Mr. Johnson worked as a customer service representative
 for a major insurance company for almost nine years.   His
 employer placed him on a performance improvement plan
 recently for not meeting a quality assurance rating scale for
 customer service calls.   Mr. Johnson tried to improve his
 performance.   He reviewed the report from the quality
 assurance staff, and he requested and received extra
 training from his supervisor.   A few months later,
Mr. Johnson was provided with a written warning, and thereafter was fired from his
job for unsatisfactory job performance.  

           Mr. Johnson applied for unemployment benefits, but the Georgia Department of Labor denied his application.   Mr. Johnson requested an appeal and contacted Georgia Legal Services for legal assistance.

           Georgia Legal Services represented Mr. Johnson at his appeal hearing.
The hearing officer found that Mr. Johnson understood what was expected of him
and attempted to perform his job as instructed.   He did not intentionally fail to meet
quality and standards that were expected of him.   Mr. Johnson was found to be "not
at fault" in his discharge, and therefore, he could not be disqualified from receiving
unemployment benefits under Georgia law and Department of Labor rules.
Mr. Johnson was awarded more than $8,000 in back unemployment benefits.

           "The problems in our economy have created an economic disaster for low-
income Georgians, who have the fewest resources to weather the storm.   We have
seen unemployment rates higher than they have been in decades.   Helping clients
achieve economic security for the short-term, to enable them to sustain or regain
hope for future opportunities, is a high priority.   If our legal work is not helping
clients move toward hope and opportunity, we are not doing our jobs."
                                                                     - Phyllis J. Holmen, Executive Director

          Read more about the Georgia Legal Services Program in the 2007 Annual Report by clicking here.