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Unemployment delays put bullseye on Labor Commissioner

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The COVID-19 pandemic has been hard on everyone, but it has been especially difficult for out-of-work Georgians. The harshness of the times has been complicated and made more difficult by delays in unemployment benefits that unemployed workers need to help sustain them and their families during these times. Many fault the Department of Labor Commissioner, Mark Butler, saying he has running for reelection on his mind, while the plight of unemployed workers is a not on his radar screen.

When the pandemic shutdown caused a flood of layoffs, the federal government responded with an unprecedented series of measures to support the unemployed. While the state processed nearly 4.9 million claims since March 2020, hundreds of thousands of frustrated applicants have complained that they have been unable to reach the Labor Department on the phone, get their emails answered, or receive their benefits.

The Georgia Department of Labor has disbursed more than $22 billion in unemployment benefits since March 2020. The federal government gave those receiving unemployment benefits an additional $600 a week. That supplement was later reduced to $300 a week in August.

The situation for the unemployed became more complicated after businesses complained to Gov. Brian Kemp about worker shortages and suggested that federal unemployment benefits have kept many potential workers from returning to the workforce, Kemp announced that the federal supplements to Georgians would be eliminated.

The complaints of the unemployed are aligned with those offered by Legislators on both sides of the aisle in their criticisms of this state agency. Many have expressed frustration with the Labor Department since the early days of the pandemic. Lester Jackson, a Democratic state senator from Savannah who has launched a campaign for labor commissioner, said that many Georgians were hurt by the delays in processing unemployment claims during the pandemic. “We need Georgians getting back to work, but we also need Georgians getting access to all of their benefits,” Jackson said.

Butler has not made a formal announcement, but says he plans to run for a fourth term. “My (campaign) plans have not changed,” he said. “But I’m more focused on the work right now.” Many of the unemployed say that Butler is not focused on his responsibility to them. They would give him a failing grade in regards to the job he is doing on their behalf.

In addition to a Democratic opponent, Butler has also drawn a Republican primary opponent. Bruce Thompson, a Republican state senator from White, announced earlier this year that he would be running for labor commissioner, but he declined to call it a challenge of Butler. Thompson said. “I’m not challenging the commissioner. I’m challenging the performance of the agency. Both Georgians and legislators could not get through (to unemployment offices). It’s important that an agency exists to serve the people.”

Butler attributes the frustration of the unemployed to the general public not understanding the unemployment system. However, during the pass legislative session, legislation that would have weakened Butler’s position barely passed. It would have created a new job tasked with prodding the department to speed up processing unemployment benefit requests from jobless Georgians. However, Kemp vetoed the measure, saying it recommended “serious infringements on the separation of powers” guaranteed by the state constitution.

Under the Georgia Constitution, the General Assembly cannot interfere with the powers of either the executive or judicial branch. The labor commissioner is part of the executive branch of government.

Agency offices have been shuttered to the public since the pandemic began but most workers remained on the payroll and worked from home, which should have allowed for more calls and emails, not less, to be answered. While they wait for the support they are entitled to receive, the only recourse for the unemployed may be at the ballot box during the next election cycle.

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