What Teachers, Other Education Employees Should Know About Texas Unemployment Benefits

From the Texas Workforce Commission: What teachers and other employees should know about unemployment benefits in Texas

If you work for an educational institution and lose your job through no fault of your own, you might qualify for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits under the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act (TUCA). Eligibility for benefits is determined on a case-by-case basis.

Teachers and other employees of educational institutions generally do not qualify for UI benefits during scheduled breaks in the school year when they have a contract or reasonable assurance of having a job in the next academic term or after the breaks. This year, budget cuts at the state and local level may force layoffs at many educational institutions statewide that affect teachers, instructors, professors, technical support, librarians, janitorial and cafeteria staff, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions I’m a teacher who lost my job. Can I get UI benefits? Two issues determine whether you qualify for UI benefits: 1. Job Separation: You must have lost your job through no fault of your own. For example, your contract was not renewed or you were furloughed, laid off, or are part of a reduction in force (RIF). A firing because of misconduct disqualifies you from receiving benefits.

2. Past Wages: You must have earned enough past wages to qualify for benefits. If you do not have enough wages, you cannot get benefits.

What is “reasonable assurance” and why is it important? Reasonable assurance is a commitment (written or oral) that you will have a job after scheduled breaks or in the next academic term at your school or any other school. It is important because reasonable assurance determines whether you can use your school wages to qualify for benefits. If you have reasonable assurance, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) cannot use your school wages to compute your benefits and you may not have enough wages to qualify for benefits. If you do not have reasonable assurance, TWC can use your school wages to compute your benefits, so you may qualify.

Does accepting incentives to resign affect my benefits? It depends. Resigning from a job voluntarily might disqualify you from receiving benefits. Some schools are offering financial incentives to persuade employees to resign. If you accept incentives to resign, you might not qualify for benefits. However, if your employer would have laid you off anyway, you could qualify even though you resigned.

Would I receive benefits if I signed a letter of resignation rather than accepting a layoff? It depends. Leaving a job voluntarily might disqualify you from receiving benefits. However, you may receive benefits if your employer would have let you go due to budget cuts, regardless of whether you signed the letter of resignation.

I work for an educational institution, but I’m not a teacher. Does the law apply to me? Yes. The laws on UI benefits apply to school employees working in non-instructional positions.

Will TWC use wages I earned from a non-school job to compute my benefit amounts on my UI claim? Yes. If you earned wages from a non-school job, TWC will use those wages to compute the benefit amount for your claim.

If my old school rehires me or if I accept a job with another school district, may I continue to receive benefits? You might. TWC must stop using your school wages to compute your benefit amount as soon as you have reasonable assurance of a school job or accept a job with any educational institution.

When TWC stops using your school wages to compute your benefit amount, you might no longer qualify for benefits. If you have sufficient wages from a non-school job to qualify for benefits, TWC can recalculate your benefit amount and pay benefits based on the non-school wages.

What should I do if I get a school job (or get reasonable assurance of a job)? You should call a TWC Tele-Center immediately at 1-800-939-6631 once you have reasonable assurance of a job with a school.

When should I apply for UI benefits? Apply for benefits once you are unemployed at the end of the school year. Log on to ui.texasworkforce.org or call a Tele-Center (1-800-939-6631) to speak with a service representative. After you apply, TWC will send you the UI Benefits Handbook and other information.

When should I start looking for a new job? Start looking for a new job immediately. To retain your eligibility, you must be able and available for full-time work, and actively seeking full-time work.

Can TWC help me find a new job? Yes. In fact, you must complete your work search application at WorkInTexas.com within three days of applying for benefits. Additional help is available at www.texasworkforce.org and your Workforce Solutions office.

How do I receive benefits? You may select one of two payment options: direct deposit to your personal account or by Chase debit card. Select your option at ui.texasworkforce.org. If you do not select direct deposit, TWC will pay you by debit card.

Where can I get more information? www.texasworkforce.org ui.texasworkforce.org www.workintexas.com