ATLANTA – State Representatives Rhonda Burnough (D-Riverdale), Viola Davis (D-Stone Mountains), Sandra Scott (D-Rex) and Kim Schofield (D-Atlanta) continue to work on behalf of Georgia workers who lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic and encourage these Georgians to return to work. These legislators empathize with Georgia workers who have become accustomed to an increase in income due to the additional $300 federal Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits, and as such, they seek to increase the minimum wage in Georgia.
“We have just celebrated the Fourth of July, and a consistent theme about the holiday was the lack of workers in the service industry,” said Reps. Burnough, Davis, Scott and Schofield. “We would like for everyone to return to work, especially after our educators went back to work at their schools. However, we empathize with workers who received the extra $300 federal assistance along with their UI benefits. These workers were able to see and feel what it is like to be paid $15 an hour. So, we believe these workers should not have to return to jobs that are low-paying and without any health benefits.”
“Once again, the Georgia Department of Labor is not working to assist Georgians who lost their jobs through no fault of their own return to the workforce,” said Rep. Burnough. “They are now placing another layer of requirements without any assistance. If the career offices are designed to help them secure a job and write a resume, then why are they not open?”
Since the start of the pandemic, these legislators advocated for unemployed Georgians to receive their UI benefits. These legislators have also urged the GDOL to improve its technology, which they believe has failed unemployed workers. These legislators also urged the GDOL to improve their communications with claimants to help resolve pending unemployment insurance claims.
“Time and time again the people have asked the GDOL to do their jobs and open up the doors to in-person services,” said Rep. Scott. “The people need the doors open so they can apply for jobs, get help with writing resumes and cover letters. They also need their back pay of unemployment benefits and claims. If state leaders decided to cut the $300 federal supplement claiming people don’t want to go back to work, then what is the state doing to help them go back to work with the GDOL Career Centers still closed?”
Now, these legislators urge the GDOL to improve their technology operations if GDOL Career Centers are not open to the public. These legislators encourage the department to secure avenues for unemployed workers to submit certain information in order to remain eligible for UI benefits, such as proof of job searching, submitting resumes and weekly check-ins with the labor department.
“The Georgia Department of Labor refused to analyze and/or discuss the $50 million that was spent to upgrade the unemployment systems under a new pilot program called the Southeast Consortium Unemployment Insurance Benefits Initiative (SCUBI),” said Rep. Davis. “Why did the new system not work after $50 million dollars was spent over a three to five plus-year span of time? What happened to the more than $2 million in additional funding spent on the issue of fraud and protecting citizens’ identities? Accountability must include GDOL.”
“What is more disconcerting is barriers imposed on the workers, along with the blaming and shaming of workers who have lost their jobs, while the lack of accountability and transparency continues to go unaddressed by the governor and the GDOL,” said Rep. Schofield. “This administration cannot have it both ways. Open the doors and provide people the tools and resources that they need.”
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 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 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 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.
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