Relating to judicial review of a Texas Workforce Commission decision in an unemployment compensation proceeding.

Contracts

• Third-Party Administrators (TPAs) & PEOs: Review service agreements with vendors like Equifax, Thomas & Company, or PEOs immediately. Most standard contracts cover administrative hearings but exclude judicial review.
• Legal Hand-off: Confirm your TPA has a defined process to transfer files to outside counsel within the 14-day appeal window, as they likely cannot represent you in District Court.

Hiring/Training

• Mandatory Legal Counsel: Corporate entities generally cannot appear *pro se* (without a lawyer) in District Courts or County Courts at Law. HR Directors can no longer handle these appeals personally. You must retain licensed litigation counsel.
• HR Training: Train HR staff that the "informal" nature of TWC hearings does not apply to appeals. Evidence preservation (chain of custody, signed documents) is now critical for admissibility in District Court.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Evidence Authentication: Ensure all termination notices, warnings, and handbook acknowledgments are signed and dated. In District Court, unauthenticated notes often admissible in TWC hearings will be excluded under the Texas Rules of Evidence.

Fees & Costs

• Litigation Costs: Expect a significant increase in the cost of appealing a claim. District Court filing fees are higher than JP courts, and mandatory attorney fees will likely exceed the value of a single unemployment claim unless the tax rate impact is substantial.