What "Request Payment" means at TWC

Request Payment is the button you use in your TWC online account to tell the state you are ready to receive your weekly unemployment benefit. It is not an process — you have already filed your claim. It is the weekly step that unlocks the money the state has set aside for you.

Every week you are unemployed and want to receive a benefit, you must request payment. If you do not request it, the money stays in your account and you receive nothing that week. The state does not automatically send you money; you have to ask for it each week, usually by Sunday or Monday of the week you want to be paid.

After you request payment, TWC reviews your claim to make sure you still meet the rules — that you are still unemployed, that you have not earned too much money that week, and that you are looking for work if your claim requires it. If everything checks out, the payment is processed and sent to your bank account or debit card within a few business days.

Key Takeaways

  • You must request payment every week through your TWC account; the state does not send money automatically.
  • Request payment by Sunday or Monday of the week you want to receive a benefit, or you may miss that week's payment window.
  • When you request payment, you confirm that you are still unemployed and meet all the rules of your claim.
  • Payments are sent to the bank account or debit card you registered with TWC, usually within three to five business days.
  • If you request payment but do not meet the rules that week — for example, you earned too much money — TWC will deny that week's payment and tell you why.

How to request payment in your TWC account

Log in to your TWC account at twc.texas.gov using your username and password. If you do not have an account, you must create one before you can request payment. Once you are logged in, look for the section labeled Unemployment Benefits or My Benefits.

Click on Request Payment or Weekly Claim — the exact wording depends on which version of the TWC website you see, but the button is always in the main benefits area. You will see a form asking you questions about that week: whether you worked, how much you earned, whether you refused any job offers, and whether you are still looking for work. Answer each question honestly. These answers determine whether you are paid that week.

After you answer all the questions, click Submit. You will see a confirmation message on the screen. Write down the date and time, or take a screenshot — this is your proof that you requested payment on time. TWC will send you an email confirmation as well, usually within a few minutes.

What information you need before you request payment

Have the following details ready before you log in: the dates you worked that week (if you worked at all), the name of each employer you worked for, how many hours you worked, and how much you were paid. If you did not work, you do not need employer information, but you should know whether you looked for work that week and what you did to search.

If you were offered a job and turned it down, write down the employer's name, the job title, the pay, and why you refused it. TWC asks about refusals because turning down work without a good reason can disqualify you. A good reason might be that the pay was much lower than your usual wage, the hours conflicted with childcare, or the job was unsafe.

If you have a debit card or bank account registered with TWC, you do not need to do anything else — your payment will go there automatically. If you have not registered a payment method, you will need to do that in your account settings before you can receive money.

important date and timing for weekly requests

TWC opens the request payment window on Sunday morning and closes it on Friday at midnight. Most people request payment on Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday to avoid the rush and to make sure they do not miss the important date. If you request payment after Friday midnight, that week's payment will not be processed, and you will have to request it the following week.

Once you request payment, TWC usually processes it within one to two business days. The money then takes another two to three business days to appear in your bank account or on your debit card, depending on your bank. So if you request payment on Monday morning, you might see the money by Thursday or Friday.

If you are waiting for a payment and it does not arrive by the following Tuesday, contact TWC. A payment delay usually means TWC is reviewing your claim for some reason — perhaps you reported earnings that need to be checked, or there is a question about your job search. TWC will send you a notice in the mail or email explaining any delay.

Common mistakes when requesting payment

The most common mistake is forgetting to request payment at all. Many people think the state will send them money automatically once their claim is approved. It will not. If you do not request payment every week, you receive nothing that week, and you cannot go back and request it later. The payment window closes on Friday, and that week is gone.

The second mistake is reporting your earnings wrong. If you worked that week, you must report exactly how much you earned, including tips, bonuses, and any money you were paid for work you did before that week but received during it. If you underreport your earnings, TWC may catch the mistake later and ask you to repay the overpayment. If you overreport, you might not be paid that week even though you were may have access to to be.

A third mistake is not answering the job search questions honestly. If your claim requires you to look for work, you must report what you did — the companies you contacted, the job boards you checked, the interviews you attended. If you say you looked for work but did not, and TWC finds out, you can lose your benefits. If you did not look for work because you have a reason not to — you are in school, you have a medical condition, you are waiting to return to a specific job — tell TWC. Do not just skip the question.

What happens after you request payment

TWC reviews your request within one to two business days. If everything is correct and you meet all the rules, your payment is approved and sent to your bank account. You will receive an email or letter confirming the amount and the date it was sent.

If TWC has a question about your request, they will send you a notice in the mail or email asking for more information. For example, if you reported that you worked 40 hours but your employer reported 35 hours, TWC will ask you to clarify. You have 10 days to respond. If you do not respond, TWC may deny that week's payment.

If your payment is denied, TWC will tell you why in a written notice. Common reasons include: you earned too much money that week to receive a full benefit, you refused a job offer without a good reason, you did not look for work when you were supposed to, or there is a question about whether you are still unemployed. If you disagree with the denial, you can file an appeal with TWC within 15 days of the notice.

If you cannot request payment online

If you do not have internet access or cannot use the TWC website, you can request payment by phone. Call the TWC Unemployment Insurance customer service line at 1-800-939-6631. Have your Social Security number and claim number ready. A representative will ask you the same questions as the online form and submit your request for you.

Phone lines are busiest on Mondays and Tuesdays. If you call on a weekend or holiday, you will reach an automated system that may not process your request. Call during business hours on a weekday if you can. The wait time is often 30 minutes to an hour, so call early in the day.

If you have a disability or language barrier that makes it hard to request payment, contact TWC and ask about accommodations. You may be able to have someone help you, or TWC may be able to set up a different process for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I worked part-time that week — do I still request payment?

Yes. Report the hours you worked and the money you earned. TWC will reduce your benefit by a certain amount for each dollar you earned, but you will usually still receive a partial payment. The exact reduction depends on your weekly benefit amount and your earnings.

Can I request payment for a week I missed?

No. The payment window for each week closes on Friday at midnight. If you miss the important date, you cannot go back and request that week's payment. You can only request payment for the current week and future weeks.

How long does it take to get the money after I request payment?

TWC usually processes your request within one to two business days. The money then takes two to three more business days to reach your bank account or debit card, depending on your bank. In total, expect three to five business days from the time you request payment to the time you see the money.

What if I request payment but then get a job offer that same week?

Contact TWC right away and tell them you are no longer unemployed. If you start work before your payment is processed, TWC may deny that week's payment or ask you to repay it. It is better to report the change when ready than to receive a payment you are not may have access to to and have to pay it back later.

Do I have to request payment every single week?

Yes, as long as you want to receive a benefit. If you take a week off from requesting payment, you receive nothing that week. You do not have to request payment if you go back to work or if you decide to stop receiving benefits, but if you are still unemployed and want money, you must request it every week.