The COVID-19 outbreak has directly impacted many industries and their employees, with layoffs happening at record levels. If you've been laid off — or your hours and pay were reduced because of the coronavirus — you have the option to file for unemployment benefits in Georgia.
Published March 2020. This reflects emergency Georgia Department of Labor measures at the start of the pandemic. Unemployment rules and programs have changed substantially since — check the Georgia Department of Labor for current requirements, or call us.
This applies all over Georgia, including the major metro counties of Fulton, Cobb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Douglas, DeKalb, Cherokee, and Forsyth. The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) created a section on its website (dol.georgia.gov) covering how to file, and the mandatory filings employers must make for partial claims and reemployment services.
In-person requirements suspended. Because of the coronavirus and the need for social distancing recommended by the CDC, the GDOL temporarily suspended in-person requirements and moved its unemployment services online.
What the GDOL Website Covers
- How to file an unemployment claimExplains how individuals file for an unemployment claim due to the coronavirus, using the GDOL online system.
- How employers file partial claimsEmployers must file partial claims on behalf of employees whenever there's no work available, or it becomes necessary to temporarily reduce hours due to COVID-19. An employer that violates this rule must reimburse the GDOL for the full amount of benefits paid to the employee.
- Contacts for reemploymentThe GDOL's Labor Exchange Reemployment services, with phone numbers and email addresses for each.
A note for injured workers. Many people with workers' compensation claims have been working light duty — and with the outbreak, these injured workers are being laid off in record numbers. If that's happened to you, we can help you understand your rights and whether you qualify to file an unemployment claim.