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Texas Workforce Commission reinstates job search criteria for unemployment benefits

Individuals receiving UI claims may be disappointed in this announcement, but this could be just the push some needed to get back out there.
Posted at 4:23 PM, Oct 16, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-16 17:24:16-04

BRYAN, TX — Are you getting unemployment benefits to make ends meet?

Well the Texas Workforce Commission is about to make you jump through some hoops to get your cash.

The TWC says Texans collecting unemployment need to show proof they're looking for work at least three times a week.

The unemployment benefit is intended to provide temporary assistance, not as a replacement for a job.

”A part of reopening the state it’s something that they’ve been wanting to do for the past few months now just been kind of tracking numbers to see where things are and we have also been watching where the unemployment rate is going which has been going down,” said Nathaniel Muir, business services manager for Texas Workforce Commission.

With unemployment numbers decreasing, and businesses opening, meeting the requirement is as simple as providing proof three times a week that you are seeking employment.

”Now that it’s mandatory once again to look for a job it’ll kind of give people that extra boost to go out there a do a job search,” said Muir.

Job seeker assistance is provided through TWC so not only will they push you but they will also provide the necessary tools to be successful. Outreach workers like Derrick Williams understand the process, so he challenges his clients to take advantage of these different opportunities.

”I like to tell people to mix it up, I’ve been on unemployment before so you can do everything from computer search, phone search, face to face is allowable, so I don’t want that one person to do the same thing over and over just because it’s comfortable,” said Derrick Williams, resource outreach.

TWC also offers 5,000 online courses provided through the Metrix learning partnership that can suffice as one of your job searches of the week.

“Then I get to see the success stories and the end results on the end that I am working now,” said Williams.

”I had a customer come in the other day and I made sure I told him this, hey when you get the job make sure you come back and tell me he actually came back and told me, so I like to you know feel like I've done something,” said Williams.

The Workforce office is eager to celebrate your next employment opportunity with an annual event providing the best chance to get it done during a virtual job fair on November 5th.

”The state-wide initiative the first Thursday of every November is hiring red white and u, it’s the largest job fair in the year we have massive participation from employers,” said Muir.

Job seekers will get the chance to knock out their first three job seeking opportunities in the first week of the reinstatement.

Beginning November 1st, you can expect these new requirements to come back.

The state unemployment rate is currently at 6.8% percent, while the Brazos County still sits at 4.6%.