The weekly work search rule in Texas
1 to 5 work search activities each week, set by county. TWC mails you a letter with your number. Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Travis and most other counties require 5.
Keep a work search log every week. Send it to TWC only when TWC asks for it, by mail, fax or the UI Submission Portal.
File and certify on the Texas Workforce Commission site. The rules can change, so check TWC's work search page if a letter from them says something different.
| Texas rule | |
|---|---|
| Each week | 1 to 5 work search activities each week, set by county. TWC mails you a letter with your number. Harris, Dallas, Tarrant, Bexar, Travis and most other counties require 5. |
| How you report it | Keep a work search log every week. Send it to TWC only when TWC asks for it, by mail, fax or the UI Submission Portal. |
| Enter each activity online | No, you keep your own record |
| Keep records | Keep all your work search logs for your entire benefit year, or for as long as you receive benefits, whichever is longer. |
| Agency | Texas Workforce Commission |
Source: Texas Workforce Commission (www.twc.texas.gov), checked 2026-10-20.
What counts as a work search activity in Texas
Texas Workforce Commission lists these:
- Registering on WorkInTexas.com
- Searching for jobs on WorkInTexas.com
- Following up on job contacts from WorkInTexas.com or Workforce Solutions staff
- Registering with a private employment agency or a school placement service
- Visiting, applying to or interviewing with employers who may have openings
- Mailing a job application or resume as a public job notice instructs
- Creating a reemployment plan
- Creating or uploading a resume to online job boards
- Job clubs, job fairs and employment-related workshops
- Reemployment services at a Workforce Solutions office
- Searching for jobs on the U.S. National Labor Exchange website
Who does not have to search for work in Texas
TWC must approve the exemption in writing. You may qualify if you are on a temporary layoff with a definite return-to-work date, an active union member with a non-discriminatory hiring hall, in TWC-approved training that includes a work search exemption, in Trade Act training, or in a Shared-Work program.
Keep your work search log free
Write down each activity the day you do it: the date, the employer, how you contacted them, the job, and what happened. If the state asks to see your search, the log is your proof.
The free work search log in Capstone Careers keeps it for you: each application you send through Capstone Careers goes on it by itself, you add the ones you do elsewhere, and you can save the week as a PDF.
Need more applications to reach your number? See openings near you and get a resume written for each one.
Training while you are on unemployment in Texas
If you want to train for a new job, WIOA can pay for approved training if you qualify. See how WIOA works in Texas.
Approved training is on TWC's list of exemptions above, so ask TWC before you start.