Latest news with #RiveraHolmes
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
With concerns over economy, state's new Labor Commissioner says the jobs picture is great in GA
A new leader is officially on the job at the Georgia Department of Labor. Commissioner Bárbara Rivera Holmes is the first Latina to hold statewide office in Georgia. Channel 2's Linda Stouffer sat down with Rivera Holmes on Tuesday, where she asked her about people's concerns about the economy. 'What is your sense of the jobs picture right now in Georgia?' Stouffer asked. 'The jobs picture in Georgia looks good,' Rivera Holmes said. 'We have five million jobs in Georgia, which is really significant. We added jobs year over year, month over month, and we're seeing that not just as a healthy statewide picture, but you're seeing in our metros as well.' The Georgia unemployment rate is 3.6%, holding steady from the previous month. That's better than the national average of 4.2%. Gov. Brian Kemp swore in Rivera Holmes on April 4. She told Stouffer that since then, she's been meeting with the state's employers and workers. TRENDING STORIES: Disgruntled customer accused of pointing gun at McDonald's employee Video of fight involving teacher at DeKalb school being used in investigation UPS to cut 20,000 jobs 'You've been listening to a lot of people in those conversations. What are you hearing?' Stouffer asked. 'I'm hearing that Georgians want to know more about how to connect to resources. Folks are wanting to know, what are the hot jobs? What kind of skills do I need?' Rivera Holmes said. 'With the concerns right now about the economy, what's your best advice to someone in Georgia looking for a job or looking for better job?' Stouffer asked Rivera Holmes. 'Certainly, ensure that you are marketable, and look at your resume, is it up to date?' Rivera Holmes said. 'Constantly be looking at what the opportunities are. Ensure that you are connecting and networking. Make sure that you have the credentials that you need for employers to make yourself marketable. And regardless of industries that you're in, there are opportunities within sectors. 'What will you be looking for to see if there's any change?' Stouffer asked Rivera Holmes. 'You know, we're really monitoring the situation, and it's very natural for our businesses and our citizens to have questions about the uncertainty. It is evolving very fast. And what we're advising all of our businesses, and our citizens, is to really look for factual information,' Rivera Holmes said. 'We're still seeing employers invest and create jobs. We're just seeing employers also be mindful about where they're investing, how they're investing.' There have been recent job cuts. Those numbers can take a few months to be reflected in the unemployment system. One thing Rivera Holmes is focused on now is completely updating the state's computer system for the Labor Department, which she said will be a big upgrade to better serve Georgians.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Georgia governor names labor commissioner and vaults first Hispanic woman into statewide office
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday Bárbara Rivera Holmes, the head of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, as the state's next labor commissioner. Rivera Holmes replaces Bruce Thompson, a Republican and former state senator who was elected labor commissioner in 2022. He died in November from pancreatic cancer at age 59, eight months after he announced his diagnosis. Rivera Holmes, 45, is the seventh woman to hold statewide office in Georgia and the first woman of Hispanic descent. John King, the current insurance commissioner originally appointed by Kemp, was the first Hispanic man to hold statewide office. Although elected Republicans at the state level are still overwhelmingly white men, Kemp has made some diverse appointments, recognizing that the GOP needs to broaden its appeal in a state that is now only half white. Kemp made the announcement in a ceremony at the state Capitol in Atlanta, where he lauded Rivera Holmes for her 'unique skill set' in workforce development and education. Holmes was appointed as a member of the board of regents overseeing the University System of Georgia in 2018 by Gov. Nathan Deal. 'She brings an unmatched combination of knowledge and ability to this role that will benefit all those looking for work," said Kemp, a Republican. Georgia's Labor Department administers unemployment insurance and helps people find jobs. 'Throughout my career, I've been committed to creating opportunities and building stronger communities by fostering partnerships and statewide alliances, driving job creation and securing capital investments," Rivera Holmes said. The department has been run since Thompson's death by interim commissioner Louis DeBroux, who was Thompson's chief of staff. Rivera Holmes will serve the remainder of Thompson's four-year term until early 2027, giving her a chance to make herself known as a statewide officeholder. She said she will run for a full term in the office as a Republican in 2026. 'Yes, she'll run; yes, she'll run as a Republican,' Kemp said. Georgia is one of only four states that elects its labor commissioner, with the governor appointing the position in other states. The Labor Department was battered during the pandemic by a huge wave of unemployment claims, raising questions about the management of the department. The department also struggled with a budget that was cut during the Great Recession more than a decade ago, leaving it with fewer employees and a 40-year-old computer system. Thompson announced a plan in 2023 to update that computer system. Rivera Holmes said she planned to evaluate how that changeover was going after she takes office. Rivera Holmes has led the Albany Area Chamber since 2015. She announced her resignation Monday, saying it would take effect on March 28. Kemp said Rivera Holmes would be sworn into her new statewide post on April 4. Kemp said he chose Rivera Holmes because he was looking for someone who works well as part of a team to aid economic development and job growth. He also said it was part of his commitment to aid economic opportunity in areas outside metro Atlanta, citing Rivera Holmes' work in southwest Georgia, one of the state's poorest regions. 'Being situated outside of metro Atlanta is certainly an advantage," Rivera Holmes told reporters. "Life is different outside of the metro area. The challenges are different, and the opportunities are different.'
Associated Press
18-03-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Georgia governor names labor commissioner and vaults first Hispanic woman into statewide office
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Tuesday Bárbara Rivera Holmes, the head of the Albany Area Chamber of Commerce, as the state's next labor commissioner. Rivera Holmes replaces Bruce Thompson, a Republican and former state senator who was elected labor commissioner in 2022. He died in November from pancreatic cancer at age 59, eight months after he announced his diagnosis. Rivera Holmes, 45, is the seventh woman to hold statewide office in Georgia and the first woman of Hispanic descent. John King, the current insurance commissioner originally appointed by Kemp, was the first Hispanic man to hold statewide office. Although elected Republicans at the state level are still overwhelmingly white men, Kemp has made some diverse appointments, recognizing that the GOP needs to broaden its appeal in a state that is now only half white. Kemp made the announcement in a ceremony at the state Capitol in Atlanta, where he lauded Rivera Holmes for her 'unique skill set' in workforce development and education. Holmes was appointed as a member of the board of regents overseeing the University System of Georgia in 2018 by Gov. Nathan Deal. 'She brings an unmatched combination of knowledge and ability to this role that will benefit all those looking for work,' said Kemp, a Republican. Georgia's Labor Department administers unemployment insurance and helps people find jobs. 'Throughout my career, I've been committed to creating opportunities and building stronger communities by fostering partnerships and statewide alliances, driving job creation and securing capital investments,' Rivera Holmes said. The department has been run since Thompson's death by interim commissioner Louis DeBroux, who was Thompson's chief of staff. Rivera Holmes will serve the remainder of Thompson's four-year term until early 2027, giving her a chance to make herself known as a statewide officeholder. She said she will run for a full term in the office as a Republican in 2026. 'Yes, she'll run; yes, she'll run as a Republican,' Kemp said. Georgia is one of only four states that elects its labor commissioner, with the governor appointing the position in other states. The Labor Department was battered during the pandemic by a huge wave of unemployment claims, raising questions about the management of the department. The department also struggled with a budget that was cut during the Great Recession more than a decade ago, leaving it with fewer employees and a 40-year-old computer system. Thompson announced a plan in 2023 to update that computer system. Rivera Holmes said she planned to evaluate how that changeover was going after she takes office. Rivera Holmes has led the Albany Area Chamber since 2015. She announced her resignation Monday, saying it would take effect on March 28. Kemp said Rivera Holmes would be sworn into her new statewide post on April 4. Kemp said he chose Rivera Holmes because he was looking for someone who works well as part of a team to aid economic development and job growth. He also said it was part of his commitment to aid economic opportunity in areas outside metro Atlanta, citing Rivera Holmes' work in southwest Georgia, one of the state's poorest regions. 'Being situated outside of metro Atlanta is certainly an advantage,' Rivera Holmes told reporters. 'Life is different outside of the metro area. The challenges are different, and the opportunities are different.'
