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UPDATE: I just got off the phone with a TWC representative (finally!). They explained that my employer claimed I was consistently not meeting productivity standards after multiple warnings. I was able to file my appeal online and explain that the standards kept changing and were impossible to meet. I have an appeal hearing scheduled for December 10th by phone. The rep said to gather any evidence I have - like emails showing the changing standards or witnesses who can testify that the goals were unreasonable. Fingers crossed this works out. Thanks everyone for your help!
Good luck with your appeal! Make sure you're ready with specific dates and examples of how the standards changed. If you have any coworkers who can corroborate your story, ask if they'd be willing to participate in the hearing as witnesses. Also, be prepared to discuss any written warnings you received and how you tried to meet the standards. The hearing officer will want to know if you made a good faith effort to comply with your employer's expectations.
That's great that you got through to someone and have your appeal hearing scheduled! I went through a similar situation last year where my employer claimed I wasn't meeting standards, but it turned out they had changed the metrics without proper documentation or training. During my hearing, I brought up the fact that other employees were also struggling with the same issues, which helped show it wasn't just me being incompetent. One tip - if you have any text messages or emails from coworkers complaining about the unrealistic standards, those can be really helpful evidence. Also, don't be nervous about the hearing - the officer just wants to hear both sides fairly. You got this!
This is really helpful advice! I'm definitely going to reach out to my former coworkers to see if anyone would be willing to back me up. A few of them were also struggling with the constantly changing targets and I remember we talked about it during breaks. Do you know if text messages from coworkers count as official evidence, or do they need to testify directly? I'm trying to gather everything I can before the hearing. Thanks for the encouragement - I really need it right now!
Hey Zoe! I totally get your anxiety about this - I went through the exact same thing when I lost my job at a manufacturing plant last year. The TWC phone system is absolutely terrible and it's completely normal to not get through for days or even weeks. Don't panic though! Since you can see your claim is showing as "pending" online, that's actually a really good sign that everything went through properly. The weird confirmation page thing happens sometimes - their website is pretty glitchy but as long as you got some kind of confirmation number or reference, you should be fine. A few things that helped me stay sane during the waiting period: - Set up a simple spreadsheet to track your work search activities (you'll need this anyway) - Screenshot your claim status page every few days in case there are any changes - Don't stress about the phone - I literally never spoke to anyone and still got approved The hardest part is just the waiting, but it sounds like you did everything right. Most people get their determination letter within 2-3 weeks if it's a straightforward layoff situation like yours. Hang in there!
Thank you so much Dylan! This is exactly what I needed to hear. I've been driving myself crazy refreshing the TWC website every hour and calling nonstop. It's reassuring to know that so many people have gone through this same process without ever talking to anyone. I'm definitely going to set up that spreadsheet for work search activities - I've been kind of winging it so far but I can see how important it is to stay organized. The screenshot idea is really smart too. I feel a lot better knowing this is just how the system works and not necessarily a sign that something went wrong with my application.
Hey Zoe! I completely understand your stress - I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when my retail job cut hours and I had to file for partial unemployment. The TWC phone system is honestly just broken at this point. I called over 100 times in two weeks and never got through once! Since everyone's already covered the main points about checking your status online (which is great that yours shows pending!), I'll add a couple things that helped me: 1. Download the TWC mobile app if you haven't already - sometimes it loads faster than the website and you can check your status on the go 2. Sign up for text alerts in your account settings so you get notified of any status changes 3. Keep a simple notebook by your phone to jot down any reference numbers or details if you do eventually get through to someone The waiting is absolutely the worst part, especially when you're worried about bills. But since you were laid off (not fired for cause), your approval chances are really good. Most people in your situation get approved within 2-4 weeks. Try not to drive yourself crazy calling - I know it's hard but the automated system hanging up on you doesn't mean anything is wrong with your claim! Hang in there! 💪
Thanks Yuki! I didn't even know TWC had a mobile app - just downloaded it and you're right, it does seem to load faster than the website. The text alerts feature is a great idea too, I just signed up for those. It's crazy that you called over 100 times! That makes me feel less insane about my 30+ attempts over the past few days. I'm going to try to stop obsessing over calling them and just focus on keeping up with the work search requirements while I wait. Really appreciate the encouragement! 🙏
I'm actually dealing with this exact same situation right now! My TWC debit card was supposedly mailed on May 20th and I've been obsessively checking the mailbox every day since. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a huge relief - I had no idea that the "mailed" date on TWC's website doesn't actually mean it went into the mail that day. The explanation about ReliaCard needing 1-2 days to process before it even hits USPS makes so much sense, especially with Memorial Day weekend thrown into the mix. I was starting to panic that something was wrong with my claim, but now I realize I've probably only had 2-3 actual delivery days so far. I'm going to follow the advice about checking with neighbors for that plain white envelope and waiting until Wednesday before calling ReliaCard if it doesn't show up. It's so stressful when you need that money for bills, but this community has really helped calm my nerves. Thanks everyone for sharing your timelines and tips!
I'm so glad this thread has been helpful for you too! It's amazing how many of us are going through the exact same anxiety right now. I was literally losing sleep over this until I read everyone's experiences. The timing with Memorial Day weekend really seems to have affected a lot of cards that were "mailed" around the same time as ours. I'm definitely going to check with my neighbors today - I never would have thought about the plain white envelope thing or how easy it would be to misdeliver. It's such a relief to know that even if our cards take up to 2 weeks, that's still considered normal. The waiting is torture when you have bills due, but at least now we know we're not alone and this is just how the system works (unfortunately). Hopefully we'll all have our cards by early next week!
I'm a former TWC caseworker and wanted to add some clarity to help ease everyone's worries. The ReliaCard mailing process has several steps that aren't visible to claimants. When TWC shows "mailed" in your account, that's when we transmit your eligibility data to ReliaCard - not when the physical card ships. ReliaCard then has to verify the data, print the card, and package it before sending to USPS. This typically adds 2-3 business days before it actually enters the mail stream. Given that your card shows mailed on May 19th, and factoring in Memorial Day weekend, you're probably looking at actual mail delivery starting around May 24th-25th. So you've really only had 1-2 delivery days so far. I'd expect your card by Thursday at the latest. If it doesn't arrive by Friday, then definitely contact ReliaCard at 1-866-295-9901. Also, just so you know - your benefits are 100% safe even if the card is delayed or lost. The funds don't disappear and will be available whenever you get your card or replacement.
This is incredibly reassuring to hear from someone who actually worked at TWC! I had no idea there were so many hidden steps between the "mailed" status and the card actually shipping. The 2-3 day processing delay at ReliaCard plus Memorial Day weekend explains everything - sounds like my card probably just started its actual mail journey a couple days ago. It's such a relief to know that even if something goes wrong, my benefits are safe and won't just disappear. Thank you for taking the time to break down the real timeline behind the scenes. This kind of transparency is exactly what claimants need but never get from the official system!
UPDATE: I finally got through to my local Workforce Solutions office this morning. My RESA event IS virtual! They apologized for the confusion and sent me the Teams link. Thanks everyone for your help and advice - I'll be attending in about an hour. For anyone else facing this issue, definitely call your local office directly rather than waiting for an email that might never come!
So glad you got it figured out in time! This is exactly why I always recommend calling directly - the email communication between WorkInTexas and local offices seems to have gaps. Hope the RESA session goes well for you! Usually they're pretty informative and you might learn about some job search resources you didn't know about before. Good luck with your job search!
Katherine Shultz
I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Applied for DUA 6 weeks ago after my restaurant job was shut down due to flood damage, and my claim is still showing "pending" with no explanation. I've called TWC probably 20+ times and either get busy signals or sit on hold for hours before getting disconnected. Reading through this thread has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea I was supposed to be filing payment requests while my claim was pending! I thought I had to wait until it was approved. Also didn't know about the separate ID.me verification. Going to check both of those things today. It's so frustrating that TWC doesn't communicate what's wrong with your claim or what additional steps you need to take. You'd think for disaster assistance they'd have better systems in place to help people who are already dealing with enough stress from the actual disaster!
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Drake
•@945a9907a8b7 I'm so sorry you're going through this too! Six weeks is way too long to be waiting, especially when you're already dealing with the stress of losing your job due to disaster. Definitely start filing those payment requests right away - even if your claim isn't approved yet, you need to file them for each week you want to be paid for once it does get approved. The ID.me verification is super important too, and like others mentioned, make sure you check your TWC correspondence inbox for any requests for additional documentation. You might also want to try that Claimyr service that helped @91ce5d3188ee get through to an agent quickly. It's ridiculous that we have to jump through all these hoops when we're already dealing with a disaster situation, but don't give up! Keep pushing and advocating for yourself.
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NebulaNova
I'm a new TWC DUA claimant and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I just applied last week after my office was flooded and had to close, and I was starting to panic seeing no movement on my claim. Reading everyone's experiences, I realize there are several things I need to check right away: 1. Make sure my ID.me verification is completely finished (didn't know this was separate from TWC login) 2. Start filing payment requests immediately even though my claim is pending 3. Check my TWC correspondence inbox for any requests I might have missed 4. Begin doing work searches (I thought DUA was exempt from this!) It's really helpful to know that 4-6 weeks seems to be normal processing time, even though it's financially devastating to wait that long. The fact that TWC doesn't proactively communicate what's missing or wrong with your claim is honestly shocking for a disaster assistance program. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - especially @91ce5d3188ee for the update that you got approved! Gives the rest of us hope that persistence pays off.
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Diego Flores
•@e44d2afe5238 You're smart to get ahead of all these requirements early! I wish I had known about these steps when I first applied - it would have saved me weeks of waiting. One additional tip: when you do your work searches for DUA, document them thoroughly in the TWC system. Unlike regular unemployment, DUA allows you to count activities like contacting your pre-disaster employer about returning to work, so make sure you're logging those too. Also, if your employer is planning to reopen, stay in regular contact with them and document those conversations - TWC needs to verify that your unemployment is truly due to the disaster and not other factors. The whole process is frustrating but being proactive like you are definitely helps. Keep us updated on how it goes!
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