Receiving Benefit Payments by Debit Card

The TWC unemployment benefits prepaid debit card, the U.S. Bank ReliaCard®, is a convenient way to receive your unemployment benefit payments. You do not need a bank account, and you can use the ReliaCard everywhere Visa® debit cards are accepted.

Your ReliaCard cardholder packet will include important information about fees, how and where to use your ReliaCard®, and how to manage your ReliaCard account. If you need another copy of the cardholder packet, call ReliaCard customer service at 800-657-6343.

For more information on receiving unemployment benefits on a U.S. Bank ReliaCard®, see: U.S. Bank ReliaCard® Frequently Asked Questions

For more information, see: U.S. Bank ReliaCard® Visa Information

The Prepaid Accounts Under the Electronic Fund Transfer Act (Regulation E) and the Truth in Lending Act (Regulation Z) created new consumer protections for prepaid debit cards. Under this "Know Before You Owe" requirement, TWC must provide access to two fee-disclosure documents before you sign up to receive your benefit payments on the TWC debit card. The short fee-disclosure form shows the key fee information for the U.S. Bank debit card account. The long fee-disclosure form provides a comprehensive list of fees and other information.

• The U.S. Bank ReliaCard® Fee Schedule -- long form
• The U.S. Bank ReliaCard® Fee Schedule -- short form

Debit Card Tracking Link

Waiting on your new ReliaCard®? You can track the status of your ReliaCard® using U.S. Bank’s Check My Card Status. Use Card Tracker to:

• Find out if your card is in production
• Find out if it has been mailed
• View the date your card was mailed
• Find out if U.S. Bank has received the enrollment request from TWC.

To use Card Tracker, select the Card Tracker icon on U.S. Bank’s ReliaCard website: www.usbankreliacard.com. On the Check My Card Status page, select “Texas Workforce Commission” from the Select your Program drop-down menu, enter your date of birth and Social Security number in the marked fields, then select submit. Card Tracker is available on U.S. Bank’s website and on the mobile app.

U.S. Bank will also email you when they create your account to let you know they will be mailing your card soon IF your email address is on file with TWC. Make sure to update your contact information with TWC to include your email address if you want U.S. Bank to notify you about your new card.

Activate Your Card & Select a PIN

Before you can use your ReliaCard, you must activate your card and set up a four-digit Personal Identification Number (PIN). You can activate your card online or by phone:

• Go to www.usbankreliacard.com, or
• Call 800-657-6343 (U.S. Bank accepts relay calls)

Be sure to sign your card immediately.

When You Will Receive the Card

If you are eligible, we will issue your first payment approximately four weeks after you apply for benefits. You should receive your ReliaCard in the mail within 10 business days after we send your first payment to U.S. Bank. After the first payment, you should receive payment on your ReliaCard account within two business days after we process your payment requests.

If you qualify for unemployment benefits, you will receive a ReliaCard if:

• You do not sign up for direct deposit or you selected debit card as your payment option, or
• You signed up for payment by direct deposit, but there was a problem verifying your bank account information.

Go to Changing Your Payment Option to change how you receive your benefit payments.

ReliaCard Activation Time Limit & Expiration

You must activate your card within 12 months of your first benefit payment, otherwise your payments will return to TWC. We cannot reissue these benefits.

Your ReliaCard is valid for two years, even if you stop receiving unemployment benefits. The expiration date is on the front of your card. Keep your ReliaCard in case you apply for benefits again before it expires. To avoid being charged a monthly inactivity fee, do not keep a balance on your card for more than 12 months without using it.

If you are receiving benefits when your card expires, U.S. Bank will automatically mail you a new card.

You can use your ReliaCard to make retail purchases anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. You can also get cash back at participating merchants, at Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), or over the counter at any Visa bank or credit union. You do not need to go to a U.S. Bank branch or ATM to get cash.

Purchases & Cash Back

You can use your ReliaCard to:

• Make retail purchases anywhere Visa debit cards are accepted. Look for the Visa logo.
• Get cash back when you use your card for retail purchases at participating merchant locations. The amount of cash back may vary by store. Be sure to ask about cash-back limits before beginning your transaction.

Select “Credit” or “Debit” to make a purchase. Select “Debit” to get cash back with your purchase at participating merchants. You will have to enter your PIN and indicate the amount of cash you want in addition to the cost of the purchase. If you select “Credit,” you will need to provide your signature, and you cannot get cash back.

You cannot use your ReliaCard to:

• Pay for gasoline at the pump. To protect you from overdrafts and pre-authorization holds, you must go inside the service station and pay at the counter before you start pumping gas.

Online Bill Pay

You can use your ReliaCard online to pay any company, utility or person in the United States that accepts Visa. You can provide your 16-digit card number to your biller, or use the online bill pay tool by logging on to www.usbankreliacard.com.

Visa-Member Banks and Credit Unions

You can withdraw cash at any bank or credit union that accepts Visa debit cards.  You must know your balance and ask for a cash withdrawal in the amount you want to withdraw. You will need to provide photo identification. The bank teller should not tell you to use an ATM instead.

Automated Teller Machines (ATM)

To withdraw cash from an ATM:

• Insert or swipe your card and enter your 4-digit PIN
• Select “Withdrawal from Checking”
• Enter the amount to be withdrawn

There is no fee when you withdraw cash from the following ATMs:

Fees may apply to any ATMs that are not in the above networks, so make sure to review the U.S. Bank fee schedule.

Transferring Balances to Your Bank Account

You can electronically transfer funds directly from your ReliaCard to your personal bank account by using the ReliaCard web site at www.usbankreliacard.com. See the U.S. Bank fee schedule for all applicable fees and transaction limitations.

If you want TWC to deposit your benefits directly into your personal checking or savings account at no charge, log on to Unemployment Benefits Services and select Payment Option. For information about direct deposit, go to Receiving benefit payments by direct deposit.

Some merchants hold a preset amount of money in your card account until the final transaction clears your account. Most restaurants, salons, and other services where you typically tip may temporarily add approximately 20 percent to your bill to cover the tip. Make sure your balance can cover the 20 percent or your transaction will be declined.

If the hold amount is greater than your account balance, U.S. Bank will deny the transaction even though you may have enough money to pay the purchase price.

Pay at the Pump

You cannot use your ReliaCard to pay for gasoline at the pump. To protect you from pre-authorization holds and overdrafts, you must go inside the service station and prepay at the counter.

ReliaCard Online Services

On the ReliaCard web site, www.usbankreliacard.com, you can:

• Change your PIN
• Check your account balance
• View all your card transactions, such as purchases, ATM withdrawals, and account transfers
• View monthly statements showing all your transactions for the month
• Set up alerts to notify you of deposits or a low account balance
• Pay bills

ReliaCard Cardholder Services Line

Contact ReliaCard’s 24-hour cardholder services at 800-657-6343 to: 

• Activate your card
• Choose/change your PIN
• Check your account balance
• Sign up for text alerts
• Hear your recent transaction history
• Report a lost or stolen card and order a replacement
• Speak to a live customer service representative if you need more help

If you have any questions about your ReliaCard or your account, you must logon to www.usbankreliacard.com or call ReliaCard cardholder services at 800-657-6343. U.S. Bank branches, or your personal bank, cannot help you with your ReliaCard account.

Informational Videos Available

You can receive a link via text to informational videos on the ReliaCard Cardholder Services Line at 800-657-6343 under the expanded account lookup or card activation menu. Once you receive and click on the link, you can view videos on:

• Tip 1: Finding a surcharge-free ATM
• Tip 2: View account information 24/7
• Tip 3: Fast and easy access to funds
• Tip 4: Using your card for purchases and transactions
• Tip 5: Withdraw cash
• Tip 6: Bill payment function
• Tip 7: Your card is reloadable 

Check Your Transaction Disputes Status

Track the status of your transaction disputes on the ReliaCard Cardholder Services Line at 800-657-6343. If you have filed a transaction dispute within the past 120 days, the phone services line will offer you the option of receiving an update on your dispute. Depending on the status, you will hear one of the following messages:

• Open – We received your claim and are starting our investigation. Please submit your dispute form back to us if you have not already provided.
• Pending – We are in the process of investigating your dispute pending more information or documentation.
• Closed – We have completed our investigation and your case is resolved. 

Note: If you have submitted multiple transactions disputes within the past 120 days, you will be transferred to an agent when you select the update option.

Lost, Stolen or Damaged Card

To request a replacement card, call ReliaCard customer service at 800-657-6343. If your card is lost or stolen, be sure to call immediately to prevent unauthorized charges. Your new card should arrive within 10 business days. You may request an expedited card, which should arrive within 2-3 business days. The cost to expedite card delivery is $12.50. Normal card replacement is free.

U.S. Bank Web Site Issues

For help with U.S. Bank web site issues, call ReliaCard customer service at 800-657-6343.

Protect Your Card Information

U.S Bank will not ask for sensitive account information such as your PIN, password, or account number via e-mail, phone, or text message. Beware of e-mail scams that try to steal your personal banking information by claiming there are problems with your unemployment payment, with your debit card, or with your account.

If you receive a phone call, e-mail or text asking for any such information, forward the note to fraud_help@usbank.com and then delete the message. If you believe you may have accidentally shared your information, or if you have questions about your debit card, call U.S. Bank ReliaCard customer service at 800-657-6343.

For more information regarding schemes that target debit card users, or to learn how to recognize common scams and what you can do to avoid them, visit:

• OnGuard Online
• Texas Attorney General’s Scam Warning website
• Spam
• Avoiding Online Scams

Do Not Return Your Card to TWC or U.S. Bank

TWC cannot use or access your ReliaCard account for any reason. Do not give your card to Workforce Solutions or TWC staff, and do not return your card to U.S. Bank for any reason. If you want to use the funds on your card to repay an overpayment, you must withdraw cash from your card account and send a check or money order to TWC.

Even if you are no longer receiving benefits and/or have no balance on your card, your card is still considered valid until the expiration date listed on the front, so keep your card. If you re-qualify for unemployment benefits before the card expiration date, U.S. Bank will reactivate your card. Do not destroy your card until after the expiration date. Do not send your card to TWC or U.S. Bank for any reason.