Texas Administrative Code › Title 40 - SOCIAL SERVICES AND ASSISTANCE › Part 20 - TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION › Chapter 815 - UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE › Subchapter B - BENEFITS, CLAIMS, AND APPEALS › Section 815.20 - Claim for Benefits

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
An unemployed individual who has no current benefit year
					 and who wishes to claim benefits shall report to a representative of the Agency
					 in a manner, including telephonic, Internet, or other means, that the Agency
					 may approve, and file a claim for benefits. Before receiving benefits a
					 claimant shall register for work with the public employment office, including
					 workforce centers, serving the individual's area of residence, as provided in
					 paragraphs (3) and (7) of this section, unless exempt from the
					 requirement.
(1) In case of a mass
				  layoff by an employer, if the last employing unit involved makes an appropriate
				  request, the Agency may accept, in lieu of an initial claim from each
				  individual, a list furnished by the last employer of the individuals to be laid
				  off and who wish to file initial claims for benefits. The list shall reflect,
				  with respect to each individual, all information normally required on the
				  initial claim by the Agency, except the reason for separation. If the Agency
				  approves the request, the listing then may be used by the Agency as an initial
				  claim for each individual on the list.
(2) After an individual files a valid initial
				  claim, which establishes the claimant's benefit year, the claimant may, during
				  the benefit year, file subsequent continued claims, weekly or biweekly, by
				  telephonic means, facsimile (fax) transmission, mail, common carrier, Internet,
				  or other means as the Agency may approve in writing, but at intervals of no
				  less than seven consecutive days. A claimant shall file all claims by
				  telephonic means, in writing, or orally, during the hours, days, and weeks
				  directed by Agency representatives. Internet filing is available 24 hours each
				  day. If at any time during the benefit year, more than 30 days have elapsed
				  since the filing of the claimant's last claim, the claimant shall file an
				  additional or reopened claim for benefits as defined in §815.1 (relating
				  to Definitions) and shall comply with all eligibility requirements for the
				  claims. A claimant who exhausts regular benefits may file continued claims for
				  extended benefits as referenced in §815.26 (relating to Extended Benefit
				  Period Announcement) in the same manner in which the claimant filed claims for
				  regular benefits, but the claimant's claims for extended benefits may be for
				  benefit periods subsequent to the end of the claimant's benefit year.
(3) An individual who files a claim for
				  benefits shall comply with all requirements of the public employment office in
				  which the claimant files an application for work that are necessary to
				  establish a valid registration for work in that public employment office. The
				  claimant shall comply with an Agency representative's requests, whether oral or
				  written, that are reasonably designed to inform the claimant of the claimant's
				  rights and responsibilities in filing a claim for benefits. The claimant also
				  shall:
(A) provide evidence, upon request, to
				  establish the claimant's correct Social Security account number;
(B) file all claims in the manner directed by
				  the Agency, whether on Agency-provided forms or by telephonic, Internet, or
				  other means approved by the Agency for claims purposes;
(C) supply all information within the
				  claimant's knowledge, which is necessary to determine the claimant's rights to
				  benefits under the Act;
(D) sign
				  all provided claims forms personally for the claims that are filed in person or
				  by mail or common carrier; and
(E)
				  submit all claims filed by mail, common carrier, hand delivery, or by other
				  means, including telephonic or Internet, as instructed by the Agency, in
				  accordance with the terms of this section.