Here's a little tidbit for those of you that may eventually have to request unemployment from the state of Texas. The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has some odd ideas on how they go about giving out unemployment payments and it's causing me not a little bit of consternation. Instead of just sending me a check when I request it, or direct depositing into my existing bank account, they have seen fit to provide me with a Chase debit card and they just deposit the payments I request into that account.
Now not only do I have yet another card and account to manage, the main problem is that the card doesn't actually have an account or routing number associated with it, so I can't electronically transfer the funds from the TWC account into my bank account. My apartment complex still requires me to pay by check (a bit anachronistic in this day and age if you ask me, and I can't figure out why it's such a big production to get electronic payment going but I guess that's a rant for another day and time) and so I have to pay from my bank account. Since that's the biggest monthly expense that I have, my unemployment primarily goes to that - but I can't pay my rent with the TWC card. Thus, in order to use the unemployment money, I'm going to have to go to the one ATM in my area (at a Target, of all places) that doesn't charge me a fee, withdraw the daily limit, and manually deposit it into my bank account - and then repeat each day until the TWC balance is cleared out. What a gigantic pain in my backside.
They're already requiring me to work for my money - I have to do three job search activities per week (applying for jobs, creating profiles on job search sites, going to seminars, etc.) and they're making me go to some silly 3-hour orientation tomorrow, so you'd think that they'd have options on how to receive payment to make things as smooth as possible. I can't think that I'm the only one in the city that will not only use my unemployment to pay rent but also still has to pay by check.
Good going on making that nearly impossible to do easily, TWC. Thanks a bunch. 'ppreciate ya.
