ATLANTA – House Minority Caucus Chairman James Beverly (D-Macon), State Representatives Rhonda Burnough (D-Riverdale), Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain), Debra Bazemore (D-South Fulton), Sharon Beasley-Teague (D-Red Oak), Donna McLeod (D-Lawrenceville), Sandra Scott (D-Rex), Kim Schofield (D-Atlanta), Valencia Stovall (D-Forest Park) and Mary Robichaux (D-Roswell) today announced their plans to submit a second open records request to the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) for information concerning the backlog of Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims. The legislators filed an initial request on July 21, 2020, and have not received a reply regarding their first request.
“My colleagues and I stand in solidarity until all Unemployment Insurance claims related to COVID-19 are resolved,” said Rep. Davis. “As the Georgia Department of Labor knows, Georgia law requires a response within three business days of the receipt of this open records request and provides sanctions for non-compliance. We look forward to hearing from the GDOL about this critical request.”
In the second open records request, the legislators seek to obtain information regarding processed claims and partial and fully paid claims. They also plan to request information on individuals who are eligible for the weekly $600 federal unemployment benefits in DeKalb, Gwinnett, Cobb, Fulton, Clayton, Henry, Rockdale and Cherokee counties.
In this second request, the legislators will request the total number of processed unemployment claims. Of these processed claims, they also want to identify the following: the total number of claims that are eligible to be paid to citizens, the number of eligible claims that have already been paid and the number of eligible claims that have not been paid. They also plan to include various inquires about how short staffing has impacted the GDOL’s processing procedures, as well as a breakdown of paid claims by racial identifications.
Additionally, the legislators plan to request information that was published in recent press releases from the Georgia Department of Labor, including data published in a GDOL press release on July 16, 2020. The legislators have examined various GDOL press releases, including the one from July 16, and identified an increase in the number of unpaid valid claims from an initial amount of $100,000 to more than $200,000.
If this request is denied in whole or in part, the legislators will ask that the GDOL cite in writing the specific statutory exemption used to deny the request. They will also ask that the GDOL release all separate portions of otherwise exempt material. Furthermore, the legislators will request that the GDOL waive any costs associated with the second request or that the GDOL informs them about such costs.
For more information on the GDOL’s press release from July 16, which includes data about unemployment claims, please click here.
Representative James Beverly represents the citizens of District 143, which includes portions of Bibb County. He was elected to the House of Representatives in 2011 and currently serves as House Minority Caucus Chairman. He also serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation and on the Ethics, Health & Human Services, Retirement, Rules, Small Business Development and Special Rules committees.
Representative Rhonda Burnough represents the citizens of District 77, which includes portions of Clayton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and currently serves on the Economic Development & Tourism, Governmental Affairs, Higher Education and Small Business Development committees.
Representative Debra Bazemore represents the citizens of District 63, which includes portions of Clayton, Fayette and Fulton counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2016 and currently serves on the Human Relations & Aging, Intragovernmental Coordination, Natural Resources & Environment and State Planning & Community Affairs committees.
Representative Sharon Beasley-Teague represents the citizens of District 65, which includes portions of Fulton and Douglas counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 1992 and currently serves on the Game, Fish & Parks, Human Relations & Aging, Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment and Ways & Means committees.
Representative Viola Davis represents the citizens of District 87, which includes portions of DeKalb County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Insurance, Interstate Cooperation and Science and Technology committees.
Representative Donna McLeod represents the citizens of District 105, which includes portions of Gwinnett County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Code Revision, Human Relations & Aging, Interstate Cooperation and Science and Technology committees.
Representative Kim Schofield represents the citizens of District 60, which includes portions of Clayton and Fulton counties. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2017 and currently serves on the Health & Human Services, Interstate Cooperation and Small Business Development committees.
Representative Sandra Scott represents the citizens of District 76, which includes portions of Clayton and Henry counties. She was first elected to the House Representatives in 2010 and currently serves on the Defense & Veterans Affairs, Human Relations & Aging, Legislative & Congressional Reapportionment, Science and Technology and Special Rules committees.
Representative Valencia Stovall represents the citizens of District 74, which includes portions of Clayton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2012 and currently serves on the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and the Economic Development & Tourism, Education, Interstate Cooperation and Small Business Development committees.
Representative Mary Robichaux represents the citizens of District 48, which includes portions of Fulton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and currently serves on the Human Relations & Aging, Small Business Development and Special Rules committees.
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