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Unemployment & Assistance

Need assistance applying for unemployment benefits? Not sure if you qualify? We’ll help you navigate the questions you may have on filing for unemployment benefits, reporting earnings, requesting payments, viewing claims and more.

Unemployment Insurance (UI)

The Texas Workforce Commission handles all unemployment insurance claims. All individuals who file an unemployment insurance claim must register for work at WorkInTexas.com's website.

There are two ways to apply:

01

Online

Visit the Texas Workforce Commission's website to submit your unemployment insurance claim.

Apply Now
02

By Phone

Call 1-800-939-6631, Monday - Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. Through this service, you can apply for unemployment insurance, get answers to your questions about unemployment insurance, and give TWC additional claim information.*

Call Now

*You will need the following information for your call:

  • The name and mailing address of your last employer
  • The starting and ending dates of your last job
  • Your alien registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen
Unemployment Benefits Overview

Unemployment Assistance Programs

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)

The Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) is designed to help job seekers secure the employment, education, training and support services necessary to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy.

The WIOA Dislocated Worker program offers employment and training services for eligible workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own or who have received an official layoff notice. WIOA expands the definition of dislocated worker to include the spouse of active military who lost employment as a result of a permanent change in duty location or is unemployed or underemployed and experiencing difficulty in obtaining or upgrading employment.

WIOA Overview
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) logo

Dislocated Worker Eligibility

To be eligible to receive WIOA services as a dislocated worker in the adult and dislocated worker programs, an individual must:

  • be 18 years of age or older;
  • be a citizen or noncitizen authorized to work in the United States;
  • meet Military Selective Service registration requirements (males only); and
  • meet the definition of dislocated worker at WIOA §3(15).

Services Included

Service priority is given to Veterans, recipients of public assistance, and other low-income individuals.

  • Career counseling
  • Job development
  • Staff-assisted referrals
  • Case managed job search
  • Follow-up services
  • Comprehensive assessment
  • Development of individual employment plans
  • Access to occupational and vocational training
  • Assistance with supportive services (e.g., transportation, child care assistance, utility payments) to enable an individual to participate in the program

WIOA Forms & Resources

TitleDownload
Attendance log WIOA DownloadPreview
Employment Timesheet DownloadPreview
Employment Verification DownloadPreview
Progress Report DownloadPreview
SUBE - Timesheet DownloadPreview
Self Directed Job Search DownloadPreview
Timesheet Job Club DownloadPreview
WIOA Documentation Log Dec. 13 2022 DownloadPreview

Also funded under WIOA are job training services provided by Eligible Training Providers (ETPs) approved by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC). Learn more about the program and how to qualify as an ETP.

Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) logo

Participant Eligibility

  • be 18 years of age or older;
  • be a citizen or noncitizen authorized to work in the United States; and
  • meet Military Selective Service registration requirements (males only).

Service priority is given to Veterans, recipients of public assistance, and other low-income individuals.

Services Included

  • Career Counseling
  • Job Development
  • Staff-assisted Referrals
  • Case Managed Job Search
  • Follow-up Services
  • Comprehensive Assessment
  • Development of Individual Employment Plans
  • Access to Occupational and Vocational Training
  • Assistance with supportive services (e.g., transportation and child care assistance utility payments.) to enable an individual to participate in the program

WIOA Adult Program

The Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act (WIOA) is designed to help job seekers secure the employment, education, training and support services necessary to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy.

WIOA Overview

TANF Employment and Training (Choices Program)

The Choices program is an Employment and Training program administered by the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to assist applicants, recipients, non-recipient parents, and former recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) cash assistance. Individuals apply for TANF through the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), the agency that administers the TANF program.

The goal of Choices is to transition participants from welfare to work through participation in work-related activities, including job search and job readiness classes, basic skills training, education, vocational training, and support services.

Choices Program Overview
Visit TANF website

Choices Services

Workforce Orientation for Applicants (WOA) is an introduction to Workforce Solutions office services. TANF applicants are required to attend a WOA as a condition of eligibility, unless exempted by HHSC. Once certified for benefits, TANF recipients must attend an Employment Planning Session (EPS).

During an EPS, Workforce Solutions office staff meets with TANF recipients to introduce them to Choices services, develop an in-depth assessment, and develop a Family Employment Plan (FEP). Following the FEP, Choices participants are generally expected to participate in work activities (30 hours per week minimum for single parents, 35/55 hours per week for two-parent families depending upon their receipt of TWC-subsidized child care).

Participation requirements for most recipients include the following activities directly related to work:

  • Unsubsidized employment
  • Subsidized employment
  • On-the-Job Training (OJT)
  • Educational services for Choices–eligible individuals who have not completed secondary school or received a GED credential

Employment Services for Choices Participants

Employment services for Choices participants give priority to unsubsidized employment, subsidized employment, OJT, and educational services for teens who have not obtained a high school diploma or GED credential.

Any of the following Choices activities are allowed if the activity can reasonably be expected to assist Choices participants in obtaining and retaining employment:

  • Job search and job readiness assistance
  • Work experience
  • Community service
  • Vocational educational training
  • Job skills training

Choices Participation

All Choices services, including education and training, must be directly related to a specific job offer or high-growth, high-demand occupation. Boards develop policies to ensure that support services are provided if needed to enable Choices participants to work, attend, and participate in required Choices services. If a Choices participant indicates a need for support services, the services must be provided to remove any barrier to participation. If the barrier is not removed and the Choices participant is unable to participate, good cause must be granted, and no penalty initiated.

Support services are available to assist Choices participants who are actively looking for work or who become employed. Support services include:

  • Child care
  • Transportation assistance
  • Work-related expenses
  • Wheels to Work
  • GED credential testing payments
  • Individual development accounts
  • One-time, short-term, and nonrecurrent payments.
Visit SNAP website

SNAP E&T Services

  • Job Search
  • Vocational Training
  • Non-vocational Education
  • Work Experience
  • Workfare
  • Unsubsidized Employment

SNAP E&T Participants

If the SNAP program participant does not secure employment after four weeks of job search and training activities, the participant will be mandated to workfare activities in order to develop skills necessary to become self-sufficient.

Support services for transportation, dependent care expenses, and other expenses that are reasonable, necessary, and directly related to participation in SNAP activities are evaluated based on individual need.

SNAP Employment and Training (SNAP E&T)

The SNAP E&T program promotes long-term self-sufficiency and independence by preparing SNAP recipients for employment who are not receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits.

The goal of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Employment and Training (SNAP E&T) is to help SNAP recipients in obtaining employment through participation in allowable job search, training, education, or other workfare activities that promote self-sufficiency. The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) determines participant eligibility and refers those eligible participants to Workforce Solutions.

SNAP Program Overview

Layoff Recovery

Anyone who has lost their job due to no fault of their own including mass layoffs, plant closings, or losing a manufacturing job due to foreign trade may be eligible for assistance. Learn about Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), Rapid Response, Trade Adjustment Assistance, Career Preparedness programs and more that help individuals who have lost their job due to layoffs.

View Employer Outplacement Resources
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