AUSTIN (KXAN) — After processing more than 700,000 unemployment claims in the last two weeks, the Texas Workforce Commission decided to extend its call center hours.

For the past month, hundreds of thousands of laid off Texans have fought to get through to the TWC’s limited phone lines to file unemployment claims.

The commission has an online portal to file unemployment claims, but dozens of KXAN viewers told us they’re forced to call the TWC to finish those applications.

The problems with the web-based application system have forced people to call clogged phone lines. Some haven’t gotten through in nearly a month.

Starting Friday, the TWC’s six call centers will begin answering calls from 7 a.m. through 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The number to call is 1-800-939-6631.

Starting April 19, the TWC’s call centers will move to a 7-day operation to help the agency handle the hundreds of thousands of calls coming in from Texans trying to file unemployment claims.

On March 26, the TWC received 1.7 million calls, according to executive director Ed Serna.