Work & Jobs

If you lost your job, file for unemployment the same week at dol.georgia.gov or call 877-709-8185. You are not paid for the weeks before you file.

For help looking for work, Goodwill of North Georgia career centers are free and you can walk in. Staff help with your resume, online applications and practice interviews, and they know who is hiring. See job search help.

For free training, ask a WorkSource office. If you are out of work or earn little, federal money can pay for training in jobs that are hiring, such as truck driving, nursing assistant, welding and computer support. WorkSource Atlanta, 404-546-3000, serves people who live in the city, and each county has its own office. Per Scholas Atlanta and Westside Works also train people at no cost. At Georgia's technical colleges, the HOPE Career Grant pays tuition for many short programs. See job training.

If something is in your way, some places are set up for that. First Step Staffing places people who have been homeless or in prison, often within days. The Center for Employment Opportunities gives paid work right away to people with a record. The Georgia Vocational Rehabilitation Agency, 844-367-4872, helps people with disabilities train and find work. Dress for Success Atlanta gives women interview clothes.

Before you apply, get a state ID and your Social Security card, or start on them now. Almost every employer asks for them when you are hired.

If a boss does not pay you what you earned, report it to the U.S. Department of Labor at 866-487-9243. It is free, and your immigration status does not matter.

Written by ATL Care from the listings in this directory. See something wrong? Tell us.