ATLANTA – State Representatives Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountain), Sandra Scott (D-Rex), Kim Schofield (D-Atlanta), Donna McLeod (D-Lawrenceville), Rhonda Burnough (D-Riverdale) recently co-sponsored legislation to increase accountability within the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) and call for the resignation of GDOL Commissioner Mark Butler. These legislators also support a recently filed writ of mandamus which seeks to instate a State Advisory Council to improve the department’s operations.
“With three pieces of legislation and a writ of mandamus, we are using every avenue to improve service at GDOL, eliminate the backlog of Unemployment Insurance claims and ensure valid claims are processed and paid in a timely manner,” said Rep. Davis. “Members of the Georgia House have endured a constant trail of complaints from angry constituents dating over a year of calls and emails that borders on negligence. The claimants have complained of lack of timely processing and payments of unemployment claims and demand action.”
Rep. Scott recently filed House Resolution 430. If this resolution is adopted by the House, the House would officially urge the governor to remove GDOL Commissioner Mark Butler from office. Rep. Scott’s legislation claims that the department violated federal rules and regulations to pay valid Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims in a timely manner under Commissioner Butler’s leadership.
“After an entire year, Georgia citizens who lost their jobs through no fault of their own are still waiting for their unemployment benefits,” said Rep. Scott. “People have lost their homes and cars. Residents have even had their lights and water turned off because they have not received their unemployment benefits.”
Additionally, Rep. Schofield recently filed House Bill 808 in an effort to create the Georgia Task Force on Unemployment Modernization and Reform, which would review the department’s processing of UI claims. This bill would also require the GDOL to appoint a State Advisory Council by September 1, 2021.
“It is time out for a lack of transparency and no accountability,” said Rep. Schofield. “We know the debacle caused by the Georgia Department of Labor has had grave financial impacts on the Georgia economy and has hurt Georgians across the state.”
These legislators have also expressed their support of Senate Bill 156, legislation which would create a chief labor officer position within the GDOL. The chief labor officer would serve until 2023 and assist providing the GDOL’s financial reports to the Georgia Department of Audits. The chief labor officer would also have standing to file a mandamus action. SB 156 recently passed out of the House Industry and Labor Committee.
“Commission Butler is negligent because at the very least, he should have spoken up about what he needed for the Georgia Department of Labor,” said Rep. McLeod. “If he did not know what he needed, then he should not be the head of the GDOL.”
“We continue to add items to our GDOL solution tool box in hopes that all of the unemployment issues will be resolved,” said Rep. Burnough.
Further, a writ of mandamus was recently filed to request that the courts compel the GDOL to appoint a State Advisory Council to address reported problems within the department.
“Members of this legislature had the foresight to call for a State Advisory Council,” said State Representative Shea Roberts (D-Atlanta). “If its members can bring a fresh perspective and help address some of the problems within the Georgia Department of Labor, then we have to ask the judge to mandate Commissioner Butler follow the law.”
For more information on HR 430, which calls for the resignation of the GDOL commissioner, please click here.
For more information on HB 808, which would establish a task force regarding UI benefits, please click here.
For more information on SB 156, which would create a chief labor officer for the GDOL, please click here.
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 Natural Resources & Environment, Insurance, Interstate Cooperation and Science and Technology 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 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, Information and Audits and Small Business Development committees.
Representative Shea Roberts represents the citizens of District 52, which includes portion of Fulton County. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2020 and currently serves on the Governmental Affairs, State Planning & Community Affairs and Science and Technology 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 Special Committee on Election Integrity and the Economic Development & Tourism, Governmental Affairs, Higher Education and Small Business Development 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.
###