and explain everything... not sure if that was the right way but they didn't make me pay anything back

I worked in payroll for years and can confirm what everyone's saying - you're supposed to report based on when you WORKED those hours, not when they pay you. Your employer will be reporting your wages to TWC quarterly, and those reports show when the work was performed, not when it was paid out. If your reports don't match theirs, that's when problems happen.

I went through this exact situation when I started my retail job last fall! The 2-week pay hold had me so confused too. Like everyone else is saying, you definitely report wages for the week you actually worked, not when you get paid. What helped me was keeping a simple log of my hours each day so I could calculate my gross wages accurately. Since you're at a warehouse, they probably have you clock in/out, so ask your supervisor or HR for a copy of your timesheet at the end of each week. That way you'll have the exact hours to multiply by your hourly rate. Also heads up - once you start working full-time hours, you'll probably stop being eligible for benefits anyway since you'll likely earn over the weekly benefit amount limit. But it's still super important to report everything correctly to avoid any issues down the road!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now at my new manufacturing job! They also hold back 2 weeks of pay and I was so confused about what to report. After reading through all these responses, it's crystal clear - report when you WORKED, not when you get PAID. What really helped me was calling my HR department and asking them to email me a breakdown of my hours for the week. Most companies are pretty good about providing this info since they have to track it anyway for payroll. That way you have documentation if TWC ever questions it later. Also just wanted to add - if you're working 32 hours at $16.50 like you mentioned, that $528 gross will probably reduce your weekly benefits significantly or eliminate them entirely depending on your benefit amount. But like others said, it's way better to report correctly and get reduced/no benefits than to mess up and owe money back later. TWC does NOT mess around with overpayments!

Just wanted to jump in as another newcomer who's been following this discussion closely - this has been incredibly helpful! I'm actually starting a new job next week that also has a 2-week pay hold, so this timing is perfect. Based on all the responses here, it's clear that TWC wants you to report wages when you EARN them (when you work), not when you receive payment. The key points I'm taking away are: 1. Calculate your gross wages (hours worked × hourly rate) for the week you actually worked 2. Get documentation from your employer (timesheet, hours breakdown) to back up your numbers 3. It's better to slightly overestimate than underestimate if you're unsure of exact amounts 4. Keep records of everything in case TWC has questions later Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - especially the cautionary tales about overpayments. That $2,700 repayment story really drove home why it's so important to get this right from the start. I feel much more prepared now!