On this page:
Overview
Find information about unemployment benefits in Texas, including eligibility requirements, how to report work and earnings, and appeal procedures. Use our online services to apply for benefits, request payments, view claim and payment status and more on our Unemployment Benefits page.
Before you can receive unemployment benefits, TWC must first determine whether you are eligible. To be eligible for a regular claim, you must:
- Be unemployed through no fault of your own.
- Have earned enough wages in your base period (the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you applied for benefits).
Returning to Work: For help finding your next job, please visit WorkInTexas.com and use the virtual and in person services at local Workforce Solutions offices throughout the state.
Unemployment Benefits ID Fraud
Report ID Fraud
The U.S. Department of Labor has issued an unemployment insurance phishing fraud alert
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Alert! Be aware of unemployment benefit scams and fraudulent phone calls. Do not give your personally identifiable information like your date of birth or your Social Security number to anyone you are not sure of.
TWC Claimant Resources
To apply for benefits online, view your claim and payment status, request a payment, view your electronic correspondence and much more, log on to Unemployment Benefits Services (UBS). UBS is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To apply for benefits by phone or to speak with a customer service representative, call our Tele-Center at 800-939-6631.
To request benefit payment, change your payment option, hear your claim and payment status and much more, call Tele-Serv, our automated phone system, at 800-558-8321.
Looking for a job? If you need help accessing WorkInTexas.com or updating your account, contact your local Workforce Solutions office. To find the workforce office nearest you, visit our Workforce Solutions Directory.
If you have questions about unemployment programs or if you need to apply for benefits, review our Unemployment Benefits web pages for general information about unemployment benefits, eligibility, benefit amounts, and how we pay you.
For help in preparing to apply for benefits, review our tutorials on our Unemployment Benefits Services (UBS) web page. There, we have tutorials on how to:
- Create a TWC User ID and password
- Apply for benefits online
- Use electronic correspondence
- Request a benefit payment, and much more.
These web pages and tutorials provide all the information you need to know about what you need to provide during the application process, how the process works, and what happens next.
You can also get answers by reading our Unemployment Benefits Handbook or by connecting with “Larry the Chat Bot” by selecting the Chat With Us link at the bottom of every TWC webpage.
Our unemployment web pages, our handbook, and our tutorials – and even our online apply for benefits program – are also available in Spanish. Look for the “Ver esta página en español” link near the top right of every unemployment webpage. Spanish applicants can apply for benefits online in Spanish at Servicios de Beneficios de Desempleo.
Extended Benefits in Texas
Extended Benefits (EB)
Extended Benefits (EB) are only available during periods of high state or national unemployment. TWC can only pay claimants EB when the 12-week Insured Unemployment Rate (IUR) is 5 percent or more. Once Texas triggers off the high unemployment rate, TWC stops paying EB. TWC is not currently paying EB.
Under the Extended Benefits program, benefits are available to those claimants who have exhausted their regular unemployment benefit claims. EB extends unemployment benefits by up to 13 weeks or up to an additional 50 percent of the claimant’s original maximum benefit amount (MBA), whichever is less. EB claimants receive the same weekly benefit amount they received under regular unemployment.
For more information, see Extended Unemployment Benefits in Texas.
Appeal a Decision
If TWC sends you a determination saying you are ineligible for unemployment, you can appeal the decision. You must appeal in writing within 14 calendar days from the date that we mail you the Determination Notice. The date mailed is located on the top of the Determination Notice form, and the last day you can file an appeal is at the bottom of the form. If the fourteenth day falls on a federal or state holiday, you have until the next business day to file your appeal.
You can submit your written appeal online, in person at your nearest Workforce Solutions office, or by mailing or faxing your appeal letter to the Appeals Department. The mailing address and fax number are shown on your Determination Notice and listed below. You cannot submit an appeal by email or over the telephone. If you choose to fax the information, keep the paperwork that indicates successful transmission of your appeal.
We continue to receive a large number of appeal requests and we are working to resolve all issues as quickly as possible. If you have a hearing scheduled, please participate according to the directions on the Notice of Hearing.
For more information, see How to Appeal a Decision.
Unemployed After Returning to Work
If it has been three weeks or less since your last payment request:
- Request payment at Unemployment Benefits Services or call 800-558-8321.
- Be sure to report any hours you worked and any earnings during the period requested.
If it has been more than three weeks since your last payment request:
- Apply for Benefits again at Unemployment Benefits Services or by calling our Tele-Center at 800-939-6631.
- To help TWC activate your claim quickly, select layoff as the reason you lost your job if you were furloughed or the business closed.
TWC is Hiring
At TWC we serve Texas by helping to connect workers with jobs, benefits and training, and employers with a skilled workforce. Our mission is to promote and support a workforce system that creates value and offers employers, individuals, and communities the opportunity to achieve and sustain economic prosperity.
To view and apply for jobs at TWC, visit WorkInTexas.com or Taleo.
TWC offers salaries based on education and level of experience, as well as an array of competitive benefits, such as:
- Free, comprehensive medical insurance for employees
- Health & Wellness programs
- A contribution-based retirement program
- Sick leave, vacation leave, and holidays off
For more, visit TWC Pay & Benefits.
TWC also offers Job Fairs with a variety of employers to choose from.
News and Information
For TWC news and information, see Recent Press Releases and our News page.
