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Georgia Department of Labor lays out strategic plan and an unemployment-system modernization for 2026
Summary
Commissioner Rivera Holmes presented a customer-focused strategic plan for GDOL that emphasizes modernization, workforce pipelines and an unemployment insurance cloud migration targeted for fall 2026 to speed claims and reduce fraud.
Commissioner Rivera Holmes told the General Government Appropriations Committee that the Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) is pursuing a multi‑year strategic plan to modernize services, expand workforce pipelines and strengthen customer-facing operations.
"We're making sure that the Georgia Department of Labor is streamlined, modernized, and efficient at responding to the needs of our workforce and our job creators," Holmes said in her presentation, which she described as "the future of GDOL, a bold transformation." Holmes introduced senior team members who will carry out the plan and said the department employs about 850 people across 34 career centers.
Key elements include performance management with accountability metrics, process automation, data visualization and expanded job-matching infrastructure that partners with the Technical College System of Georgia, WorkSource Georgia and the University System of Georgia. Holmes said GDOL is investing in leadership development and staff training to build a "future-ready" workforce within the agency.
On unemployment insurance, Holmes described what the department called the largest modernization in Georgia's history: a cloud-based claims platform targeted for roll-out in fall 2026. "This new platform... is designed to improve the user experience, to reduce fraud, and to accelerate our claims processing," she said. Holmes framed the upgrade as a response to long-standing call-center delays and technical bottlenecks that affect workers and employers.
Holmes emphasized partnerships with employers, workforce boards and educational institutions to expand hiring pipelines and align training to high-demand career paths. She also said GDOL will streamline operations, cut red tape and improve digital access and plain-language resources for Georgians seeking services.
Committee members expressed support and offered to follow up on bills related to workforce policy; Representative Cameron Reid mentioned House Bill 82 (a proposed Georgia guest-worker framework) and indicated he would follow up with the commissioner. Holmes said she welcomed further conversation.
Holmes closed by framing the plan as a starting point for measurable change: accountability measures, KPIs and a focus on reducing constituent calls through better tools and faster processing. The committee did not vote on any GDOL proposals during the meeting.
Next steps: GDOL will continue implementation planning for the cloud-based unemployment system and collaborate with legislative offices on workforce initiatives.
