Wait, I'm confused - the original post was from Mohammad Khaled asking about his Sunday payment request, but then Yuki Yamamoto posted an update saying "my payment request from Sunday evening did process"? Are these two different people or did someone mix up accounts? Just want to make sure I'm following the thread correctly since the update seems to be from a different member than the original poster.

@Mohammad Khaled - Hey, just wanted to check in and see if your payment actually processed on the timeline everyone predicted? I noticed someone else posted an update but it wasn't from your account. Really curious to hear how it worked out for you since you were the original poster asking about the Sunday submission timing. Hope everything went smoothly with your rent situation!

I'm so sorry you're going through this too! I just received my overpayment notice yesterday for $3,900 from 2020-2021, and I'm honestly terrified. Like you said, it was absolutely impossible to get through to anyone back then - I have call logs showing dozens of attempts that either resulted in busy signals or getting disconnected after waiting for hours. The worst part is that I genuinely tried to report everything correctly, but the online system was so confusing and kept changing. I remember there were different instructions for PUA vs regular UI, and I had both at different times. I even saved screenshots of some of the confusing error messages I got when trying to report my part-time work. Reading through these comments is giving me some hope though - it sounds like if we can show we made good faith efforts and were consistent in our reporting (even if wrong), the hearing officers are being more understanding. I'm definitely going to request a phone hearing and start gathering every piece of documentation I can find from that period. Has anyone had success with the waiver process, or is the hearing really the best route? I'm a single parent and there's just no way I can afford to pay back almost $4,000 right now.

I'm dealing with this exact situation too! Got my notice three weeks ago for $5,100 from 2020-2021. What really gets me is that I have email records showing I tried to contact TWC multiple times through their online portal asking for clarification on how to report my freelance income alongside my part-time W2 job, but never got responses back then. I've been reading through all these comments and taking notes - it's both terrifying and reassuring to know so many of us are going through this. I'm definitely requesting a phone hearing based on what everyone's saying here. One thing I wanted to add that might help others: I found some old bank statements that show exactly when I received payments from my freelance clients, which I'm hoping will help prove I was trying to report the income correctly, just maybe in the wrong weeks due to confusion about when to report it. The stress of potentially owing this much money is keeping me up at night, but reading about @a7bb1ddb2dc9 getting a 60% reduction and @d1310504bfbb's info about the updated guidelines gives me some hope. We all did our best during an impossible situation when the state's own systems were completely overwhelmed.

I'm really sorry for your loss and everything you're going through. Mental health cases with TWC are tough, but don't give up - I've seen people win at the Commissioner level even after losing at the Appeal Tribunal. One thing that helped in a case I'm familiar with was getting a letter from the doctor specifically stating that continuing to work would have been "detrimental to recovery" or "medically contraindicated." TWC seems to respond better to that kind of definitive medical language rather than just documentation of the condition itself. Also, since you mentioned moving to Oklahoma for family support - make sure you frame this as part of your medically necessary treatment plan, not just a personal choice. If your therapist recommended family support as part of your recovery, get that in writing. The waiting time for Commissioner Appeals is brutal (mine took 5 months), but the Commissioners do tend to look more closely at the actual law rather than just rubber-stamping denials. Document everything, keep requesting payments, and consider getting legal help if you can afford it. You've got this.

I'm so deeply sorry for the loss of your sister - that kind of traumatic loss can completely derail your mental health and ability to function. You're dealing with an incredibly difficult situation, and TWC's handling of mental health cases can be frustrating. Based on what others have shared, it sounds like you have a real chance at the Commissioner level, especially since you have medical documentation and communicated with your employer about your struggles. A few additional thoughts that might help: Consider getting a comprehensive psychological evaluation if possible - sometimes a formal assessment can carry more weight than therapy notes alone. Also, if you have any text messages, emails, or other informal communications with coworkers or supervisors about your struggles after your sister's death, include those too. Sometimes the informal documentation shows the reality of your situation better than formal paperwork. The fact that you were having panic attacks during meetings and your performance was suffering shows your condition was directly interfering with your ability to do your job - that's exactly what TWC needs to see for "good cause connected to work." I know the financial stress makes everything worse when you're already grieving. Keep fighting this - your situation sounds like exactly the kind of case that should qualify for benefits. The Commissioner Appeal is your best shot, and you're taking all the right steps to build a strong case.

Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I feel much more prepared now. I'm going to organize all my documentation tonight and file my initial claim tomorrow morning. I'll update this thread once I hear anything about my claim status.

Good luck with your claim! You've got excellent documentation which puts you in a strong position. One additional tip - when you file online, make sure to save screenshots of every page of your application before submitting. I've seen cases where people needed to reference exactly what they wrote in their initial filing during appeals. Also, create a dedicated folder (physical or digital) for all your TWC correspondence - you'll be getting letters, emails, and may need to track multiple deadlines. The fact that you reported to HR multiple times over 3 months really strengthens your case that you tried to resolve it internally first. Keep us posted on how it goes!

Great tip about checking for overpayments on the 1099-G! I didn't have any overpayments thankfully, but that's definitely something people should watch out for. One more thing I learned while researching this - if anyone here is married and filing jointly, make sure to discuss the tax implications with your spouse. The unemployment income could potentially bump you into a higher tax bracket or affect other credits/deductions. My wife and I are planning to meet with our tax preparer early this year to make sure we're prepared for any surprises.

Just wanted to add another resource that might be helpful - if you're doing your own taxes this year, make sure your tax software can handle unemployment income properly. I used TurboTax last year and it walked me through exactly where to enter the 1099-G information and automatically calculated everything. Some of the free filing options through the IRS website also handle unemployment benefits well. Also, if you're still unemployed or underemployed, you might qualify for free tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. They have locations throughout Texas and the volunteers are trained specifically on unemployment tax issues since it became such a big deal during the pandemic years.