Unemployment Benefits Work Search Guidelines

Work Search Requirements for Unemployment Benefits

To be eligible for unemployment benefits you are required to:

• Register for work search.
  • If you live in Texas, register as a job seeker on WorkInTexas.com.
  • If you live in another state, register at a public workforce office in that state.
• Search for work. We list guidelines for acceptable work search activities below.
• Make at least your minimum number of work search activities each week.
• Keep good, verifiable records of those activities on a work search log.
  • Weekly records must include a list of all your work search activities, the date of each activity, the names and titles of contacts, telephone or fax numbers, addresses (mail, e-mail, or Internet), and the results of each activity.
  • You can use the TWC Work Search Log or your own form to document your work search activities.
• Provide your work search log to TWC upon request. We may request any week’s work search log at any time during your benefit year.

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Work Search Verification

We verify that unemployment benefit claimants conduct their required number of work search activities weekly. If you submit false information, you may lose your benefits and/or be prosecuted. For more information, see Unemployment Insurance Fraud.

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Acceptable Work Search Activities

Acceptable work search activities to meet your unemployment benefits requirements may include, but are not limited to:

• Register as a job seeker on WorkInTexas.com or at a public workforce office in your state of residence.
• Find and follow up on job contacts from WorkInTexas.com.
• Register for work with a private employment agency, or placement facility of a school or college or university, if one is available to you in his or her occupation or profession. This is an acceptable work search activity; however, you still need to register as a job seeker on WorkInTexas.com or at a public workforce office in your state of residence.
• Complete a job application with employers who may reasonably be expected to have openings for suitable work. You may submit the job application in person, online, by fax or in any other manner directed by the employer and appropriate for the type of work you seek.
• Mail a job application and/or résumé as instructed by a public job notice.
• Make in-person visits with employers that may reasonably be expected to have openings for suitable work.
• Interview with potential employers in person, by telephone or in any other manner directed by the employer and appropriate for the type of work you seek.
• Use the reemployment resources available at a Workforce Solutions office that may lead directly to obtaining employment, such as:
  • Obtain and use labor market information
  • Participate in reemployment services designed for job seekers we determine to be at high risk of exhausting unemployment benefits
  • Obtain and follow up on job contacts from Workforce Solutions staff
  • Participate in skills assessments for occupational matching
  • Participate in instructional workshops, such as résumé preparation and enhancement, job-search techniques and interviewing skills
  • Participate in other activities offered at the Workforce Solutions office such as job clubs, job fairs or employment-related workshops that offer instruction in improving your skills for obtaining employment
• Use Career Tools on WorkInTexas.com that offer instruction and assistance in improving your ability to become reemployed, such as:
  • The Job Match Advisor
  • More Job Search Options, such as Gadball.com for résumé distribution to other job boards
  • National Labor Exchange Job Boards: JobCentral and VetCentral
  • U.S. Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop and mySkillsmyFuture for career exploration

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See Also

• Job search
• Ongoing eligibility requirements
• Employment support resources

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