Bruce Thompson
Candidate for Commissioner of Labor, Republican
Website: brucethompsonga.com
Occupation(s): Member of the Georgia Senate
The Bruce Thompson campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. Any responses below are taken verbatim from the campaign website.
Image source: brucethompsonga.com
Our health is affected by a variety of factors that are directly influenced by policies made by and supported by the Commissioner of Labor:
Priorities
What priorities or key issues will you address if elected to this office?
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.
Experience
What key experiences would you bring to this role?
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.
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?
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.
Neither campaign 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.
