TWC phone system keeps hanging up on me - even at 7am! How to actually talk to a human?

same thing happening to me too. been trying for 3 days straight. i think they just dont want to talk to anyone lol

The TWC phone system is completely overwhelmed right now. I was in the same situation last month with a pending payment request. What worked for me was using a service called Claimyr - it basically holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh I was skeptical at first but got connected to an agent within about 2 hours after trying on my own for weeks. The agent was able to release my pending payment once I explained the situation.

I've had success getting through by calling their less-used numbers. Try the employer services line at 800-832-2829 and when they answer, politely ask to be transferred to claims. Sometimes the specialized departments have less call volume and can transfer you to the right place. Worth a shot if you've been trying the main line with no luck!

The trick is to call EXACTLY at 7:00:00 am, not 7:01, not 7:05. Set your phone clock to the atomic time and hit dial precisely when it turns 7:00. I've gotten through this way numerous times. Also, Wednesday and Thursday mornings tend to have slightly lower call volumes than Mondays or Fridays in my experience. If your payment request is showing pending, it could be one of several issues - have you checked your Correspondence Inbox for any determination letters? Sometimes they need additional information but the notification gets buried in your inbox. Another possibility is an identity verification flag, especially if this is a new claim or you recently changed banking information.

TWC IS THE ABSOLUTE WORST!!! I spent TWO MONTHS trying to get someone on the phone last year when they messed up my claim. By the time I finally talked to someone I was behind on bills, had late fees, and nearly got evicted. The whole system is designed to make you give up!!!! They don't care at all about people actually getting their benefits.

did u try calling ur state rep? my cousin did that when he couldnt get thru and their office helped him

I've been through this frustrating situation multiple times with TWC. Here are a few strategies that have worked for me: 1. Check your Correspondence Inbox first - often there's a request for information that's holding up your payment 2. Call alternatives to the main number: - Tele-Serv: 800-558-8321 (automated system but sometimes connects to agents) - UI Tax Services: 512-463-2700 (ask to be transferred) - Employer Services: 800-832-2829 (as someone mentioned) 3. Use the TWC Chat feature on the website - available during certain hours 4. Contact your state representative's office - they often have direct contacts 5. Try calling at unusual times - 10:30am or 2:15pm sometimes works better than right at opening Also, if your payment is pending, check your work search requirements in your account. Sometimes missing work search activities can cause a payment to get stuck without any notification.

i had the same problem last month trying to fix my id.me verification issue. spent hours calling and kept getting hung up on. my friend told me about this service called claimyr that got her through so i tried it. it actually worked and got me connected to a twc person in like an hour. way better than the weeks i spent trying on my own lol

Checking back - were you able to get through to TWC? Since you found the determination letter requesting employment verification, you can actually upload the requested documents directly through your online portal without needing to call. Go to the "Unemployment Benefits Services" section, then look for "Request Information" or "Upload Documents." If the system doesn't allow you to upload documents for some reason, you can also fax them to 512-936-3250 (include your name and last 4 of SSN on each page). If the verification is all they need, your payment should process within 2-3 business days after they receive the documents.

Glad to hear you found the determination letter and were able to upload your documents! That's usually the main culprit when payments get stuck in pending status. Just wanted to add that if for some reason the review takes longer than expected, you can also try calling the TWC Appeals department at 512-463-2807 - they sometimes have shorter wait times and can look up the status of document reviews. Also, make sure to keep doing your work search activities and filing your payment requests on time even while the review is pending, otherwise you might create additional issues. Hope your payment processes soon!

I went through this exact same nightmare last year! The key thing that finally worked for me was using the redial feature on my phone. I would call at exactly 7:00 AM, get the busy message and hangup, then immediately hit redial over and over again. Sometimes after 15-20 redials in a row, you'll catch a moment when someone hangs up and a line opens up. It's tedious but I got through twice this way. Also, since you found that determination letter requesting employment verification, that's definitely why your payment is pending - once you submit those documents it should clear up pretty quickly. The system is awful but hang in there!

I just went through something similar a few weeks ago! The phone system is absolutely brutal - I must have called 100+ times before finally getting through. What ended up working for me was calling the Tele-Serv line at 800-558-8321 around 11:15 AM on a Tuesday. Sometimes that automated system will actually transfer you to a live agent if you press the right options. Also, since you mentioned your payment is showing as pending, definitely check if you have any outstanding work search requirements or if there's an issue with your ID verification. Those are the two most common things that hold up payments besides missing documentation. The whole system is designed terribly but don't give up - once you actually talk to someone they can usually resolve things pretty quickly!

I feel your pain! I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when my claim got stuck in some kind of review limbo. The phone system is absolutely maddening - it's like they designed it specifically to discourage people from calling. One thing that worked for me was calling the Technical Support line at 800-939-6631. I know it sounds weird, but sometimes they can see what's going on with your account and either help directly or transfer you to someone who can. I got through on that line in about 20 minutes when I couldn't get through on the main claims line after days of trying. Also, if you're still having trouble after uploading those employment verification documents, try logging into your account really early in the morning (like 5-6 AM) - sometimes the system processes overnight updates and you might see a status change before the phone lines even open. The whole thing is a nightmare but sounds like you're on the right track now that you found that determination letter!

I've been dealing with TWC phone issues too and found a few things that helped. First, try using their callback feature if it's available - sometimes you can request a callback through the website instead of staying on hold. Also, I noticed you got great advice about checking your Correspondence Inbox! That's such a common issue that people miss. Another tip: if you do need to call again, try calling right after lunch around 1:00-1:30 PM - I've had better luck during that window than first thing in the morning when everyone else is calling. The system is definitely frustrating but sounds like you're making progress with those documents. Keep us posted on how it goes!

I've been lurking on this sub for a while dealing with my own TWC issues, and this thread is incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with a similar situation where my payments have been pending for over a week. Reading through all these responses, I'm definitely going to check my Correspondence Inbox first thing tomorrow - I bet there's something in there I missed just like what happened to you. It's crazy how many different phone number workarounds people have discovered. Saving the Technical Support line (800-939-6631) and the Tele-Serv number for sure. The fact that we all have to become detective-level experts just to access unemployment benefits is absolutely ridiculous, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share what actually works. Thanks everyone for the detailed tips!

Just wanted to add another tip that helped me get through to TWC when I was in a similar situation. Try calling the Work Search Services line at 800-939-6631 and pressing 1 for English, then 2 for work search questions. Sometimes they can pull up your account and see what's causing the pending status, or at least transfer you to the right department without going through the main claims line that always hangs up. I got through this way in about 45 minutes when the regular number wouldn't even let me into a queue. Also, if you're on social media, try reaching out to @TexasWorkforce on Twitter - they sometimes respond to DMs and can escalate issues internally. The whole system is a nightmare but there are definitely ways around it if you keep trying different approaches!

This whole thread is like a masterclass in navigating TWC's broken system! I've been dealing with my own claim issues for the past month and honestly had no idea about most of these workarounds. The Technical Support line (800-939-6631), the Work Search Services approach, even the Twitter DM strategy - you all are geniuses for figuring these out. I'm definitely checking my Correspondence Inbox tonight because I bet there's something hiding in there that I missed too. It's infuriating that we have to become experts at gaming the system just to get benefits we're entitled to, but threads like this are invaluable. Bookmarking all these numbers and strategies for sure. Thanks to everyone for sharing what actually works instead of just complaining (though the complaining is totally justified too!). Keep us updated on how your document review goes!

This thread is absolutely gold! I've been struggling with TWC for weeks now and had no idea about half these workarounds. The Technical Support line (800-939-6631) and Work Search Services approaches are genius - I never would have thought to try specialized departments for general claim issues. Also really glad to see someone mention checking the Correspondence Inbox because I just realized I haven't looked at mine in forever. There's probably something important buried in there knowing my luck! One thing I wanted to add that worked for me recently - if you have a local TWC office, sometimes you can just show up in person early in the morning. I know it's not convenient for everyone, but I was desperate and drove to mine at 7:30 AM. They actually helped me right away and fixed an issue that I'd been trying to resolve over the phone for literally weeks. The in-person staff seem to have access to more tools than whoever you get on the phone. Anyway, saving all these numbers and strategies! This is exactly why these community threads are so valuable - we're all just trying to help each other navigate this nightmare system. Hope everyone gets their claims resolved soon!

Wow, this thread turned into an amazing resource! I'm going through something similar right now - been trying to call TWC for days about a payment issue and getting nowhere. Reading through everyone's strategies has been incredibly helpful. I'm definitely going to check my Correspondence Inbox tonight (probably kicking myself for missing something obvious), and I'm saving all these alternative phone numbers. The Technical Support line at 800-939-6631 and the Work Search Services approach sound promising. It's frustrating that we have to become detective-level experts just to access our benefits, but I'm so grateful for communities like this where people actually share what works. Going to try the exact 7:00 AM calling strategy tomorrow and see if I have better luck. Thanks everyone for turning this into such a comprehensive guide to beating the TWC phone system!

Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm currently dealing with my own TWC nightmare - been trying to get through about a wage determination issue for over a week now. The phone system is absolutely brutal, but seeing all these creative workarounds gives me hope. I'm definitely going to check my Correspondence Inbox first thing (probably should have done that weeks ago), then try some of these alternative numbers if needed. The Technical Support line at 800-939-6631 and the Work Search Services approach sound particularly promising. It's wild that we've collectively figured out more effective ways to reach TWC than their own official guidance provides! Bookmarking this thread as the unofficial TWC customer service bible. Thanks to everyone for sharing what actually works instead of just the standard "keep trying" advice. This community support makes dealing with bureaucratic nightmares so much more manageable!