GA Records All-Time High Unemployment Rate Due To Coronavirus

GEORGIA — Last month, the state of Georgia saw an unemployment rate of nearly 12 percent, the highest one-month recorded increase and also the highest total unemployment on record, the Georgia Department of Labor said. The number of unemployed increased from 342,601 to 581,820. Georgia's April number of unemployed is more than 80,000 higher than the height of the Great Recession.

"This is the highest unemployment rate on record, eclipsing the previous high of 10.6 percent that occurred in December 2010," Commissioner Mark Butler said. "However, the cause of this high unemployment rate differs greatly from that of the previous record, and I have no doubt that we will recover just as quickly and get back to our record lows once again."

About 41 million people have now applied for aid since the virus outbreak intensified in March, though not all of them are still unemployed. The Labor Department's report Thursday includes a count of all the people now receiving unemployment aid: 21 million. That is a rough measure of the number of unemployed Americans.

Jobs in Georgia were down 492,100, or -10.7 percent, over the month of April to 4.1 million, the lowest level since April 2014. The leisure and hospitality sector, which includes the food services and drinking places and accommodation sectors, accounted for 206,700 of the job loss, or 42 percent of the total.

"The surge in initial claims in accommodation and food services, retail trade, health care, manufacturing, and administrative and support services accounted for two-thirds of all initial claims processed," Butler said.

Butler said Thursday that Atlanta’s unemployment rate spiked in April, breaking its previous all-time high of 10.6 percent set in February 2010. In Atlanta, the unemployment rate increased 8.3 percentage points in April, reaching 12.7 percent. A year ago, the rate was 3 percent.

The number of unemployment claims went up by 324 percent in April, which directly correlated with the number of temporary and potentially permanent lay-offs associated with COVID-19. When compared to last April, claims were up by about 8,783 percent.

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Atlanta finished the month with 2.5 million employed residents. That number decreased by 427,982 over the month and is down by 400,626 when compared to the same time a year ago.

In Northwest Georgia, the unemployment rate increased in April to 13.3 percent, an increase of 9 percentage points. A year ago, the rate was 3.1 percent. Northwest Georgia ended April with 356,570 employed residents. The number decreased by 49,872 in April and was down 47,702 as compared to last year.

In Northeast Georgia, the unemployment rate increased in April to 11.6 percent, an increase of 7.3 percentage points. A year ago, the rate was 3 percent. Northeast Georgia ended April with 255,730 employed residents. The number decreased by 38,549 in April and was down 37,728 as compared to last year.

The Georgia Department of Labor announced it has issued over $3.1 billion in combined state and federal unemployment benefits in the past nine weeks. Since the middle of March, the Georgia Department of Labor has processed more than 2 million regular initial unemployment claims, more than the last five years combined, which was 1.7 million. Of these claims, 855,088 were valid as the claimant had earned enough reported wages to receive benefits.

More than 651,000 Georgians, or 86 percent of all those filing for unemployment, have already received their first payment. Of the remaining unpaid claims, many are still in the claims process awaiting eligibility determination. This also includes claims where duplicate claims have been filed, identification has been requested, excessive weekly earnings have been reported, or child support stops have been issued. These claims require additional handling and the Georgia Department of Labor is working to address many of these stops.

Earlier this month, the Georgia Department of Labor issued over $55 million in Pandemic Unemployment Assistance payments to individuals who are self-employed, gig workers, 1099 independent contractors, employees of churches, employees of non-profits, or those with limited work history who do not qualify for state unemployment benefits. More than 133,000 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance applications were processed and were eligible for payment. Over 25,000 applications have been processed, but have still not requested a payment. Applicants must request a payment each week to be issued benefits.

Employ Georgia, the Georgia Department of Labor’s online job listing service at employgeorgia.com showed about 50,212 active job postings in metro Atlanta for April.

How To Apply For Unemployment

The Georgia Department of Labor has temporarily suspended all in-person requirements for services. Residents are asked to conduct GDOL-related business online to protect everyone from potential exposure to COVID-19. Find instructions on the department's website.

Filing an Unemployment Claim Online

You will need your:

• Social Security Number
• Georgia Driver's License, if applicable
• Bank's routing number and your account number (if you want to receive your benefit payments via direct deposit)
• Work history information for the last 18 months

Follow these steps:

1. Select the link labeled Apply for Unemployment Benefits on the GDOL Home page.
2. Answer the questions completely.
3. Download and read the Claimant Handbook. Information in this handbook provides detailed instructions regarding the unemployment insurance program and "Next Steps" to follow after submitting your claim.
4. Record your Confirmation Number. A confirmation email will be sent to the email address provided when completing the claim application. (If you do not receive a confirmation number, the application was not successfully completed. It remains on the system for 24 hours. Log in again and make sure you select FINISH to receive a confirmation number.)

After you file, your next steps are to:

1. Request your weekly benefit payment every week, starting the first Sunday after filing your claim by selecting Claim Weekly UI Benefits Payments on the GDOL Home page or calling the Interactive Voice Response System at 1.866.598.4164
2. Monitor your voicemail and email closely for messages from the GDOL.
3. Respond immediately to all requests for additional information.
4. GDOL will contact you if it is necessary for you to complete an Applicant Status Affidavit (DOL-1054A). You will not have to go to a career center.
   1. Download and complete the affidavit in its entirety.
   2. Mail the affidavit and an enlarged, legible copy of your valid government-issued picture identification to the career center you selected on your claim. Select Find a Career Center or use the address indicated in the email request.

If you have claimed a week of benefits and have not received your written determination of eligibility, Claims Examiner's Determination within 21 days of the filed date, you may call UI Customer Service immediately at 404.232.3001 (in Metro Atlanta) or 1.877.709.8185 (in all other areas).

Related:

• 37% Of GA Workforce Has Filed For Unemployment: Labor Department
• 41 Million Have Lost Jobs To Coronavirus, But Layoffs Slow