TWC rep interrogated me about disaster cleanup work - will this disqualify my claim?
I'm seriously freaking out right now. Just got off a call with a TWC representative who was questioning me like I was on trial or something! She said she spoke with my former employer who told her I was working part-time, which is absolutely NOT true. Here's what happened: after the hurricane hit last month, I've been helping my old boss clean up the restaurant a few times a week (unpaid), but we haven't reopened and I haven't been paid a dime since the disaster. I was just trying to be a decent human being and help out so we could eventually reopen and I could get my actual job back! Now I'm worried this "investigator" thinks I'm committing fraud or something. Has anyone dealt with this kind of misunderstanding before? Will helping with disaster cleanup (completely unpaid) disqualify me from receiving benefits? I'm seriously stressed about this.
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Manny Lark
You need to clearly document what you've been doing. The TWC considers any work activity as potentially disqualifying, even if unpaid. However, there's an important distinction between volunteer disaster recovery work and actual employment. Call TWC back and explain you were volunteering to help with cleanup after the disaster - this is different from working part-time. Make sure they note in your file that you received NO compensation. Also, get a written statement from your employer clarifying that you were not employed during this period, just helping with cleanup efforts with no pay or promise of employment.
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Liam Duke
•Thank you for responding! I didn't realize volunteering could be an issue. So even though I wasn't getting paid, I still should have reported it as volunteer work? The TWC rep was so accusatory I didn't even get a chance to properly explain. Should I upload something to my TWC portal or just wait for them to contact me again?
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Rita Jacobs
omg this happend to me after the flood in 2023!! So anoying! The TWC lady was all like "your boss says your working" and I was like "no im not!" took FOREVER to sort out. ended up ok tho
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Liam Duke
•That's a relief to hear it worked out for you eventually. How long did it take to get resolved? Did you have to provide any specific documentation?
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Khalid Howes
This is actually a pretty common issue during disaster recovery periods. Here's what you need to know: 1. TWC distinguishes between actual employment and volunteer disaster recovery efforts 2. You should report ANY activity with a former employer to avoid misunderstandings 3. Get a written statement from your employer stating you were not employed during this time 4. Submit this statement through your TWC portal under "Supporting Documents" 5. Call TWC directly to explain the situation Your benefits might be temporarily paused while they investigate, but if you truly weren't paid, you should be fine after they clarify your status. Don't panic - just be proactive about documenting everything.
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Liam Duke
•Thank you for breaking it down so clearly! I'm definitely going to get a letter from my boss. He actually feels terrible about the confusion since he was just trying to be honest when TWC called him. Do you think this will delay my payments? I've already received 3 weeks of benefits, I'm worried they might make me pay those back while they investigate.
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Khalid Howes
•There's a good chance they might put a temporary hold on future payments until this is resolved, but if you act quickly with documentation, it shouldn't be too long. As for repayment of existing benefits, they typically won't request that until after a final determination is made. If they determine you weren't eligible, then yes, you might face an overpayment notice, but if you successfully prove these were volunteer disaster recovery efforts, you should be fine.
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Ben Cooper
This happened to me too and it was INFURIATING! TWC is on a witch hunt lately, I swear. I was helping my cousin's business after the tornado last year (totally unpaid, family helping family) and suddenly I get this hostile call from TWC acting like I'm some criminal mastermind committing fraud. Took me THREE MONTHS to get it resolved and they froze my benefits the whole time!! The system is designed to catch people in these stupid technicalities. Get a lawyer if you can afford one, because TWC doesn't care about your explanation.
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Naila Gordon
•While I understand your frustration, getting a lawyer might be premature. The TWC does have specific guidelines for disaster recovery situations. What's crucial is documenting everything properly. They're not on a witch hunt - they're required by law to investigate any report of work activity. In most cases I've seen, providing clear documentation resolves these issues without legal intervention.
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Cynthia Love
quick question, did ur boss tell them you were getting paid or just that you were "working"? big difference there.
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Liam Duke
•From what the TWC rep told me, my boss said I was "helping out" but she interpreted that as working part-time. It was definitely a communication issue. My boss didn't mention payment because there wasn't any!
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Cynthia Love
•ok so thats actually good news. sounds like just a misunderstanding that can be cleared up. get ur boss to write a letter saying u were volunteering to help with disaster cleanup, no payment involved, no employment relationship during that time.
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Naila Gordon
After trying to reach TWC for days about a similar misunderstanding, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a real person at TWC. They have this service where they wait on hold for you and then call you when an agent is ready. Saved me hours of frustration! There's a quick video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/V-IMvH88P1U?si=kNxmh025COIlIzKh Once I got through to TWC, I explained my situation clearly and got it resolved that same day. For your case, I'd recommend having your employer email or write a statement confirming you were doing unpaid volunteer work to help with disaster recovery, not performing paid work. Without proper documentation, these investigations can drag on for weeks.
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Darren Brooks
•does this claimyr thing really work?? i've been trying to call for days!!
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Naila Gordon
•Yes, it actually does work. I was skeptical at first but it saved me so much time and frustration. You still need to talk to the TWC rep yourself - Claimyr just handles the hold time. The important part is being prepared with all your documentation when they do connect you.
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Manny Lark
To address your specific question: No, properly documented volunteer disaster recovery work should NOT disqualify you from benefits, but you need to be proactive about clearing this up. The TWC actually has specific guidelines for disaster recovery situations. Call them back, explain in detail, and submit documentation through your portal. I've helped several clients through similar situations and it typically gets resolved within 1-2 weeks when properly documented.
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Liam Duke
•That's really reassuring, thank you. Do you happen to know which section of the TWC website might have those specific disaster recovery guidelines? I'd like to read up on them before I call back.
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Manny Lark
•You can find disaster-related unemployment information on the TWC website under "Disaster Unemployment Assistance." While your situation is regular UI rather than DUA, that section explains how disaster recovery work is handled. Also worth noting that the TWC Unemployment Insurance law (Section 207.047) distinguishes between employment and volunteer work. Make sure to reference this when you speak with them.
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Rita Jacobs
Wait why are they calling your employer now? I thought they only do that at the beginning when u first apply?? I'm getting nervous now wondering if they'll call mine too 😬
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Khalid Howes
•TWC can contact employers at any point during your claim period, not just at the beginning. This is especially common if they receive information suggesting you might be working (like through wage reporting systems or tips). It's part of their fraud prevention measures. As long as you're reporting accurately, you shouldn't worry.
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Ben Cooper
TWC is SO INCONSISTENT with this stuff. My friend helped at her old job after a fire (unpaid) and had zero issues. Meanwhile, I know someone else who did basically the same thing and TWC put a fraud alert on his account! The difference? Documentation. Get EVERYTHING in writing. And when you talk to TWC, ask them to note EVERYTHING in your file. The person who got the fraud alert couldn't prove he wasn't being paid because it was all verbal agreements. Don't make that mistake!
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Liam Duke
•That's really good advice about getting everything in writing. I'm definitely going to do that. I'm also going to take detailed notes of every conversation with TWC moving forward. I never thought helping clean up would cause such a nightmare!
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