Just wanted to add that when your husband files his initial claim, he should be very detailed about the reason for the reduction. TWC will ask for specific information about why his hours and pay were cut, so have him explain clearly that it was due to the employer's financial difficulties and not any fault of his own. Also, keep copies of everything - his old pay stubs showing the higher salary, the new ones showing the reduction, and any written communication from his employer about the changes. If TWC requests additional documentation later, you'll have it ready to go. One more tip: if he gets stuck in the online application process, try different browsers or clear your cache. The TWC website can be glitchy sometimes and switching browsers helped me get through when I had issues. Good luck with the application process! It sounds like he has a solid case for partial benefits given the significant reduction in both hours and pay.

I went through a similar situation about 8 months ago when my employer cut my hours from full-time to part-time due to budget constraints. Here's what I learned from the process: Texas partial unemployment is definitely possible, but there are a few key things to keep in mind: 1. He'll need to file his claim online at ui.texasworkforce.org - the system walks you through everything step by step 2. Make sure he has his Social Security card, driver's license, and recent pay stubs ready before starting 3. When they ask about separation reason, choose "reduction in hours/wages" not "laid off" or "fired" 4. Be prepared to wait - my claim took about 2-3 weeks to process initially The good news is that once it's approved, the bi-weekly payment process becomes pretty routine. I found it helpful to set a calendar reminder for my payment request days so I never missed the deadline. Also, don't let the negative stories scare you off completely. Yes, the system can be frustrating, but many people (myself included) do successfully get partial benefits. The key is being patient and persistent with the process. Hope this helps and that things improve for your family soon!

Congrats on getting your payment! This is actually a really helpful thread for future reference. For anyone else reading this - it's totally normal for first-time TWC payments to take longer, especially with bigger banks like Wells Fargo, Bank of America, etc. They tend to be more conservative with processing times compared to online banks like Chime or Capital One 360. The 2-3 business day window is pretty standard, but don't panic if it hits day 3 like it did for you. The important thing is that "processed" status - that means TWC has sent the money and it's just working its way through the banking system.

Just wanted to add that if anyone is still waiting on their first payment, you can also check your bank's mobile app for any "pending deposits" or "incoming transfers" that might not show in your main balance yet. Some banks will show these a day or two before they actually post to your account. Also, if you're really worried about timing for bills, many banks have overdraft protection or short-term loan features that can help bridge the gap while you're waiting for unemployment to hit. Better to use those than stress about rent! And once you get in the rhythm of the payment schedule, it becomes much more predictable.

Screenshots of your job applications from Indeed and LinkedIn should definitely help your case! I'd also recommend gathering any email confirmations you received from employers acknowledging your applications, if you have them. When I went through a similar situation, the TWC agent seemed more interested in showing a pattern of consistent job searching rather than super official documentation. One tip: organize everything by date so you can clearly show you were actively looking during those two weeks. If you applied through company websites directly, try to grab screenshots of your application history from their career portals too. The more you can demonstrate that you were genuinely unemployed and available for work during that gap, the better your chances. Also, when you call, be polite but persistent - explain that you were diligently job searching and didn't realize you should file immediately while looking. Some agents are more flexible than others. Good luck!

I went through almost the exact same situation last year! Lost my job on a Friday, spent two weeks networking and applying thinking I'd bounce back quickly, then finally filed when reality hit. When I called TWC about backdating, the first agent basically said no way. But I called back a few days later and got someone different who actually walked me through the appeal process. She explained that while "hoping to find work quickly" isn't typically good cause, if you can show you were genuinely available for work and actively searching, they sometimes make exceptions. I ended up submitting a written request with all my job applications, networking emails, and even LinkedIn messages I'd sent during those two weeks. It took about 3 weeks to get a response, but they actually approved one week of backdating (remember you still lose the waiting week no matter what). So definitely don't give up! Document everything you did job-search wise during that gap period and formally request the backdating in writing after you talk to someone. Even if you only recover one week, that's still several hundred dollars. Worth the effort in my opinion!

I just went through this exact situation 3 months ago! Got denied for "misconduct" after being late due to my son's daycare having COVID closures. I was terrified about the appeal but decided to represent myself to save money. Here's what worked for me: - Made copies of ALL communication with my employer about the childcare issues (texts, emails, even wrote down verbal conversations with dates/times) - Created a simple one-page summary showing the 3 dates I was late, why each happened, and what I told my supervisor - Found the specific section in my employee handbook about progressive discipline (turns out they skipped steps!) The hearing was actually pretty straightforward - just a conference call with me, my former manager, and the hearing officer. My ex-boss tried to make it sound like I was constantly late, but I had my documentation ready to show it was only those 3 specific incidents tied to childcare emergencies. Won my case and got back pay for all the weeks I was denied! The hearing officer said the key was proving the tardiness was due to circumstances beyond my reasonable control, which childcare emergencies definitely qualify as. You've got this! Having those texts with your supervisor is huge. Just stay organized and factual during the hearing.

I've been following this thread and wanted to share my experience from a few months back. I was in almost the exact same situation - denied for "misconduct" after being terminated for tardiness due to my daughter's medical appointments that couldn't be scheduled outside work hours. I decided to represent myself and it was honestly the best decision. The hearing officer was very fair and asked specific questions about whether I had communicated with my employer and if the tardiness was within my control. Having documentation was key - I had appointment confirmations, texts to my supervisor, and even a letter from my daughter's doctor explaining the medical necessity. What really helped was preparing a short statement (like 2-3 sentences) explaining that while I understood I violated attendance policy, it was due to unavoidable family circumstances that I communicated to my employer. I practiced saying it out loud so I wouldn't get flustered during the hearing. The whole process took about 6 weeks from appeal to decision, and I won! Got all my back benefits too. Don't let them intimidate you - Texas law recognizes that good cause exceptions exist for attendance issues when they're truly beyond your reasonable control. Based on what you've shared about having texts with your supervisor about childcare issues, you're in a strong position. Save your money and represent yourself - you've got this!

I went through this exact same nightmare about 6 months ago! The SSN login loop is incredibly frustrating and their error messages are completely unhelpful. What worked for me was calling at exactly 7:00 AM (set multiple alarms!) and being very specific about the problem. I told them "I'm getting stuck in a loop where the system tells me to call TWC every time I enter my SSN, and I need someone to check for identity verification flags on my account." The first rep tried to help but couldn't access that part of the system. When I asked to be transferred to identity verification, they found that my account was flagged because I had entered my apartment number differently than what was in their records (I wrote "Apt 5B" instead of "#5B"). Such a tiny difference but their system treated it as a red flag! Once they updated it, I could log in immediately. The good news is that your claim will still process correctly even while you can't access the online portal - I was worried about that too but my payments came through on schedule. Definitely try the early morning call strategy and don't let them brush you off if the first person can't help. Ask specifically for identity verification department transfer.

I work as a customer service supervisor for a state agency (not TWC, but similar systems) and wanted to chime in with some insight about why this happens so frequently. These legacy government systems often have multiple databases that don't communicate well with each other, so something as simple as a space in your name, a hyphen in your address, or even capitalization differences can trigger security flags. The "call TWC" message is basically their system's way of saying "something doesn't match but we can't tell you what for security reasons." The identity verification department has access to see all the different data sources and can spot these mismatches that regular customer service can't see. Pro tip: when you do get through, ask them to read back exactly how your information appears in their system. Sometimes there are extra spaces, missing punctuation, or abbreviations that you wouldn't expect. Having that exact formatting for future reference can save you headaches later. Also, if you've ever had a name change (marriage, divorce, etc.), make sure all your documents reflect the same name consistently - that's another common trigger for these flags.