So you want unemployment in Texas.

First of all, does your previous employer owe you unemployment? Coverity did since they laid me off, which was technically a reorganization. They did not fire me for cause. Rock Systems was a contract that had ended, and did not affect my eligibility at all.

So then, you apply. By 2012, it was all online; I did not have to go to downtown Austin and sit in line and talk to bureaucrats.

You have to document that you are searching for jobs. You have to write down activity related to searching for jobs, document when you apply, and every step of the interview process. You have to have a certain number of activities/week. I did that.

After one week, I got paid the small amount on Tuesday. Believe me, it helped.

The second week, I got two offers and accepted one. I turned in all of my activity.

And Tuesday came and went and there was no payment.

I called them. Turns out, if you turn in Week 3, you get paid for both Weeks 2 and 3 in Week 4. But I was not eligible anymore in Week 3. So I lose. No second payment for me.

Stupid Texas.