14-08 - Requests for Customer Benefits or Wage Data

Purpose

To provide guidance on requests for customer unemployment insurance benefits or wage data.

Background

Workforce Solutions offices may sometimes receive requests for customer unemployment insurance benefits or wage data.  Individuals or entities requesting information may include the customer, employers, the media, private sector entities such as banks and schools, law enforcement, and other government agencies.

Additionally, staff may receive requests from claimants to complete or sign various documents regarding student loan deferments, insurance for a period of unemployment, or inquiries from a creditor. 

In certain cases, staff may receive requests from the Texas Workforce Commission to verify the identity of a customer who has recently applied for unemployment insurance. 

• In all cases with the exception of a request by TWC to verify a unemployment insurance claimant's identity, requests must be submitted in writing by the requestor to the TWC Open Records Departmen

Procedures

Requests from customers and other entities for unemployment insurance related data or wage records

1. Advise a customer or other individual asking for unemployment insurance benefits or wage record data to send a written report to the Texas Workforce Commission in any form that can be read (email, letter, memo, handwritten note) specifying:
   Advise a customer or other requesting party who indicates an immediate need to obtain the data that he or she may fax the request and indicate the matter is urgent.
   • What information is needed
   • Name and contact information of the requestor
   • For unemployment insurance claimants only, the claimant's Social Security Number and a copy of the claimant's photo ID
2. Advise a customer or other requesting party who indicates an immediate need to obtain the data that he or she may fax the request and indicate the matter is urgent.
3. Staff may help a customer send a request to the TWC Open Records Department.
4. Direct all requests for information to:
   
   • Texas Workforce Commision
     Open Records Department
     101 East 15^th Street
     Austin, Texas 78778-0001
     Phone: (512) 463-2422
     Fax: (512) 463-2990
     Open.records@twc.state.tx.us

 Requests from the Texas Workforce Commission to verify a customer's identity for unemployment insurance claimants

1. TWC may ask a customer to visit a Workforce Solutions career office to verify his or her identity before processing an unemployment insurance claim.
2. TWC will ask the customer to show us a Social Security card and either a current Texas driver's license or other valid photo identification.
3. After speaking to the customer and viewing the documentation, staff will call the TWC UI Tele-Center Hotline Number at (956) 984-4764, speak to an agent, and report what we have seen.  Do not release this number to our customers.  This number is strictly for Workforce Solutions staff to use when reporting that we have seen the documents.
4. The customer's identity can only be verified when a TWC Tele-Center agent speaks to a Workforce Solutions staff person.

Action

1. Make sure all staff - including Greeters and Resource Specialists - is aware of these procedures.
2. Implement this issuance immediately.

Questions

Staff should ask questions of their supervisors first.  Direct questions for Board staff through the Issuance Q&A at Contract Management.

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