You were disqualified for Texas unemployment benefits — Now what?  

How can you get re-qualified for benefits?  

Here's your answers:

If the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) disqualifies you from receiving unemployment insurance benefits on a prior claim because of the reason for your job separation or for other reasons, you may be able to close the disqualification through work or wages after you do all of the following:

1. Go back to work in “employment” after your disqualification begins;

2. Earn wages equal to six times your weekly benefit amount or work at least 30 hours a week for six weeks;

3. Give the TWC proof of your work or earnings and request that they close the disqualification.

To receive benefits after closing a disqualification, you must have a qualifying separation from your last job or fulfill the work and earning requirements described above while you are working at a part-time job.

The TWC will not pay you benefits for the time between the beginning of the disqualification and the time that you meet the requirements to close the disqualification.

You can use work or wages from most types of “employment” to close the disqualification.  However, the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act excludes several types of employment from its definition of employment for the purposes of removing a previous disqualification.  These include:

• Working in domestic service, if the employer pays less than $1,000 in wages during a calendar quarter for all domestic services;

• Working for yourself;

• Working for your son, daughter, or spouse;

• Working for a church; or

• Working as an insurance agent paid only by commission.

Learn More: Texas Unemployment Guide