Unemployment Claims are Ignored
For over a year, we saw the hurt and pain that our constituents endured due to Commissioner Mark Butler’s derelict of duty at the Georgia Department of Labor.
My colleagues and I stepped up to support our constituents.
The Commissioner’s failure to pay Unemployment Benefits in a timely manner to those who lost their job, due to no fault of their own, caused many the inability to pay their utilities or buy food, medicine, and basic necessities.
We heard the pain and emotions of our constituents who became homeless because of his incompetence.
What is being done about it?
SB 156 appoints a Chief Labor Officer who will provide oversight and accurately report UI data to address unpaid, unprocessed and appealed claims. This is much needed data we’ve been requesting for over a year. In addition, SB 156 allows legislators access and updates of UI claims to be able to address the questions from our constituents.
We are grateful to the Georgia House & Senate Members, Labor Advocates and Activists who worked hard and never gave up getting this bill passed through the Georgia General Assembly.
This is the first of many initiatives to get us moving in the right direction of assisting people who lost their job through no fault of their own.