Georgia to help troubleshoot jobless claims after complaints

ATLANTA, Georgia  (AP) – After months of complaints from people who have struggled to file unemployment claims, Georgia officials announced Thursday that they would begin scheduling troubleshooting appointments online.

The Georgia Department of Labor said Thursday that it would launch the program on Monday. It will offer 3,000 appointments in the two-week pilot period.

New time slots will become available on the department’s website each Monday. Someone having trouble filing or receiving benefits will be assigned a two-hour window during which a Labor Department employee will call and answer questions.

With a crush of claims sparked by the pandemic beginning in March, people have complained that phone lines are always busy and emails go unanswered.