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Introduction
The Texas Workforce Commission Appeals Policy and Precedent Manual has been adopted for use by Agency staff as a reference to precedent-establishing decisions of the Commission and the courts. The precedents it contains represent the interpretations of the Commission that, until specifically revised by the Commission or the courts, should be applied by Agency staff in similar cases. The Commission is confident that careful and exhaustive use of the manual will result in better and more uniform decisions at all levels of the Texas Workforce Commission administrative claim and appeal process.
It should be noted that many of the precedent cases were decided over the dissent of a Commissioner, and therefore not every precedent represents the unanimous view of the Commission. By voting for the adoption of this Precedent Manual, no Commissioner waives a previously expressed opinion or objection, as reflected by the decision in any given case.
The manual also lists many published decisions from state and federal courts that govern the administration of the unemployment compensation appeals process.
Claimants and employers at any stage of the unemployment process may benefit from researching the Appeals Policy and Precedent Manual.
A case adopted as a precedent in the manual may be cited to decision-makers, Appeal Tribunal Hearing Officers, and the Commission as a governing precedent in your case.
How to Search the Precedent Manual
Access to the Appeals Policy & Precedent Manual is available by clicking the link in the next section. The Precedent Manual is a searchable and accessible PDF document. Click the links at the beginning of the document to go to specific chapters. The entire document may be searched using the search feature available within your PDF reader application.
Precedent Manual Chapter Overview and Link
Click here to go to the Appeals Policy & Precedent Manual
| Chapter | Description |
|---|---|
| Able and Available | Details precedents on eligibility for unemployment benefits based on ability and availability for work. |
| Chargeback | Details precedents on chargebacks to employers' unemployment tax accounts with TWC. |
| Labor Dispute | Details claims eligibility for unemployment compensation involving an organized labor dispute. |
| Miscellaneous | Contains miscellaneous commission precedents which do not generally fall under any of the other chapter headings. |
| Misconduct | Details precedents on claimants' eligibility for unemployment benefits in cases involving an allegation of employee misconduct. |
| Procedure | Details precedents involving procedural issues related to the administration of unemployment benefits and claim determinations. |
| Suitable Work | Details precedents on claimants' eligibility for unemployment benefits following a work refusal or failure to seek work. |
| Total and Partial Unemployment | Details precedents in which eligibility for unemployment benefits is dependent on whether the employee is deemed totally or partially unemployed. |
| Voluntary Leaving | Details precedents on eligibility for unemployment benefits when there is an allegation that an employee voluntarily left available work. |
| Appendix | The appendix lists court cases interpreting various sections of the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act (TUCA), listed in alphabetical order as well as according to sections of the Act. |
Updates to the Manual
The Updates to the Appeals Policy & Precedent Manual include both additions and deletions made to the manual since 1999. The published precedents provide insight into the Commission’s interpretation of various provisions of the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act.
