Commissioner of Labor
The commissioner of labor is responsible for implementing the state's labor laws, ensuring economic justice, and empowering worker rights. Specifics include both enforcing and overseeing minimum wage laws, safe-work environments, just pay, claims of employer misconduct, unemployment insurance and rehabilitation programs.
William Boddie
Democrat
Bruce Thompson
Republican, Incumbent
Emily Anderson*
Libertarian
*The Anderson campaign has no website or social media presence.
On the issues
Priorities
What priorities or key issues will you address if elected to this office?
William Boddie, Democrat
The William Boddie campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
The Middle Class and Organized Labor have helped build this state and this country. As your next Georgia Labor Commissioner, I will continue to amplify the voices of working families, fight for livable wages, and I will reopen the doors of the Georgia Department of Labor. I am committed to:
• Reopen our unemployment offices that Republicans shut down after Georgia was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, so people can get the help they need from the Department of Labor
• Provide vocational training and apprenticeship opportunities for our young people, so they can “earn as they learn” and be ready for the jobs of the future
• Stand with our Labor Unions so workers can get livable wage-paying jobs and safe working conditions that they deserve
• Establish a streamlined portal to ensure that all small businesses in Georgia can fill jobs and efficiently connect with Jobseekers and Veterans
Bruce Thompson, Republican
The Bruce Thompson campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
To work with public and private partners in building a workforce system that contributes to Georgia’s economic prosperity. We will accomplish this by creating opportunities and providing services that:
Assist individuals to attain their work goals and increase self-sufficiency through employment, training, and support services.
Assist employers to meet their business needs through employee recruitment and selection services, workforce information, and technical support.
Emily Anderson, Libertarian
The Emily Anderson campaign has not yet responded to our questionnaire. No information was found online related to this question.
Experience
What key experiences would you bring to this role?
William Boddie, Democrat
The William Boddie campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
Current State Representative of GA House District 62, William Boddie is a 2022 Democratic Candidate for Georgia Labor Commissioner. Rep. Boddie was first elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in November 2016. After just one term in office, his Georgia House Democratic Caucus (GHDC) colleagues elected Rep. Boddie to serve as the Minority Whip in November 2018, the second-ranking Democrat in the Georgia House of Representatives. Before being elected to the GHDC leadership, Rep. Boddie was appointed to serve as the Communications Chair of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus (GLBC) in July 2017.
Rep. Boddie currently serves on Budget & Fiscal Affairs Oversight, Judiciary Non-Civil, Small Business Development, and Special Committee on Access to the Civil Justice System committees. Rep. Boddie is a member of the Georgia House Democratic Caucus, the Georgia Working Families Caucus, and the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus.
Bruce Thompson, Republican
The Bruce Thompson campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
Bruce’s public service dates back to 1998, when he was chosen to participate in a small business conference in Washington, DC, hosted by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former RNC chairman Michael Steele. Nationally, 500 candidates were selected and extensively screened for the opportunity to be one of the 50 finalists chosen for the conference. During the conference, a United States Senator moderated the five member tables and facilitated discussion regarding the business climates in members’ respective states, as well as challenges and barriers created by the federal government.
From 2008-2010, Bruce served on the Etowah Scholarship Foundation Board as well as the Good Neighbor Homeless Shelter Board. The following year, he began serving on the Cartersville-Bartow Chamber board and served as their board chair in 2012. He has served on the Advocates for Children advisory board, Truett McConnell University board, chaired First Baptist Cartersville’s personnel committee twice, and served on the Georgia Chamber board. He currently serves as a board director at First National Community Bank, the Southeast SBA advisory council appointee, and a member of the oversight board for the Georgia World Congress Center. Bruce was also elected in 2013 to serve in the Georgia Senate representing District 14 which includes Bartow, Cherokee and Cobb counties.
Senator Thompson immediately rolled up his sleeves and began utilizing his business experience to make Georgia a better place to live and work, authoring several key pieces of legislation that were signed into law by Governor Deal and Governor Kemp.
Over the past 8 years, he has served as the Chairman of Science and Technology, the Chairman of Veterans, Military, and Homeland Security, and currently chairs Economic Development and Tourism.
Additionally, Senator Thompson has chaired several important study committees on cyber security and travels the country speaking at conferences and meeting with experts in this field.
In 2020, Bruce acknowledged the need to assemble a diverse group of professionals to explore opportunities and solutions to the current racially charged environment. He launched the Systemic Racial Inequality Taskforce, comprised of men and women from all spectrums and viewpoints. The collaborative efforts of this taskforce led to the Governor signing Senate Bill 105, to streamline probation sentencing for non-violent offenders in order to help them become productive citizens once their debt to society has been paid.
Emily Anderson, Libertarian
The Emily Anderson campaign has not yet responded to our questionnaire. No information was found online related to this question.
Programs to Help the Unemployed
Do you believe the Department of Labor has a role to help unemployed individuals navigate the job market? If so, what programs do you support?
William Boddie, Democrat
The William Boddie campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
Georgia Workers deserve quality customer service from their Georgia Department of Labor. As Labor Commissioner, Representative Boddie will immediately process all unemployment insurance claims for eligibility and ensure a consistent pay schedule for unemployment benefits.
As Labor Commissioner, Representative Boddie will reopen all Career Centers to the general public, create jobs through a call center dedicated to efficiently handling phone calls across the state while updating the current Georgia Department of Labor website to be user-friendly for Georgia Workers. Representative Boddie will create a division within the Georgia Department of Labor to service U.S. Veterans, Disabled Workers, and our senior citizen workers’ unique needs. All Georgia Workers deserve attention and be treated with dignity to ensure their questions and inquiries quickly.
As Georgia Labor Commissioner, Representative Boddie will be a driving force to help shape 21st century workforce that meets the needs of current needs of all industries and job sectors in Georgia. Representative Boddie believes that merging business training programs, union apprenticeship programs, technical colleges, labor/community organizations, and vocational schools will ensure that Georgia Workers and Students have the opportunity to gain the skills necessary for jobs of the future.
Representative Boddie will create a departmental program that encourages Georgia Employers to recruit and hire Georgia Workers trained to meet these employers’ needs. This recruitment program will collaborate with the Georgia Department of Labor, Georgia Employers, and Georgia Employees giving all parties having a voice at the workforce development table. Increased Education & Workforce Development opportunities are necessary for the continued economic growth of Georgia.
Bruce Thompson, Republican
The Bruce Thompson campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
Department of Labor Resources in Georgia
Employ Georgia: An online resource for employment needs all at no cost to you
Find a Career Center: Find a career center near you. Note: quite a few career centers have closed during Covid and have not reopened yet. This is a top priority for our administration to fix this.
Unemployment Fraud Information: Unemployment Insurance (UI) fraud is a crime that affects everyone. The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) needs your help preventing UI fraud and abuse. Your participation strengthens GDOL efforts to ensure Georgia employers' tax dollars are spent wisely and UI benefits only go to eligible individuals.
Georgia LaborMarket Explorer: Workforce statistics & economic research. Your source for informed decisions in Georgia. From a directory of services to workplace training to a learning center.
Emily Anderson, Libertarian
The Emily Anderson campaign has not yet responded to our questionnaire. No information was found online related to this question.
No campaign for this race responded to our questionnaire, and we could not find responses to all of our questions on the candidates' websites. These are the additional questions we believe any candidate seeking this role should have responses to:
During the pandemic, many Georgians lost jobs and filed for unemployment benefits. What policies, if any, do you support to promote employee retention?
Do you believe the current services offered by the Department of Labor, like training programs, are easily accessible to all Georgians? Do you believe this access is equitable?
What programs or policies do you support, if any, to encourage entrepreneurship?
Do you believe there is inequity and/or discrimination in the workforce in Georgia? If so, what policies do you support to address this?
Note: We welcome any responses from candidates who did not previously answer our questionnaire request.
