UI Benefit Estimator

The Texas Workforce Commission announced a new web-based application that is available to assist unemployment claimants estimate the potential amount of their unemployment benefits. UI claimants can enter their wage information and pay period and receive an estimate of the weekly benefit amount (WBA) and maximum benefit amount (MBA) on a regular claim. This application is not designed to provide estimates of special UI programs such as Emergency Unemployment Compensation, Disaster Unemployment Assistance, or Trade Readjustment Assistance. Applicants can access the Benefits Estimator through the TWC homepage, Unemployment Benefits Services portal page. Just remember, the estimator is designed to provide estimates based on a 40-hr work week. Any claimants that were part-time workers need to estimate their wages by month or quarter. Also remember to enter wages before taxes (gross pay). The Benefits Estimator includes the following 3 key fields: 1. Calendar Quarter – the application will automatically display the current base period quarters. For example, if you access the application on June 30, 2009 (the second quarter of 2009), the quarters displayed will be all four quarters of 2008; however, if you access the application on July 10, 2009 (third quarter of 2009), the application will use the last three quarters of 2008 and the first quarter of 2009 as the base period quarters 2. Wages – You must enter wage information for each base quarter. There is no need to enter a dollar sign ($) but a decimal point should be used if you are entering wage information in both dollars and cents. 3. Pay Period – You should enter the pay period that corresponds to the wage information entered. You may select from the following pay periods: o Per hour o Per day o Per Week o Every Two Weeks o Twice a Month o Per Month o Per Quarter o Per Year Remember, the WBA or MBA provided by the Benefits Estimator is an estimate and there may be instances when a claimant files for unemployment and is eligible for a lower WBA than the one quoted by the Benefits Estimator. You should also be aware that the actual WBA or MBA may be lowered for a variety of reasons which may include: ü Claimants used best-guessed estimates of his or her wages ü Last employer has not yet reported wages to TWC ü Wages were earned in another state ü Claimant may have earned military and/or federal wages ü Claimant worked part-time for any part of the base wage period; and/or ü Claimant failed to deduct vacation pay, pension payments, and/or secondary income before entering wage information into the Benefits Estimator And , most importantly this is merely an estimator, it doesn't tell you if you will be eligible, the only person that can make that determination is a TWC call center employee. This will give you an idea of how much money you may receive, making it easier to plan ahead. To access the Estimator, click here: http://www.twc.state.tx.us/ui/uiclaim.html