This guide explains how to apply for unemployment in Texas. Follow step by step instructions that will help you claim benefits through TX state unemployment office.
First and foremost, apply as soon as you lose the job. State unemployment offices generally take 1-3 weeks to process your application, especially for the initial claim. The compensation will be paid from the week you applied and if you delay, you will lose the benefits prior to the week of filing. You won't be allowed to back-date your claims or claim the benefits for prior weeks.
Texas Unemployment Compensation Eligibility Requirements
There are some basic rules for eligibility. Even if you meet some of these rules partially, you should still apply for unemployment because state offices make a reasonable attempt to process your claim, as long as you provide a good justification.
- You must have lost your job through no fault of your own. That means if you have quit job voluntarily you may not qualify for unemployment insurance. However, there are exceptions - such as working in hazardous or inhuman working conditions etc. to this rule.
- You must be willing and able to work. If you are physically disabled, you do not qualify.
- You must have worked minimum number of weeks specified by the State. Texas State minimum weeks of covered employment requirement (employer must have paid unemployment taxes on your behalf): N/A
- You must have earned minimum amount of wages specified by State during this period. This amount may change every year. You can get get complete eligibility criteria and the benefits calculator from state website mentioned in the next section. Minimum wages earned during the base period: N/A
Prepare documents required to apply for unemployment in TX
- Your name, address, social security number and other personal details such as telephone number, email address etc.
- Dependents name, date of birth and their social security number.
- Details of your previous employer. For each employer, you need to provide
- Name and address
- Telephone number
- Start and end dates of employment
- If you had out-of-state employment in the past 18 months, you also need to provide the employment details.
- Reason you lost the job – it has to be involuntary to be eligible to receive benefits.
- Your job skills summary
- If you are not an US citizen, keep your alien registration number and work authorization. However if you are on a work visa such as H1-B, immigration experts do not advise claiming unemployment insurance.
Apply for Benefits or Claim Extension
You can submit your application for unemployment compensation online, off-line (by mail or by visiting local employment office) or through telephone. Online application is the quickest and most efficient option which will also be available 24x7, 7 days a week.
Prepare and submit your application online here
If you choose to file over phone, call the unemployment compensation services toll-free number at 800-939-6631. Local numbers: Austin local: (512) 340-4300, Dallas local: (972) 339-6200, El Paso local: (915) 832-6400, Fort Worth local: (817) 420-1600, Houston local: (281) 983-1100, McAllen local: (956) 984-4700, San Antonio local: (210) 258-6600. Call Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. for all unemployment benefits related services.
If you are applying for unemployment extension in Texas, make sure you check the latest rules. Many states are in the process of revising the rules to extend the benefits beyond the initial period. Also, remember that you need to report unemployment benefits as an income when you file taxes with IRS at the end of the year.
All the major cities in Texas including Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Austin, Fort Worth, El Paso, Arlington, Corpus Christi, Plano, Laredo, Lubbock have an unemployment office location to process unemployment claims. You can visit the local office for consultation or to file for unemployment in person
Texas Unemployment Rate (Trend)
The graph below shows the current and historical unemployment rate in the state
Frequently Asked Questions
Does part-time job disqualify me from receiving benefits?
If you work part-time, you may be able to receive some benefits. Your Statement of Benefits tells you your weekly benefit amount and your weekly earnings allowance. Your earnings allowance is one and one quarter times (125% of) your weekly benefit amount. If your actual weekly earnings are less than your earnings allowance, State govt. will pay you the difference between the amounts as long as you meet all other requirements, including looking for full-time work. You can receive 25% more income from part-time work and partial unemployment combined, than from unemployment alone. Your benefits also may last longer. If you are working the full-time customary hours for your occupation, you are not eligible to receive UI benefits, even if your earnings are less than 125% of your weekly benefit amount.
NOTE:: Separation from part-time work can affect your UI benefits. If your part-time employer fires you or you quit your part-time job, Texas state employment agency will review your job separation reason to decide whether you can still receive benefits.
What are eligibility criteria for Texas unemployment?
To establish a payable claim, you must have received enough wages to meet the requirements. State uses the wages paid to you during a recent 12-month period, called the base period, to calculate your benefit amounts. The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim. (Calendar quarters are three-month periods beginning with January, April, July, or October.) This means that when they calculate benefits they do not use earnings in the calendar quarter in which you filed your claim, or the quarter just before that. Your maximum, or total, benefit amount is the smaller of 26 times the weekly amount, or 27% of all your wages in the base period. Your weekly benefit amount will be between $59 and $406 depending upon the wages you earned.
Employee Compensation and Disability Insurance Payments
If you receive Workers' Compensation, you may not be eligible for UI benefits. The state agency will make that decision based on what type of disability payment you receive. If you receive Impairment Income Benefits, you may receive UI benefits. If you receive some kinds of Temporary Income Benefits, Supplement Income Benefits, or Lifetime Income Benefits, TWC will not pay UI benefits.If you have a permanent disability and receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you may be eligible for UI benefits even if you work part time.
Scenarios involved with working in more than one state
If you worked in more than one state during your base period, you can combine all of your wages in a single UI benefits claim. One state is the "paying state" and your claim follows the rules of that state. The paying state asks the other states to transfer your wage credits to the paying state. Because you filed a claim against Texas, Texas is your paying state unless you don't have enough wages to qualify under Texas law. Your other choice is to file against only one state using only the wages in that state. If you choose to use only wages in one state, your claim will follow the rules of that state.
If You Have Worked in Texas But Live in Another State
If you earned all your base period wages in Texas but now live in another state, you can still file a new application for UI benefits or continue an existing claim with Texas. Texas pays the benefits and makes the decisions about payment. You must register for work with the nearest workforce center in the state where you live. You can file for UI benefits from any of the United States, Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, or Canada. Texas law does not permit claims from any foreign country other than Canada.
Next steps
After you have submitted your application, you should actively look out for work because the benefits you receive will not be enough to cover your living expenses. The best thing to do is to take a look at your job skills and determine if you want to improve or learn new skills so that you can use this opportunity to revive your career. There are plenty of online opportunities to earn a living while working from home.
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State Unemployment Guides
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