Texas Workforce Commission requires 3 documented work search contacts per week, and enforcement is more aggressive than in most states. TWC conducts random audits of work search logs, and contacts that cannot be verified — vague, incomplete, or for positions that don't match your qualifications — are rejected. A rejected contact counts as a missed contact, which can trigger disqualification for that week.
- Texas requires 3 work search contacts per week, beginning the week after your waiting week.
- Keep a detailed log of every contact: employer name, contact info, position, date, method, and result.
- TWC audits work search records regularly. Contacts must be verifiable and with real employers for real positions.
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 Counts as a Valid Work Search Contact in Texas
Each of your 3 weekly contacts must be with a specific employer for a specific position. Browsing job boards, updating your resume, or attending a career workshop does not count as a contact unless it involves reaching a real employer about a real job. Applying online to a job posting is a valid contact. Sending a resume by email is valid. Calling a company's HR department is valid. Registering with a staffing agency counts as one contact.
What does not count: applying to positions you are clearly unqualified for, submitting to employers who are not actually hiring, or making duplicate contacts with the same employer in the same week. TWC auditors look for patterns of implausible applications and can reject contacts that appear fake or unverifiable.
How to Keep a Work Search Log That Survives Audit
Your log should contain, for each contact:
- The employer's full legal name and physical address or website
- The specific job title you applied for or inquired about
- The date of contact
- The method (online application, email, phone, in-person, staffing agency)
- The contact person's name or department, if known
- Any response received (confirmation email, rejection, callback)
Keep confirmation emails, application receipts, and any correspondence with employers. TWC can request documentation for specific contacts, and digital confirmation emails are the strongest proof. Handwritten logs are acceptable but harder to verify when dates are questioned.
Work Search Exemptions
TWC does waive the work search requirement in some circumstances. Workers on a temporary layoff who have a definite return date within 6 weeks may receive an exemption. Workers in approved TWC training programs are also exempt during training weeks. You must apply for an exemption — it is not automatic. Contact TWC or check UBS for how to request it.
During declared disasters, TWC may temporarily suspend work search requirements. Check the TWC website for any active emergency waivers before assuming one applies to your situation.
If You Are Audited
TWC audit letters typically ask you to provide documentation for specific weeks within 10 to 14 days. Respond promptly and completely. If your documentation shows genuine contacts, audits are resolved quickly in your favor. If you cannot document contacts that you actually made — because you didn't save confirmation emails, for example — you may lose benefits for those weeks. That retroactive loss is difficult to recover from, which is why prospective documentation is more valuable than reconstructed records.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What exactly qualifies as one work search contact in Texas?
- A valid TWC work search contact is any of the following: submitting a job application (online, email, or in person) to a specific employer for a specific position; calling or emailing an employer to ask about job openings; registering with a new staffing agency or employment service; attending a job fair and submitting your resume to at least one employer. Each contact must be with a different employer in the same week, or a returning contact must be for a different position. Networking contacts — reaching out to professional contacts about potential leads at specific companies — can also qualify if documented properly.
- Does applying to jobs on Indeed or LinkedIn count as Texas work search?
- Yes, applying through job boards counts as a valid work search contact — each application to a different employer is one contact. The key requirement is that you apply to a specific employer for a specific position. "Saved" jobs or wishlisted postings do not count. Your log should show the employer's name, the job title, and the date you submitted the application. Save the job posting URL or application confirmation as supporting documentation.
- How far back can TWC audit my Texas work search records?
- TWC can audit work search records for any week that you received benefits. In practice, audits most commonly target recent benefit weeks (the past 3 to 6 months), but there is no hard time limit that prevents TWC from reviewing older records. This is why the TWC recommendation is to keep your work search log and all supporting documentation for at least 12 months after your benefit year ends. A contact you made 9 months ago is much harder to reconstruct than one you documented at the time.
- I was sick one week and couldn't do 3 job contacts. What do I report to TWC?
- Illness does not automatically waive the work search requirement. If you were incapacitated to the point where you were not available for work, you are also not eligible for benefits for that week — availability is a separate requirement. If you were mildly ill but available for work and could have accepted a job, you still need to meet the 3-contact standard. If your illness was severe enough that you were not able to work (hospitalization, for example), report that week as unavailable during certification, forgo the benefit for that week, and do not falsely certify that you completed contacts you did not make.
- I'm in an approved job training program in Texas. Do I still need to do 3 work search contacts?
- If TWC has approved your training program under the Texas Back to Work or similar approved training provisions, work search requirements may be waived for weeks you are in training. This exemption must be pre-approved — you cannot simply attend training and assume you're exempt. Contact TWC before starting a training program and get your exemption in writing through UBS or by letter from TWC. Without prior approval, you are still responsible for 3 contacts per week even while in school.