Georgia's Department of Labor is tightening some unemployment rules.

Every summer, these contracted educational employees, who do not work directly for a school district, were allowed to collect unemployment once the school year ended until is started back up again. Not anymore. The changes went into effect Feb. 1, 2012 The unemployment law in question has been in effect since 1988, but did not cover contract workers. The Department of labor failed to contact the contracting companies or properly notify those people who are impacted most by this decision. We are going to have no income coming in. It doesn't help if you don't receive it. We have to receive it because there is not enough work out here for everyone. We don't have that kind of income put aside for the summer to get us through.
According to Brenda Brown with the Department of Labor, notices about public hearings on the unemployment benefits revision were posted on the Department of Labor website. Brown says the D.O.L. does not have to notify individual companies and employees. She says feedback was requested and presented at a public hearing in Atlanta in December of 2011. So many people will not have a income fo eleven weeks or more if they can't find summer jobs. Most of us just found out about the rule change at the end of April. Please sign this petition to help these hard working people who dedicate there lives to serve your children!!