By Ann Marie Moore, Tex.Org Contributor
The Texas Unemployment Office provides you with financial benefits as a qualified worker who is laid off by a company or whose hours are cut through no fault of your own.
The company you worked for invested in what is called Unemployment Insurance in accordance to the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act.
The Texas unemployment rate is currently 4%.
Despite the Texas unemployment rate, it is great peace of mind to know if you are laid off your job or have your hours cut you are entitled to benefits based on a percentage of your previous earnings.
The Texas Unemployment Office provides you with temporary financial benefits affording you the opportunity to look
for full time work.
In order for you to receive financial benefits you must meet requirements in these three main areas:
1. Proving past wages you received
2. The date of your last job separation
3. Your willing availability to search for work
Each area also has specific requirements in order for you to receive benefits from the Texas Unemployment Office.
Providing past wages you received
• Must have been from at least two of your four base-period calendar quarters;
• Your base period wages are at least 37 times of your weekly benefit amount;
• Would have to have earned 6 times your new weekly benefit amount since the previous time you
qualified for benefits on any prior claim.
• Were you were fired or laid off not related to misconduct
• Your hours were reduced at no fault of your own
• You have good documented work related or medical reasons for quitting your job
Your willing availability to search for work
• You must be active in a search for full time work unless Texas Work Commission exempts you from
this requirement.
• Have the physical ability to work
• You should be available for full-time work
• You must actively apply for and be willing accept suitable work
• You should be registered for work search online at WorkInTexas.com, (choose to log on as a job seeker) Other options to search for online work are to subscribe to the Workforce Solutions office or locate a job in a list of public workforce offices (PDF) that allow for online registration
• You may also contact the Texas Work Commission directly 1-800-735-2989
Be sure that through out this process that you keep good records of your efforts. By providing detailed records of your work search activity will help protect your eligibility to receive benefits from the Texas Unemployment office.
Calculate Unemployment Benefits
Estimate your Texas unemployment benefits by providing information on your wages and pay period information for the past five quarters. The high quarter’s total earnings are then divided by 25 which will give you an idea of your weekly amount benefits.
You may also be entitled to benefits from the Texas Unemployment Office even when you are hired for a part-time job. The Texas Work Commission will cover the difference between the amounts in your weekly earning so long as you continue to actively look for full time work. In some cases it would benefit you up to
25% to at least have a part time job rather than no job at all.
Despite the Texas unemployment rate, the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act is here to benefit you to succeed in finding the full time job you need to continue to meet your financial obligations. The video below helps to further explain the basics of your unemployment benefits.