14 JUN 2020 · Thank you for checkign out this podacst. I am Kyle Souza, my blog is https://thetalkinggeek.com/, you can connect with me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylesouza/. Best wishes for you while you search for new employment!

14 JUN 2020 · Request payment every two weeks while your appeal is pending unless you return to full-time work.

14 JUN 2020 · ■ Learn how to prepare for or submit documents for your hearing. ■ View your Appeal Status. ■ Learn how and when to call in for your hearing. If you don’t have Internet access, you may use the computers at any Texas Workforce Solutions office.

14 JUN 2020 · If TWC sends a letter stating we cannot pay benefits, you may appeal that decision by: ■ Submitting an online appeal form at www.texasworkforce.org/uiappeal ■ Mailing or faxing a signed letter to the Appeals Department at the address or fax number on the letter ■ Submitting an appeal in person at your nearest Workforce Solutions Office. For your appeal to be timely, you must file your appeal within 14 calendar days from the date TWC mails the letter. The deadline is on the letter. If you complete and submit an appeal online, TWC must receive it no later than 11:59 p.m. on the deadline date. If you mail your appeal, it must be postmarked on or before the deadline. If you fax your appeal, TWC must receive the fax no later than 11:59 p.m. on the deadline date. You may use the fax machines free of charge at a Workforce Solutions office in Texas or workforce office in another state. Ask for and keep your confirmation page as proof of transmission. Your appeal should include: ■ your name and Social Security number ■ your current address ■ the date TWC mailed you the decision ■ a copy of the notice, if possible ■ any dates you are not able to participate in a hearing ■ the reason you are appealing the decision You or your employer can appeal any decision on your claim. The first level of the appeal process is a telephone hearing with the Appeal Tribunal. Your employer may participate in your hearing. We will mail you a hearing notice packet with the date and time of your hearing and instructions on submitting additional documents you may wish to present. When submitting documents, you should mail or fax copies to your employer and TWC as soon as possible. It may take six to eight weeks to receive the hearing packet. You must receive the hearing notice packet to participate in the appeal and should have it available during your appeal. Take part in the hearing. The hearing officer makes a decision based entirely on evidence given at the hearing. If you cannot participate, call the hearing officer at the number listed on the hearing notice or register online before the scheduled hearing date. You may request accommodations. If you or any of your witnesses do not speak English, write on your appeal that you need an interpreter and for what languages. If you or your witnesses need special services, such as for hearing-impaired participants, request those as well. Read the Appeal Tribunal decision. If you disagree with the decision, you may appeal to the three-member Commission within 14 calendar days of the mail date on the decision. The Commission decides your case after reviewing the Appeal Tribunal decision and listening to the recorded hearing. If you disagree with the Commission Appeals decision, you may file a Motion for Rehearing within 14 calendar days of the mail date on the decision. The Commission may grant the motion if you can show all of the following: ■ important new information ■ why you think the information could change the decision ■ a compelling reason why you didn’t present the information earlier You may appeal to a civil court between 15 and 28 days after the date TWC mailed the Commission Appeal decision. Before appealing to a civil court, you must complete all of the appeals through TWC, except the Motion for Rehearing. IMPORTANT! If you submit an appeal after the deadline, you must explain in detail why you filed the appeal late. If TWC decides not to hear the case because your appeal was late, we will mail you a letter explaining the decision. You can also appeal that decision. You can appeal online at www.texasworkforce.org/uiappeal.

14 JUN 2020 · Find more information at www.texasworkforce.org/unemploymentbenefits. Foreign Trade If you lost your job because of issues related to foreign competition, you may be eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), which includes job retraining, job search and relocation aid, and weekly Trade Readjustment Allowance (TRA) benefits. Trade-affected workers age 50 or older may be eligible for a wage subsidy program. Working in Other States If you worked in more than one state during your base period, you can combine all of your wage credits into a single claim administered by one “paying state.” The paying state uses your wage credits from the other states to calculate your benefits. You may apply for benefits in only one state where you worked. Register for work search with the nearest public workforce office in the state you are located. Military Wages You can use military wages to qualify for benefits if you left the service honorably and completed your first full term of service. If you did not complete your first full term, you must have separated early due to an exception specified by Congress. Reservists and National Guard members may be eligible if they served at least 180 days continuous active service and received a Form DD-214, Report of Separation, when separated. If we are unable to use your military wages, you can appeal to your branch of service with a Form DD-149, Request for Correction of Military Records. Pensions We reduce your weekly benefit amounts by any pensions, retirement pay, annuities, or other payments you receive from an employer that paid you wages in the base period. We do not deduct Social Security or Railroad Retirement income. Additional Payment You may be eligible if you signed a legal release for an additional payment. You may not receive benefits for the weeks you received an additional payment, such as severance pay or wages instead of notice of layoff. However, you should apply for benefits. You get no money during this period, but you will have served your waiting week. School Employees If you worked for a school, we cannot use your school wages to calculate your benefits if you have reasonable assurance of going back to work after a break in the academic year. If you lost your job for a qualifying reason or do not have reasonable assurance of returning to work, we may be able to pay you benefits. Workers’ Compensation/Disability If you receive Workers’ Compensation, you may not be eligible for unemployment benefits. TWC makes that decision based on the type of disability payment you receive. ■ If you receive Impairment Income Benefits, you may receive unemployment benefits. If you receive some kinds of Temporary Income Benefits, Supplement Income Benefits, or Lifetime Income Benefits, TWC cannot pay you unemployment benefits. ■ If you have a permanent disability and receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), you may be eligible for benefits even if you can only work part time. Federal Employees If you are a former federal employee, TWC requests your wage information from your federal employer. To ensure prompt benefit payment, TWC asks you to estimate your base period wages and provide a Standard Form SF-50, Notice of Personnel Action, or a W-2 or pay stub as proof of employment. Labor Disputes (Strikes) If you stopped working because of a labor dispute, you cannot collect benefits during the dispute. This does not apply to a “lock-out.” A disqualification continues until you no longer have any part in the labor dispute. It does not matter whether you are a union member. It is generally not possible to requalify for benefits by working elsewhere. Disaster Aid If you lost your job or business as a direct result of a major disaster declared by the President of the United States, you may be eligible for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA). If you are eligible for regular unemployment benefits, you must exhaust them before receiving DUA. When you apply for DUA, we send you a packet of DUA rules with forms to complete and return.

23 APR 2020 · Protecting Your Privacy Your claim is confidential. However, we share some information with government agencies and contractors that administer and enforce laws, including verifying eligibility for public assistance, supporting law enforcement, and other purposes permitted by law. We disclose information to entities that manage Social Security, Medicaid, nutrition assistance, child support, and other programs. We mail a notice of your claim to your last employer and may communicate with other former employers. If we pay you by debit card, we share information with U.S. Bank. U.S. Bank and government agencies must agree to comply with confidentiality laws. The information also may be used for statistical analysis, research, and evaluation.

23 APR 2020 · Repaying Overpayments You must repay any overpayments before we can pay you benefits. TWC sends a letter explaining why you owe us money. If you are filing for benefits and are eligible, we apply each weekly payment toward reducing your overpayment. If you were overpaid benefits in another state and are eligible in Texas, we send your benefits to the other state until the overpayment is paid. If you are eligible in anothe state, we ask that state to recover the money for us. If you are not filing for benefits and are unable to repay the entire amount, call 512-936-3338 or e-mail special.colloverpay@twc.state.tx.us about setting up a repayment plan. If your overpayment is past due, TWC may intercept all or some of your IRS refund to repay the overpayment. Learn more about Overpayment of Unemployment Benefits on texasworkforce.org/unemploymentbenefits. Overpayments stay on your record until repaid. We cannot pay you benefits if you owe us money.

23 APR 2020 · Staying Eligible for Benefits To remain eligible, you must request payment as scheduled; respond when contacted; be able, available, and actively seeking full-time work; and meet your work search requirements and keep good records of your work search activities. You are no longer eligible when your benefits run out or you return to full-time work. Be aware of these additional requirements: ■ Special Reemployment Activities TWC requires you to participate in special reemployment activities if you are likely to run out of benefits before you find work. If selected, your Workforce Solutions office sends a letter, and you must participate as instructed. ■ Keep a Work Search Log K eep a detailed work search log because we may request copies to verify your activities at any time during your benefit year. We enclosed a sample log with this handbook. Get more copies at ui.texasworkforce.org or make your own, provided it contains the same details that are on our log. Review the Unemployment Benefits Work Search Guidelines we sent or find them on www.texasworkforce.org/ unemploymentbenefits. Your unemployment claim may be audited at any time so keep your work search records for at least one year after filing your claim. ■ Accept Suitable Work TWC cannot pay benefits if you refuse to apply for or accept suitable work without good cause. We determine suitable work by reviewing: − your experience, qualifications, and training − working conditions and pay for similar work in your area − risks to your health, safety, or morals − distance to work from your home and local commuting patterns − how long you have been unemployed − whether you have considered jobs that pay 75 percent of your normal wage by the eighth week of unemployment

23 APR 2020 · Receiving Correspondence You can choose how TWC sends unemployment benefits documents to you. You will receive all documents and notices by U.S. mail unless you sign up to receive correspondence electronically on ui.texasworkforce.org. ■ If you choose electronic correspondence, an e-mail will notify you when new correspondence is posted. You must then log in to ui.texasworkforce.org to view your correspondence. ■ Some documents require a response. ■ If you do not respond on time, you might not receive benefits. ■ You must keep your U.S. mail or e-mail address current. Update your address at ui.texasworkforce.org. Select Contact Information, or call a Tele-Center at 800-939-6631. If you move out of state, you must register for work at a public workforce office in that state, unless you commute to work to Texas from a border state.

23 APR 2020 · Paying Taxes on Your Benefits Your benefits are income you must report to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). We will withhold 10 percent of your benefits for taxes if you complete and return the Voluntary Withholding form. TWC sends you and the IRS a Form 1099-G in January with the benefits amount paid in the previous calendar year. You can find that amount on Tele-Serv or ui.texasworkforce.org.