If you lost your job because of federal workforce reduction or reorganization, you can apply for unemployment benefits as soon as you become unemployed. TWC will investigate the reasons for your job loss and determine if you are eligible for benefits.
It takes a minimum of four weeks for TWC to investigate your eligibility. We must notify your last employer, who has 14 days to respond, and then investigate your job loss and any other issues that affect your eligibility. We will then send you determinations telling you if you are eligible. If you disagree with our decision, you can appeal. Appeal instructions are on the determination form.
Apply online 24 hours a day.
Note – if your job is reinstated or you get another federal job assignment and your employer pays you retroactively for the period you were unemployed, you will have to repay the unemployment benefits you received.
You will be asked for:
- Personal information, including your Social Security number, address, state driver license or identification card number, and date of birth
- Information about your last employment, such as your employer’s name and location, and dates worked
- An estimate of the federal wages you earned in the last 18 months
Do not wait for TWC to notify you of your eligibility. Request payment on your first scheduled filing date and every two weeks after that or your payments may be delayed. See the instructions we send after you apply that list your filing day and your first filing date. Note: you will only get paid if you are eligible.
Request payment online 24/7 on Unemployment Benefits Services, plus view a tutorial or get more information at: www.twc.texas.gov/services/apply-benefits. You can also request payment by calling Tele-Serv at 800-558-8321.
Provide your Federal Wages Estimate
TWC will also mail you a form asking you for an estimate of your federal wages and requesting proof of your federal employment. If you applied on the internet, the form may show zeros as your estimated wages. Review the wage estimate on the form, make corrections if needed, and return the form with proof of your federal employment so that TWC can complete your application.
When you receive the form:
- Correct your estimated federal wages on the form, if needed
- Sign the form
- Attach proof of federal employment that indicates you were an employee, such as your most recent W-2 form or a recent pay stub with your name, Social Security number, and employing agency
- Return the signed form and your proof to TWC. You can upload them using our secure online UI Submission Portal at: https://mft.twc.state.tx.us/form/UIsubmissionENG or https://mft.twc.state.tx.us/form/UIsubmissionESP
TWC will also mail you an Unemployment Benefits Handbook in English and Spanish (Vietnamese version available online) and other forms with information on your responsibilities and instructions on how to request payment. Read the handbook and follow all instructions from TWC. You are responsible for knowing the information TWC sends you, and you must follow all UI laws and regulations to receive benefits. Respond to TWC promptly by phone or in person as requested.
To be eligible for benefits, you must meet all these requirements:
- Enough past wages
Once you or your employer provides proof of employment to TWC, we will send you a Statement of Wages and Potential Benefit Amounts that tells you whether you have enough past wages for TWC to possibly pay you benefits. The letter also tells you the amount of benefits we might pay each week. Look for this letter after you provide proof of your federal employment. - A qualifying job separation
TWC must investigate your job separation to determine if you are eligible for benefits. We will review the reason you are not working and mail you a letter explaining whether we can pay you benefits. - Search for work
You must register and search for work within three business days from the day you applied for unemployment in Texas. Register either online at WorkInTexas.com or at a local Texas Workforce Solutions office and keep your registration active. See Work Search Requirements for more information. - Ongoing Eligibility Requirements
To remain eligible, you must be able, available, and actively seeking full-time work each week you request payment. See Ongoing Eligibility Requirements for more information.
If you return to your job or get another federal job and your employer pays you retroactively for any reason, you must repay the unemployment benefits you received.
- Your employer can deduct the unemployment benefits TWC paid to you from the amount of the retroactive pay. The employer is then responsible for refunding TWC the benefits that you received.
- If your employer does not deduct the unemployment benefits from your retroactive pay, you are responsible for repaying the benefits you received.
That depends. TWC will hold payment for the first payable week of your claim, also known as the waiting week, until you receive two times your weekly benefit amount (WBA) in unemployment benefits and either return to full-time work or exhaust your benefits. If you return to work within a few days, you will not receive two times your WBA in unemployment benefits, and we will not be able to pay you for the first week you were unemployed.
We need proof from you or your employer to pay benefits. TWC requests wage information from your federal employer the day after we take your claim. However, TWC can use your proof of federal wages to pay your claim even if we do not receive a timely response from your federal employer.