While many states allow employers to file claims on behalf of their employees to speed up the unemployment process, Georgia was the only state that mandated employers file claims on behalf of their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) adopted an emergency rule for partial claims effective March 16, 2020. This rule stated that all Georgia employers must file partial claims online on behalf of their employees for any week during which an employee is out of work due to a partial or total company shutdown caused by COVID-19. A partially employed claimant is an individual who, during a particular week, had earnings of less than their weekly benefit amount, was employed by a regular employer, and worked less than normal and customary hours for such employer due to employer action.
The GDOL required any employer found in violation of this rule to pay the full amount of unemployment benefits paid to the employee. For instructions on how to file partial claims in Georgia, please refer to this article.
Employers that file partial claims assisted their employees receive benefit payments faster, usually within forty-eight hours for any claims filed electronically. Employees with partial claims were not required to report to a GDOL career center, register for employment services, or look for other work.
Please visit the GDOL’s website for any updates about these rules: www.gdol.ga.gov.