Georgia Officials Agree to Settlement on Payment and Processing of Unemployment Benefits | news

(The Center Square) – Georgia officials have agreed to enter into an agreement to settle a dispute over the payment and processing of unemployment insurance claims after a press release nearly derailed the agreement.

In late June, the Southern Poverty Law Center issued a press release announcing that US District Judge JP Boulee approved the preliminary settlement in a lawsuit against the Georgia Department of Labor. The SPLC and Atlanta-based law firm Bondurant, Mixson and Elmore filed the lawsuit in 2021.

According to the press release, the state Department of Labor agreed to improve its system for processing unemployment claims as part of the settlement. The updates would reduce delays experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

First, Kersha Cartwright, a GDOL spokesperson said Center Square said in June that there was no settlement agreement, but eventually backed down from its initial assessment. After the release of the press release, the state filed a motion to withdraw from the settlement.

The parties have since settled their differences and agreed to proceed with the settlement agreement.

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“This agreement is symbolic of the cooperation of both parties working together to find solutions for Georgians,” State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler said in an announcement.

According to a joint press release released this week, state officials thought the June release “was interpreted by many as a rebuke by the ministry and its staff.” However, the plaintiffs said they “never intended to censure the Labor Department and its staff in their press release.”

Cartwright said the settlement agreement will result in “no additional financial burden” for Georgia taxpayers because it includes “system improvements already underway.”

According to this week’s release, the state and plaintiffs agree that “adequate funding” is needed for the Labor Department to “continue its momentum in improving systems and communications.” They want the state legislature to reinstate the administrative review, which will be phased out and result in a $10 million to $20 million loss for the department.

“The winners of this settlement are the people of Georgia,” Kirsten Anderson, the SPLC’s deputy legal director, said in an announcement.

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