I successfully went through the trailing spouse process about 6 months ago when my husband transferred from San Antonio to Tyler for his manufacturing job. Your situation sounds even stronger than mine was - the fact that he's returning to his original company with a promotion, plus the obvious 4-hour commute issue, should make this a pretty clear case for approval. One thing that really helped speed up my process was creating a "trailing spouse documentation packet" before I even resigned. I included: 1) My husband's written offer letter with start date and location, 2) A brief letter from his HR explaining the business necessity of the transfer, 3) A calculation showing the daily commute would be 8+ hours roundtrip, and 4) Screenshots of job applications I'd already submitted in Tyler. When I filed my claim online, I was able to upload all this documentation immediately rather than waiting for TWC to request it later. My claim was approved in just 16 days, which was faster than most people I've talked to. The examiner told me having everything organized upfront made their job much easier. Also, since you mentioned dealing with school registration timing - you might want to ask if your husband's company offers any temporary housing assistance or if they can provide a letter confirming the move timeline. TWC likes to see that this is truly a necessary business move rather than just a convenient timing choice. Good luck with everything!

I went through this exact situation 2 years ago when my husband got transferred from Midland to College Station for his petroleum engineering job. Your case sounds very strong - the 4-hour commute is way beyond what TWC considers reasonable, and returning to his original company with a promotion clearly shows legitimate business necessity. Here's what worked for me: I created a complete documentation folder before resigning that included my husband's written offer letter, an HR letter confirming the transfer was company-mandated, proof of our marriage, and calculations showing the daily commute would be impossible (8+ hours). I also started applying to jobs in College Station before we moved and kept detailed records. My claim was approved in 22 days. The key things TWC focused on were: 1) Clear proof the move was employment-related (not voluntary), 2) Documentation that commuting wasn't feasible, and 3) Evidence I was genuinely seeking work in the new location. One specific tip - when you write your resignation letter, use the exact phrase "I am resigning to relocate with my spouse due to his employment transfer." That precise wording seems to help TWC categorize your case correctly. Also, file your claim the day after your last day of work rather than waiting until you've physically moved. Given your husband's company buyout situation and the clear promotion opportunity, plus dealing with the apartment fire stress, this sounds like exactly the type of family situation the trailing spouse provision was designed to help. You should be approved without issues if you have the documentation ready!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now too! Filed my claim about 8 days ago after being laid off due to company downsizing, and seeing that "pending" status has been making me so anxious about whether I'll actually get paid for these weeks. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea that TWC holds your payments and releases them all at once as backpay once your claim gets approved. Reading everyone's experiences has given me so much relief knowing that legitimate layoffs like ours typically get processed without issues once the employer response period ends. I've been doing my payment requests religiously through Tele-Serv and just set up calendar reminders after seeing how many people emphasized never missing those deadlines. The waiting is definitely stressful when money is getting tight, but it sounds like we just need to stay patient and trust the process. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories - this has been way more informative than the official TWC website!

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Filed my claim about 5 days ago after my position was eliminated due to company restructuring, and I've been checking my status constantly hoping to see something other than "pending." This thread has been such a godsend - I was really starting to panic that those first weeks of payment requests were just going to disappear into thin air. It's really reassuring to read so many detailed accounts from people who actually received their full backpay as lump sums once their claims were approved. I had absolutely no idea that's how the TWC system worked - I was imagining much worse scenarios. Since my layoff was also completely legitimate (no performance issues, just budget cuts), it sounds like I should be in the same straightforward approval category as most everyone here. I just set up multiple phone reminders for my payment request dates after seeing how many people emphasized that missing even one can really complicate things. The financial stress while waiting is definitely real when you're already dealing with job loss, but reading all these success stories has given me so much more confidence that everything will work out if I just stay patient and keep following the process correctly. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - this has been infinitely more helpful than anything I could find on the official TWC site!

Just want to add another tip that worked for me - if you're getting the busy signal or "high call volume" message, try using the callback feature if it's available. Sometimes they'll offer to call you back instead of waiting on hold. I did this last week and got a callback within 3 hours, which was way better than sitting on hold all day. Also, don't hang up if you hear silence for a few minutes after getting through - sometimes it takes a while for the system to connect you to the queue. Almost hung up thinking the call dropped but then suddenly heard the hold music. Stay strong everyone, we'll get through this! 💪

I've been lurking here for a while dealing with the same TWC nightmare, and finally got some success! Want to share what worked for me in case it helps others. I tried the early morning calling strategy that @Danielle Campbell mentioned, but what really made the difference was using a different number. Instead of the main 800 number, I called the employer hotline at 512-463-2735 and explained I was having trouble reaching someone about my claim. They transferred me directly to the benefits department and I only waited about 20 minutes on hold! The agent told me that sometimes the employer line has shorter wait times. Also seconding what @Carter Holmes said about being super nice to the agents - they really do want to help and are dealing with crazy volume. Hang in there everyone, there is light at the end of this tunnel! 🌟

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my claim 4 days ago after getting laid off from my healthcare job due to department restructuring. My manager provided a letter stating it was purely budget-related and not performance issues. Still showing "Under Review" and I've been checking the portal constantly! This thread is such a lifesaver - I was starting to think something was wrong with my application. The 2-3 week timeline everyone's sharing helps me set realistic expectations, even though the financial stress is intense with rent due soon. It's crazy how we're all obsessively refreshing that portal hoping for updates! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - knowing I'm not alone in this waiting period is really helping my anxiety. Hopefully we'll all get some good news soon instead of just staring at that "Under Review" status!

I'm also stuck in this waiting game! Filed my claim 13 days ago after being laid off from my logistics job due to company consolidation. My HR department provided excellent documentation confirming it was purely a business decision and not related to my performance. Still showing "Under Review" like everyone else here! This thread has been incredibly reassuring - I was getting really worried that something was wrong with my application since I hadn't heard anything. Reading that 2-3 weeks is the current norm helps me manage my expectations, even though the financial pressure is mounting with my car payment due next week. The portal refresh addiction is so real! I've probably checked it 50+ times since filing. It's comforting to know we're all going through the same process and that having HR backing really does help our cases, even if it doesn't dramatically speed things up. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines - it's keeping me sane during this stressful wait!

This thread has been such a lifesaver for me! I'm currently going through the exact same issue - benefits suddenly cut off yesterday with absolutely no correspondence or explanation. Reading through everyone's experiences has been both reassuring (knowing I'm not alone) and infuriating (seeing how widespread this system failure is). Based on all the success stories shared here, I'm planning to start calling at 7am sharp tomorrow and will definitely use that "pending verification requirements" phrase that seems to be the magic words. If I can't get through on the main line, I'll try the Spanish line transfer trick that several people mentioned worked for them. What really strikes me is how this seems to be hitting people right when bills are due - that timing feels way too suspicious to be coincidental. But the fact that so many people have gotten their issues resolved and received backpay gives me hope that this nightmare will end soon. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and practical advice. This community support means everything when you're dealing with TWC's broken system. I'll definitely update once I get through to someone!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! My benefits were cut off three days ago with zero notification - just logged in to see "ineligible" status with nothing in my correspondence inbox. It's such a relief to read through this thread and see that I'm not alone and that this is clearly a widespread system failure on TWC's end. Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm going to try calling right at 7am tomorrow and specifically ask about "pending verification requirements" that didn't generate proper notifications. If that doesn't work, I'll definitely try the Spanish line transfer trick that several people mentioned was successful for them. What's most frustrating is that this is happening during an already stressful financial situation - I was counting on my payment to cover groceries this week. But seeing all the success stories where people got reinstated and received backpay within a few days gives me hope. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and practical advice. This community support is exactly what we need when dealing with TWC's broken system!