Georgia pandemic unemployment claims exceed $1 billion unverified

A state Single Audit Report reveals that more than $1 billion in pandemic-era unemployment claims in Georgia had not been reviewed for eligibility as of June 30, 2025. Auditors noted a lack of sufficient evidence to support the financial activity and balances of the unemployment compensation fund, citing ineffective internal controls over recording and reporting.

The Georgia Department of Labor (GDOL) attributed these ongoing verification struggles to an outdated information technology system developed in 1982. Due to the limitations of this legacy mainframe technology, many tasks—including the validation of pandemic unemployment assistance documentation—must be performed manually by staff, hindering automated corrective controls.