Roughly half a million Texans will be impacted by changes to unemployment benefits set to take effect Saturday, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.
The final week that the workforce commission will pay federal pandemic unemployment benefits under the American Rescue Plan is the benefit week ending June 26. This change applies to the following programs.
- Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program for those who traditionally do not qualify for regular state benefits such as people who are self-employed and independent contractors or exhausted all other benefits.
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation Program, which extends regular state benefits.
- Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation Program, which provides an additional $300 weekly benefit payment.
There are more than 850,000 jobs available on workintexas.com and mytxcareer.com, according to TWC spokesperson Cisco Gamez.
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“We encourage them [job seekers] to connect with their local workforce solutions office if they haven’t done so already. Those offices, we have 180 throughout Texas, they offer free services. They have access to thousands of job postings, job search, resources, training programs,” Gamez said. “If they are having difficulty, I highly recommend they connect with the workforce solutions office. They have the boots on the ground. Their goal is not only to help connect employers and job seekers, but they want to help open those doors for career opportunities.”
In mid-May, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced the state would opt out of further federal unemployment compensation related to the COVID-19 pandemic this month. According to The Dallas Morning News, a lawsuit has been filed in Travis County alleging that the Texas constitution does not give Abbott the authority to make this decision alone.
Jennifer Reed of White Settlement is among those having a difficult time landing a new job. Reed was let go from her job at a local car dealership in late 2020 and said since then, she has not been able to find any stable work.
“They say that there are employers desperate for people, but why am I not being called back? Why am I being denied? Why am I not being accepted?” Reed asked. “I know there are a lot of people out there who say people just need to go back to work. Stop being lazy. With my case, it has nothing to do with being lazy. I love working. I have tried. I put in the work. I put in application after application.”
Reed, soon to be a mother of three, is approaching her third trimester of pregnancy. Her husband works in construction and she said his job is highly dependent on weather conditions.
“Especially when we had the rain for the entire month, just about, he came home with just $800 on his paycheck and with rent and other bills. That didn’t cut it. Luckily with my unemployment, I was able to pitch in and we were able to get everything taken care of by the skin of our teeth,” she said.
Reed said for them, it’s important to find a job that will adequately support their growing family.
“Me just taking any sort of job that pays $8.50 an hour, as a mom of almost three…we have bills, we have kids. A lot of times, you don’t get full-time hours either,” she said.
Gamez said there are at least 35 upcoming hiring events both in virtual and in-person settings. To find a local workforce solutions office, click here.
