Candidates want to boost agency efficiency

Runoff opponents ding Labor Department’s pandemic response.

During a 30-minute debate Monday evening, the two Democratic candidates for Georgia labor commissioner played to the strengths of their contrasting resumés: working mother and entrepreneur versus attorney and state legislator.

But they agreed that the state Department of Labor itself needs work.

William Boddie, a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, faced off with activist and entrepreneur Nicole Horn, each vying for the support of voters in the June 21 primary runoff.

During the event, arranged by the Atlanta Press Club, the two answered questions from journalists Dave Williams and Nicole Carr as well as from each other. While avoiding direct attacks on each other, they pounded away at the performance of the Labor Department during the coronavirus pandemic with somewhat contrasting approaches.

The department, which struggled to handle an avalanche of claims set off by the pandemic, has not caught up, and a task force is needed to examine each of the thousands of outstanding claims, Boddie said.

“The people want accountability from the Department of Labor, they want trust,” he said. “You have to regain that.”

The Southern Poverty Law Center has sued the department, alleging that many Georgians’ claims have been wrongly delayed. Boddie said he would join in that suit against the department he wants to lead.

Horn said the department’s workers need better pay but should also be given slicker, better technology that can more efficiently handle the claims for jobless benefits.

“It’s an Atari system,” she said of the department’s technology. “About 4% of people’s calls to the Department of Labor are answered. That is completely unacceptable.”

The dilemma for working parents drew suggestions from each, with both pledging to expand the historical role of the department.

The lack of adequate and affordable child care has kept thousands of parents out of the labor force, Horn said. “A study showed that $1.7 billion has been left on the table,” she said. “I am going to focus on child care.”

Boddie said he has pushed for hybrid work and advocated parental leave for employees of the state and teachers. “I’d like to expand that to all Georgians,” he said.

Both said they support the idea of making more gig workers eligible for state unemployment benefits.

“We need to look at how we classify gig workers,” Boddie said.

“I would like to make sure Georgia leads the way in providing benefits to gig workers,” Horn said.

The labor commissioner’s position is held by Republican Mark Butler, who said this year he would not seek reelection. Butler was harshly criticized by many of those who hoped to replace him, including fellow Republican Bruce Thompson, a member of the Georgia State Senate who won the Republican primary with about 60% of the vote, far outpacing Mike Coan, whom Butler had endorsed.

In Georgia, candidates need to hit 50% plus one to secure their party’s nomination in the primary. Among the Democrats, Boddie and Horn finished first and second, both with less than one-third of the vote.

While their takes differ, Nicole Horn and state Rep. William Boddie want to immediately improve the Labor Department.