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Apply for benefits as soon as you are unemployed because your claim starts the week you complete the application. However, you may not apply until after your last work day. We cannot pay benefits for weeks before your claim effective date. The effective date is the Sunday of the week in which you apply.
Apply for benefits with the state where you worked during your base period. If you worked in more than one state, see If You Earned Wages in More than One State.
If your last job was for a temporary agency or staff leasing company, you have additional requirements:
Read about how temporary work affects your benefits.
Apply for benefits in one of two ways:
You will need:
When you sign up for online services, you will select a User ID and password. Your password protects your identity and privacy. It has the same legal authority as your signature on a paper document. Do not give your password to anyone, not even to a family member or TWC employee. You are responsible for any payment request made using your User ID and password.
If you have a User ID and password from WorkInTexas.com, use that User ID and password to logon to Unemployment Benefit Services. For more about the password requirements, go to Managing Your Benefits Password & PIN.
When you apply for benefits, TWC offers you one of two ways to get your benefit payments:
TWC will deposit payments to the TWC debit card account unless you sign up for direct deposit.
If you signed up for direct deposit on a prior claim, TWC will use the checking or savings account information you previously provided.
To select or change your payment option online or by phone:
Your claim is confidential. However, we share some information with government agencies and their contractors for the administration and enforcement of laws, including verifying eligibility for public assistance, supporting law enforcement activities, and other purposes permitted by law. Allowable uses of confidential information may include performing statistical analysis, research and evaluation.
Disclosure may be made to entities that manage and evaluate programs such as Social Security, Medicaid, nutrition assistance, and child support. We mail a notice of your claim to your last employer and may communicate with other former employers. If we pay you benefits by debit card, we share information with U.S Bank because it manages your debit-card account. U.S. Bank and government agencies with access to information must agree to comply with state and federal laws regarding the confidentiality of claim information.