ATLANTA — Amid a state labor department plagued with challenges, voting is now underway to chose a new commissioner to oversee the agency.

Current Labor Commissioner Mark Butler, a Republican who was elected to the position in 2010, decided not to seek reelection during a time in which the Georgia Department of Labor was embroiled in a lawsuit over backlog and delays in unemployment claims throughout the pandemic.

Under the settlement approved late June, the GDOL — which administers unemployment insurance, employment service and training programs, and provides labor reports and workforce information — agreed to enhance and improve communication systems, including the implementation of artificial intelligence to streamline the call process.

During an Oct. 18 debate hosted by the Atlanta Press Club, candidates offered their goals for improving the GDOL if elected to the seat.

William Boddie, a Democrat state representative, said he plans to increase staffing and advocate for more money to staff a call center.

Boddie frequently leaned in on the leadership of a former three-term Democrat labor commissioner, Michael Thurmond, who notably reshaped the labor department’s customer service and efficiency. 

“As a state legislator, I took those phone calls from constituents across the state of Georgia that couldn’t get anyone on the phone with the Georgia Department of Labor,” Boddie said. “And so what I’m going to do is make sure that we are being proactive and taking care of the problems that lie by making sure that the department of labor is fully staffed. Right now this department of labor has only 1,100 employees. I will go back to 4,000 employees like it was before when Michael Thurmond was labor commissioner.”

Boddie said he also wants to increase the number of career centers to include at least one career center in counties with more than 25,000 residents.

Bruce Thompson, a Republican state senator, said modernized technology would help the department run more efficiently.

“When you bring technology in, you don’t need to balloon this staff,” Thompson said. “The whole purpose of bringing in technology is to become more efficient, more effective, and every business person out there that hears this knows that’s how you become more effective and bring money to the bottom line.”’

With economists predicting a recession in the U.S. within the next 12 months, the labor department will likely be swarmed with unemployment claims. Thompson discussed his plans to prepare, if he’s elected.

“We’re going to make sure that when people call in or reach out to the agency and they contact us that they do get someone and that we’re very quick to respond to get their needs met,” Thompson said. “In addition to that, we’re going to make sure we have follow up for them.”

Libertarian candidate Emily Anderson also expressed frustration with personally dealing with lack of responsiveness in the labor department.

“It’s really just trying to get someone on that phone especially when you aren’t able to go through and do what you need to do on the website, which you should be able to do,” she said. “As far as getting that personnel, there is no reason we shouldn’t be able to hire anyone, whether they answer phones at their house or come into one of the career training centers.”

In closing during the debate, Boddie said if elected, he plans to work toward livable wages and equal pay for women. Thompson said one of his priorities is creating a fellowship program for young workers in the agency that can be mentored toward mastering soft and hard skills. 

The general election is Nov. 8.  Early voting started Oct. 17.