Georgia Department of Labor
The Georgia Department of Labor is the state agency designated by the governor to lead the state's implementation of the Workforce Investment Act of1998. It provides a wide range of services to job seekers and employers, administers Georgia's unemployment insurance program, administers vocational rehabilitation services, provides workforce information to the public and private sectors, inspects boilers, pressure vessels. And amusement park and carnival rides, and handles child labor issues.
The Board of Industrial Relations was retained until 1943 to administer the workmen's compensation program. It then was abolished and the Georgia Board of Workmen's Compensation was created.
The state's Division of Rehabilitation Services was merged with the department on July1, 2001, by an act of the state legislature. Prior to the merger, Rehabilitation Services was under the administration of the Georgia Department of Human Resources.
State Labor Commissioner Michael L. Thurmond is the eighth person to hold the office. He took the oath of office on Jan. 11, 1999.
Previous commissioners were Ben Huiet, 1938-67; Sam Caldwell, 1967-84; Joe Tanner, 1984-90; Ray Hollingsworth, 1990-91; Al Scott, 1991-92; David Poythress, 1992-98; and Marti Fullerton, 1998-99.
The Department of Labor is charged with the following areas of responsibility.
They are:
- To assist those who are seeking jobs in their quest for satisfactory and
productive placement and to aid employers in the search for qualified workers.
- To refer workers in need of additional skills into the proper job training
program.
- To administer the state's unemployment insurance program.
- To administer rehabilitation services, including providing physical rehabilitation,
job training and job placement of people with disabilities.
- To gather, maintain and report labor market information.
- To administer laws relating to working conditions, employee safety and child
labor and inspect amuse rides, elevators, escalators, dumbwaiters, manlifts,
moving sidewalks, boilers, pressure vessels, safety glass and high-voltage
lines to assure that the public is protected.
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