Based on your comments about having worked some small jobs since your last claim, I'd recommend filing a new initial claim immediately. Bring all documentation of those jobs - even if they were short-term. TWC will calculate if you've earned enough in your base period to qualify. Regarding your housing situation, contact your county's Health and Human Services department. Many counties have emergency housing assistance, especially if you're actively looking for work. As for your former employer, while they don't have to rehire you, if you believe their refusal is based on retaliation for filing unemployment or based on a protected characteristic (race, gender, age, disability, etc.), you might have grounds for a discrimination complaint. The Texas Workforce Commission's Civil Rights Division handles these types of complaints.

I went through something similar last year and it's really tough. One thing that helped me was applying for emergency rental assistance through 211 (just dial 2-1-1). They connected me with local programs that could help with hotel costs while I got back on my feet. Also, when you file that new claim, make sure to mention you're experiencing homelessness - TWC sometimes has expedited processing for people in crisis situations. Don't give up! It took me about 2 months to get everything sorted out but I eventually found something better than my old job anyway. Hang in there and keep us posted on how the new claim goes!

I went through this exact same situation with TWC about 8 months ago when my retail job cut hours to basically nothing. Here's what I learned the hard way: Your first payment will definitely only cover ONE week because of the waiting week policy. Even though you'll certify for two weeks on Dec 10th, you won't get paid for that first week until much later in your claim (after you've collected benefits equal to 3x your weekly amount). One thing I wish someone had told me - the payment processing can sometimes take longer than the estimated date, especially around holidays. Don't panic if the Dec 18th deposit doesn't hit exactly on time. Mine was delayed by 2 days during Thanksgiving week. Also, start keeping a spreadsheet of ALL work search activities now. I used a simple Google Sheet with columns for date, company name, position applied for, and method (online, in person, etc.). TWC can audit you at any time and they want very specific documentation. Better to be over-prepared than scramble later! The uncertainty is really stressful but you're doing the right thing by planning ahead. Hang in there!

Just want to add one more thing that might help with your planning - when you do get that first payment (likely around $300-500 depending on his previous wages), remember that unemployment benefits ARE taxable income. TWC doesn't automatically withhold taxes unless you specifically request it when filing your claim. You can have 10% federal taxes withheld from future payments by logging into your TWC account and updating your tax withholding preference. This might be worth considering so you don't get hit with a big tax bill next April. I learned this the hard way my first time on unemployment! Also, if your husband was in construction, he might want to check with his former employer about whether they're planning to call workers back after the holidays. Some construction companies do temporary layoffs during slow winter months and rehire in spring. If there's a chance of recall, make sure he reports that possibility to TWC - it could affect his work search requirements. Hope this helps and that things get better for your family soon!

Good question @Lily Young! Contract/1099 applications definitely count toward your work search activities - TWC considers any legitimate job search effort valid, whether it's W-2 or 1099 positions. What matters is that you're actively seeking work that matches your skills and experience. Just make sure to keep detailed records of each application including the company name, position, date applied, and method (online, in person, etc.). You can also count networking events, job fairs, career counseling sessions, and even creating/updating professional profiles on sites like LinkedIn as work search activities. The key is showing consistent effort to find employment. Since you're in banking, I'd suggest mixing both traditional employment applications with contract opportunities since the financial sector often uses both types of positions.

I went through something very similar earlier this year! Filed for TWC after being laid off from my corporate job, then did a week of freelance work that ended up not working out. The key things that helped me: 1) File your claim immediately - don't wait, as your benefit year starts from when you apply 2) Be completely honest about the 1099 work when you do your weekly payment request for that week 3) Keep any text/email communication about why the contractor work ended (even if it's just "project scope changed") 4) Remember that your eligibility is based on your main W-2 job from the banking position, not the short contractor work. The 1099 earnings will just reduce that one week's benefit slightly, but won't affect your overall claim. TWC actually handles these mixed work situations pretty routinely - you're not the first person to take temporary work while job hunting! Just document everything and you should be fine.

I went through this exact nightmare last summer! The miscommunication between TWC departments is absolutely ridiculous. What saved me was doing both things simultaneously - I completed the ID.me verification AND filed the appeal within the 14-day window. Here's what worked for me: After completing ID.me, I called the main TWC number every hour on the hour starting at 7am. It took me 4 days of constant calling, but I finally got through to someone who could see both my uploaded documents AND my completed ID.me verification. She was able to reverse the disqualification on the spot without waiting for the appeal hearing. The key is being persistent and explaining that you followed the first rep's instructions exactly, but still completed ID.me to cover all bases. Have your confirmation emails and document upload receipts ready when you call. Don't give up - this system is broken but you can get through it!

I'm going through something very similar right now and it's absolutely infuriating! Got the same runaround where one rep told me I didn't need ID.me because I was uploading docs directly to their system, then boom - disqualification letter for not completing identity verification. What's really frustrating is that it seems like there's zero communication between different TWC departments. The left hand literally has no idea what the right hand is doing. I've been reading through all these comments and it's clear this is happening to tons of people - there's definitely a systemic issue with how they're handling the transition to ID.me verification. I'm taking the advice from several people here and doing both the ID.me verification AND filing an appeal. Already completed the ID.me part (surprisingly quick once you get started) and planning to submit my appeal tomorrow with all the documentation I can gather. One question for anyone who's been through this - when you call TWC after completing ID.me, do you ask for a specific department or just explain the situation to whoever answers? I want to make sure I'm talking to someone who can actually access both systems and see the full picture of what happened. Really hoping this gets resolved quickly for all of us dealing with this mess. The stress of not knowing when benefits will come through is almost worse than the financial impact itself.

This is such a common issue with TWC! I went through something similar last month where the phone rep was looking at an old claim from 2022 instead of my current one. The determination letter is definitely the official word - those go through legal review before they're sent out, while phone reps sometimes pull up the wrong file. Pro tip: When you call TWC (if you need to in the future), always start the conversation by giving them your claim filing date and asking them to confirm they're looking at the correct claim period. Something like "I filed my claim on [date] and my benefit year began on [date] - can you confirm you're looking at that claim?" Also, keep that determination letter safe! You'll want to reference the benefit amounts and dates if any issues come up later. Congrats on getting approved and good luck with your job search!

This is exactly why I always recommend getting everything in writing with TWC! Phone reps can make mistakes or look at the wrong claim, but determination letters are official legal documents. If your letter shows specific benefit amounts and you're approved, that's what counts. Just went through a similar situation last year where I had overlapping claims and the phone rep kept referencing an old closed claim instead of my active one. The stress is real! But once I confirmed my online account matched the determination letter, I felt much better. Make sure you start your work search activities right away and document everything thoroughly. TWC can audit your work search at any time, and you'll need detailed records of each activity. Also, don't forget to request your payments on schedule even while you're job hunting - missing payment requests can cause delays or complications with your benefits.