Texas Unemployment Insurance

Texas Unemployment Insurance (UI) offers temporary financial assistance to employees who lost their jobs through no fault of their own, providing a safety net for them and their families during times of unemployment.

Each state sets its own guidelines for eligibility for UI benefits, but you usually qualify if you:

have lost a job through no fault of your own;
are unemployed or partially unemployed for reasons permissible under federal law;
are “able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work;” and
have earned at least a certain amount of money during a “base period” prior to becoming unemployed. In most states, this is usually the first 4 out of the last 5 completed calendar quarters prior to the time that your claim is filed.

In order to be eligible for unemployment benefits, you must have earned a minimum amount of wages in a recent ‘base period’ and must have:

wages in at least two quarters of the base period, and
earned at least $1,400 during the highest paid quarter of the base period, and
total base-period wages of at least 37 times your Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA)

If your calculated WBA is $200, your total base-period wages must be at least $7,400 (37 × $200), and with wages in your highest quarter being at least $1,400.

How much is unemployment insurance in Texas?

Depending upon your previous earnings, your weekly benefit amount will be between $75 and $605. Most Texans receive unemployment benefits for up to 26 weeks.

How long can I collect unemployment in Texas?

If your claim is approved, Texas can pay benefits for up to 26 weeks within your benefit year. You keep receiving payments only for the weeks you stay eligible, which means remaining able and available for work and continuing to search for a job.

How do I file for unemployment in Texas?

You may file for unemployment at Unemployment Benefits Services (UBS). If you wish to file by phone, call TWC Tele-Center at (800) 939-6631 to speak to a customer service representative.

Unless exempt, you are required to register as a job seeker on WorkInTexas.com within three business days of applying for benefits.

Texas Workforce Commission
Unemployment Tele-Center
(800) 939-6631