Just wanted to add my experience as someone who's been on TWC for about 6 months now - the biweekly schedule was confusing at first, but now I actually prefer it to weekly payments because it means fewer things to remember each month! One tip that saved me a lot of stress: if you ever have technical issues with the online portal on your request day, don't panic. You can still call the phone line as a backup, and as others mentioned, you have until the end of the next business day if something goes wrong. Also, I'd recommend checking your claim balance occasionally in your online account - it shows how many weeks of benefits you have remaining, which is helpful for long-term planning. The system definitely has its quirks, but once you get into the routine, it's pretty reliable. Welcome to the community and don't hesitate to ask if you run into any other questions!

As someone who's been helping folks navigate TWC for a while, I just wanted to say this is one of the most comprehensive and helpful threads I've seen! Everyone has covered the basics perfectly - biweekly payments, direct deposit benefits, work search requirements, etc. One small addition: if you're ever traveling or temporarily out of state during your claim period, you can still request payments from anywhere as long as you meet the eligibility requirements and continue your work search. Just make sure to update your contact info if you'll be gone for an extended period. Also, keep in mind that your benefit year lasts for 52 weeks from when you first filed, so it's worth noting that end date for your own planning purposes. Great job everyone helping out a fellow community member - this is exactly the kind of support that makes navigating unemployment so much easier!

I've been using Indeed for all my work search requirements for the past 5 months and it's worked perfectly! TWC has never questioned it or caused any issues with my benefits. Here's the simple system I use that's saved me so much time and stress: 1. Keep a basic spreadsheet with: date, company name, job title, application method, company phone/address 2. For Indeed Easy Apply jobs where contact info isn't shown, I spend 30 seconds Googling the company's main number and address 3. Take screenshots of confirmation pages and save them in a dedicated folder 4. Mix in other activities like Indeed's skills assessments, virtual career fairs from their events section, and profile updates - these all count toward your weekly requirements! The biggest relief has been actually getting responses from employers through Indeed. I've had 4 phone interviews so far, compared to zero from my brief time trying WorkInTexas. The platform just works so much better for connecting with real opportunities. Don't let anyone stress you out with misinformation - TWC's official policy allows ANY reasonable work search method. What matters is documenting your activities properly and genuinely looking for suitable work. You're absolutely making the right choice sticking with Indeed! The user experience is night and day compared to WorkInTexas, and your time is better spent on a platform that actually helps you find jobs.

I've been using Indeed exclusively for my work search requirements for about 6 weeks now and can confirm it's totally fine! I was worried at first too because WorkInTexas is promoted so heavily, but TWC really doesn't care which platform you use as long as you're meeting your weekly requirements and documenting everything properly. My advice: set up a simple tracking system from day one. I use a basic spreadsheet with columns for date, company name, job title, application method, and contact info. For Indeed Easy Apply jobs, I take an extra minute to Google the company's main phone number and address since that info isn't always visible on the application page. One thing that's made my life so much easier - don't limit yourself to just applications! Indeed's skills assessments count as work search activities, and they actually help improve your profile for employers. You can also find virtual job fairs and networking events in their events section that count toward your requirements. The best part is Indeed actually works for finding real opportunities. I've gotten 2 phone interviews already from Indeed applications, while I never got a single response during the week I tried using WorkInTexas. Focus your energy on a platform that helps you succeed, not just check boxes. Just keep detailed records and you'll be golden!

I'm also dealing with a very similar situation right now! Got terminated 3 days ago for "performance issues" with a 5-week severance package, and like so many others here, I never received any formal warnings or write-ups. This thread has been incredibly reassuring - I was really worried I wouldn't qualify for benefits. Based on all the advice here, I'm filing my claim today. It's clear that waiting until severance ends is a mistake that just delays everything unnecessarily. I'm also going to start gathering documentation right away - performance reviews, positive emails from supervisors, anything that shows I was meeting expectations. @Miguel Ortiz - regarding the employee handbook policies, I think that's actually a really strong point to bring up during the process. My company also has written policies about progressive discipline that they completely ignored. It seems like TWC really focuses on whether employers followed proper procedures, so having specific policy violations to point to could be very helpful. One thing I'm planning to do is create a timeline of my employment with dates and specific examples of positive feedback or successful projects. From what others have shared, being able to provide concrete examples during a phone interview (if needed) seems really important. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's made me feel much more confident about navigating this process!

I'm dealing with a nearly identical situation right now - got terminated 2 weeks ago for "performance issues" with a 4-week severance, and just like everyone else here, I never received any formal warnings or documentation of performance problems. This thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! I filed my claim immediately after reading all these responses, and I'm so glad I did. The TWC application was actually pretty straightforward about the severance situation - there's a dedicated section where you report the total amount and payment structure. They told me benefits would start after my severance period ends, but getting the claim established early was definitely the right move. What really struck me reading everyone's experiences is how common it is for employers to use vague "performance issues" as a way to avoid paying unemployment, even when they haven't followed proper progressive discipline procedures. The fact that so many people here successfully got approved despite initial contests from employers gives me a lot of hope. I've been gathering all my documentation - old performance reviews (which were actually positive), emails with compliments from supervisors, and project completion records. I also found my original job posting like @Carmen Flores suggested, which clearly shows what the role expectations were when I was hired. For anyone else in this situation: definitely file immediately, be completely honest about severance, and don't let the "performance issues" label discourage you from applying. From what I've learned here, lack of documented warnings is actually a strong point in your favor in Texas. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and it was a nightmare, but I did get my unemployment benefits approved. Here's what I learned: First, file your TWC claim immediately - don't wait for them to maybe pay you. Choose "reduction in hours or wages" as your reason and explain the non-payment in detail. Second, send a formal email to your supervisor/HR TODAY asking for written confirmation of when you'll be paid - this creates the paper trail TWC needs to see that you tried to resolve it. Third, keep showing up to work until you get a response about your claim or find another job - abandoning your position without notice could hurt your case. The whole process took about 3 weeks for me, and I had to do a phone interview where I explained everything. The key is having documentation that shows you made reasonable efforts to get paid before filing. Also definitely file that wage claim like others mentioned - I got my back pay through that process even though it took months.

You're definitely in a tough spot but you have options! In Texas, failure to pay wages is considered "constructive discharge" which means you can file for unemployment even while technically still employed. Here's what I'd recommend: 1) File your TWC claim ASAP - select "reduction in wages" and explain the non-payment situation in detail. 2) Document everything - take screenshots of your work schedule, any communications about missed pay, and send your supervisor an email TODAY asking for written confirmation about when you'll be paid. 3) Continue showing up to work while your claim is processed (unless it becomes unsafe or they tell you not to come in) - this shows you're not abandoning your job. 4) File a separate wage claim through TWC's Payday Law division to try to recover your missed wages. The unemployment process typically takes 2-3 weeks and you'll likely need to do a phone interview to explain your situation. Don't wait for your employer to "figure it out" - protect yourself now. Good luck!

I won my TWC appeal for a similar misconduct claim about 4 months ago! Your situation sounds very winnable, especially with the 2-year clean record before the new manager - that's incredibly strong evidence. Here's what really made the difference in my case: I created a detailed chronology showing exactly when the management change happened and when the alleged "problems" started. The hearing officer asked several questions about this timeline and it clearly demonstrated that the issues weren't with my performance, but with the new management's practices. For restaurant scheduling specifically, make sure you document not just the schedule changes, but also highlight if your employer failed to follow their own written policies about advance notice. Most employee handbooks have specific requirements about scheduling notice that employers often ignore. During your hearing, remember that "misconduct" has a very specific legal definition in Texas - it has to be willful and substantial disregard for the employer's interests. Being occasionally late due to last-minute schedule changes doesn't meet that standard, especially when you can show the employer didn't follow proper notification procedures. You're already doing everything right by gathering evidence and preparing thoroughly. The fact that you're asking all these questions shows you're taking it seriously, which puts you way ahead of people who just show up unprepared. With your documentation and 2-year clean record, you have a solid case. Keep us updated on how it goes!

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to share what helped me prepare for my TWC appeal hearing last year. Reading through all the great advice here, I'd add one thing that really made a difference for me: practice your opening statement out loud multiple times before the hearing. When the hearing officer asks you to explain your side, you want to give a clear, concise summary that hits your main points without rambling. I practiced saying something like: "I was employed for 2 years with excellent performance until a new manager implemented scheduling practices that violated company policy, then terminated me when I couldn't accommodate last-minute changes." Also, don't forget to request a copy of your personnel file from your former employer if you haven't already - they're required to provide it in Texas and it might contain performance reviews or documentation that supports your case. The restaurant industry has so many scheduling issues that hearing officers are very familiar with these situations. Your clean 2-year record before the management change is incredibly strong evidence. With all the documentation you're gathering and the preparation you're doing, you're setting yourself up for success!