Letter to Mark Butler, Commissioner Georgia Department of Labor - Congressman David Scott, Georgia Delegation Press GDOL for Answers on Unemployment Backlog

Letter

Dear Commissioner Butler,

We write today with serious concerns over the Georgia Department of Labor's (GDOL)
ability to adequately address the ongoing backlog of benefits claims precipitated by COVID-19.
There is no question that the pandemic placed an overwhelming amount of pressure on your
agency to deliver the necessary relief to the more than 650,000 Georgians who found themselves
out of a job. While we acknowledge that factors such as initial understaffing and limited
technology may have prevented GDOL from processing claims, there remain questions for how
your agency plans to identify solutions to address the backlog that currently exists.

In accordance with GDOL's recent recommendations, effectively ending the state's
participation in the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC), Pandemic
Unemployment Assistance (PUA), Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC),
and Mixed Earner Unemployment Compensation (MEUC) programs, over 220,000 Georgians
could soon find themselves unemployed and without the benefits they filed for months ago. Even
with a recovering economy, the state has processed about 140,000 new jobless claims every
month since March, exceeding pre-pandemic levels. Recent reports also place the GDOL backlog
of benefits claims at around 80,000 that have yet to be decided.

The mission of the GDOL is first and foremost to help Georgians who have lost their job,
income, financial security, and are desperately trying to provide for their families. As you know,
Georgia does not provide workers with paid leave from work or universal childcare. The state has
a minimum wage of $5.15 per hour -- more than $2 below the federal minimum wage of $7.25 --
and ranks last among all 50 states in increasing wages year after year. In the last year alone, food
banks reported a 60 percent increase in distribution as the need for food skyrocketed. Similarly,
childcare in the state costs $1,324 (18.4%) more per year than in-state tuition for a four-year
public college--making Georgia one of 33 states where childcare is more expensive than college.
A system that penalizes workers by preventing them from accessing federally guaranteed
unemployment benefits will plunge families across our state further into poverty.

The GDOL has a responsibility to do everything in its power to ensure that the citizens of
Georgia receive the assistance they applied for in times of hardship. To that end, we respectfully
request answers to the following questions no later than May 31, 2021.

1. What is the name, phone number, and email address for the individual or individuals
responsible for addressing casework inquiries from elected officials?

2. What is the most recently updated number of unemployment benefits claims currently
on backlog at GDOL, and on average, how many backlogged unemployment benefits
claims are being processed each day?

3. What steps has GDOL and your office taken to address gaps in technology and staffing
since March 2020, and how many new employees have been hired by GDOL to process
the number of unemployment benefits claims on backlog?

4. What do you anticipate will be the number of backlogged unemployment benefits
claims that will not meet an eligibility decision by GDOL on, or after, June 26?

5. What recourse will individuals have to appeal a backlogged GDOL claim that is denied
on, or after, June 26? Particularly for those who may initially be designated by GDOL
as individuals who either quit their job or were terminated for cause, but have yet to
receive a hearing?

6. What is GDOL's plan for implementing long term mitigation tools, to better inform the
citizens of Georgia who have filed valid unemployment benefits claims, of the status of
their claims?

Georgians who lack access to affordable childcare, have lost employer-sponsored health
insurance, and have concerns for the health and safety of their families, are entitled to the
benefits they applied for. They are also entitled to complete transparency and accountability from
their government. We must do more to help our constituents during these uncertain times. Thank
you in advance for your attention to this important matter and we look forward to your response.

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