Job search requirement returning in November for unemployed Texans

Out of work Texans who have been given a pandemic pass will soon have to prove they are looking for work.

DALLAS - Out of work Texans who have been given a pandemic pass will soon have to prove they are looking for work.

The requirement by the Texas Workforce Commission was suspended when the pandemic began.

There was talk about bringing it back over the summer, but then Texas saw a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in July.

Now, the TWC said the work search requirement is returning on Nov. 1 with the documentation due when applying for benefits on or after Nov. 15.

Since mid-March, the TWC has processed more than 5.4 million unemployment claims, which is roughly 8 years of claims in just seven months.

“When COVID-19 hit and we had the lockdowns, it was impossible for people to search for work because businesses were not hiring,” said TWC Deputy Communications Director James Bernsen. “Because the number of businesses opening up has increased, that no longer applies. And so there are a lot of businesses that can open up and can bring people on.”

Those requesting unemployment payments from TWC will need to start keeping a log of at least three work-search related activities each week in order to continue receiving benefits. A number of activities qualify as actively looking for work.

“You can do things like participate in a recognized TWC training program, and that can count as work search activity,” Bernsen said. “You can send resumes. You can go to a job fair.”

TWC also recommends looking at jobs at workintexas.com, where there are currently more than 650,000 job openings. On the site, Texans can also enroll in free classes to improve their work skills or find a nearby job fair, whether it’s virtual or drive-thru.

Though there may be signs the Texas economy seems to be bouncing back, SMU economics professor Mike Davis cautions it isn't anywhere near full recovery yet.

“It is a sign Texas is recovering. I hate to use the word ‘good’ in any sense involving the current economic circumstances because it’s still really bad,” he said. “We’ve got to remember it’s not like back at the beginning of this year where there was a 3.5% unemployment rate and pretty much any competent person who wanted to work could find a job.”

Though the unemployment rate is slowly coming down, Davis says it’s still an uncertain situation.

“Certainly compared to where we were in April and May, we’re very much better than we were back then,” he said. “We were looking at 13-14% unemployment rates. And now, we’re down below seven. With that said, it’s still not a good employment situation.”

TWC officials say people may be asked to provide further proof or documentation of work search activities, so it’s always a good idea to document every activity.