Texas Workforce Commission calculates your weekly unemployment benefit by taking your wages from the two highest-earning quarters of your base period, adding them together, and dividing by 25. The result is your weekly benefit amount — with a floor of $69 and a ceiling of $605 per week. You can receive these payments for up to 26 weeks.
- Texas pays between $69 and $605 per week. The formula: (Q1 wages + Q2 wages) ÷ 25.
- The base period covers the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before your filing date.
- TWC issues your weekly benefit amount in the Notice of Determination, usually 2 to 4 weeks after filing.
Always verify exact numbers, deadlines, and forms on the Texas Workforce Commission's official website – this page provides general guidance, not state-specific legal advice.
What People in This Situation Usually Check First
Most people want to know what their weekly amount will be before they finish filing. TWC does not tell you the exact number during the application — it appears in your Notice of Determination. To estimate it yourself: identify your two highest-earning quarters from the past 18 months, add those dollar amounts together, and divide by 25. That is the Texas formula.
Example: If you earned $12,000 in Q1 and $10,500 in Q3, those are your two highest quarters. Combined: $22,500. Divided by 25: $900. But since Texas caps payments at $605 per week, you would receive $605.
A lower-earning example: $5,000 in Q1 and $4,800 in Q3 = $9,800 ÷ 25 = $392/week.
Understanding the Base Period
The base period is the foundation of your benefit calculation. In Texas, it covers the first four completed calendar quarters before the quarter in which you file. Quarters run: January–March, April–June, July–September, October–December.
If you file in June 2025 (Q2 2025), the fifth completed quarter before your filing is Q1 2025 (January–March 2025). That quarter is excluded. Your base period is Q1 2024 through Q4 2024 — the four quarters before it. TWC uses wage records from this window, not what you earned in the weeks immediately before filing.
If you had low earnings in the standard base period because of illness, injury, or a gap in work, ask TWC about the alternate base period. Texas offers an alternate calculation using the most recent four completed quarters. This option helps workers who were unemployed for part of the standard base period.
What Affects the Weekly Amount
Only wages from covered Texas employment count toward your benefit calculation. Work performed in another state, self-employment income, 1099 contractor income, and cash wages not reported to TWC do not count. If you had wages in multiple states during the base period, TWC combines them if you file a combined wage claim.
Part-time earnings during your benefit period reduce but do not eliminate payments. Texas uses an earnings disregard formula: you report all earnings each certification week, and TWC deducts 75% of anything you earn over 25% of your weekly benefit amount. Earning less than 25% of your weekly benefit has no effect on your payment.
How Long Payments Last
Texas offers up to 26 weeks of standard unemployment insurance. The number of weeks you actually receive depends on your base period wages — lower wages in the base period may result in fewer than 26 weeks of eligibility. TWC sets your maximum benefit amount (MBA) when it approves your claim; the MBA is your weekly benefit amount multiplied by the number of payable weeks.
Texas does not currently offer a state extended benefits program beyond 26 weeks. Federal extended programs (like those available during COVID) require a federal declaration and are not permanently in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the Texas unemployment benefit formula and how is it calculated?
- Texas takes the wages from your two highest-earning calendar quarters in the base period, adds them together, and divides by 25. The result is your weekly benefit amount, subject to a minimum of $69 and a maximum of $605. For example, if your best two quarters totaled $18,000, your weekly benefit would be $18,000 ÷ 25 = $720, but it is capped at $605. TWC verifies your wages through employer tax records, not your personal pay stubs.
- How does Texas determine which quarters count as the base period?
- Your base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. If you file between April and June 2025 (Q2 2025), your base period is April 2024 through March 2025 — four quarters. The quarter immediately before your filing quarter (Q1 2025 in this example) is excluded. This means very recent earnings often do not count, which surprises many people who were just laid off.
- What is the maximum I can receive in Texas unemployment benefits total?
- The maximum is $605/week × 26 weeks = $14,638 total. This is your Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA). Most claimants with strong base period wages receive the full 26 weeks at their calculated weekly rate. If your base period wages were low, TWC may calculate fewer than 26 payable weeks. Your MBA is stated in the Notice of Determination.
- Can I work part-time in Texas and still collect unemployment benefits?
- Yes. Texas allows you to earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit amount without any reduction. Earnings above that threshold reduce your benefit by 75 cents for every dollar earned over the 25% floor. For example, if your weekly benefit is $400 and you earn $150 in a week, the first $100 (25% of $400) is disregarded; the remaining $50 reduces your payment by $37.50, so you receive $362.50. You must report all earnings honestly during each biweekly certification through UBS.
- Texas says my base period earnings are wrong. How do I correct them?
- If TWC's wage records do not match your actual earnings, you can request a correction through UBS or by contacting TWC directly at 800-939-6631. Bring W-2 forms, pay stubs, and employer contact information to support your claim. Wage discrepancies can occur when employers fail to accurately report wages to TWC. The correction process can take 2 to 4 weeks; continue certifying while the dispute is resolved, as payments will be adjusted retroactively once corrected.