Georgia Department of Labor - Press Release 
Georgia Department of 
Labor 
Suite 642  148 International Boulevard N.E. 
Atlanta, Georgia 30303-1751 (404)656-3032 
 
April 7, 2000 
 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
 
LABOR DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES AUTOMATED TELEPHONE JOBLINE TO ASSIST JOB SEEKERS 
 
ATLANTA -- State Labor Commissioner Michael Thurmond said today that the Georgia Department of Labor, in conjunction with the National Federation of the Blind and the Georgia Division of Rehabilitation Services, has launched a new automated service that will enable visually impaired people and other job seekers to access information about job opening via telephone. 
 
"People with disabilities are an important source of labor that can help alleviate the shortage of skilled labor currently facing Georgia employers," said Thurmond. "People with disabilities have proven over and over to be excellent, productive employees with good work ethics when given the chance to work, and JobLine can help open doors of opportunity for them." 
 
The program offers toll-free telephone service that enables people to access jobs listed with the Georgia Department of Labor at www.dol.state.ga.us and America's Job Bank, the federal government's job database, at www.ajb.org. JobLine provides an alternative to the use of a computer and the Internet. It is designed to provide audible access rather than visual access for people with low vision or those who are blind. It also provides convenient and easy-to-use access to people who do not have a computer or cannot use standard computers. 
 
JobLine is available 24-hours a day and provides job announcements using synthetic speech. Callers can create and store personal job profiles and have the option of retrieving only the new and relevant job listings fitting their search criteria. Callers will be able to access special "hot topics" channels that will provide customized job training and employment information and other types of notices. Also, users can customize their profile by selecting any of the nine different voice patterns and speaking rates. 
 
file:///E|/pressrel%20from%201-98%20to%20present/a00455.htm (1 of 2)10/27/2004 12:54:54 PM 
 
 Georgia Department of Labor - Press Release 
 
The telephone number for JobLine in Metro Atlanta is (404) 463-0626, or toll free at 1 (888) 9680563 outside metro Atlanta. 
 
The JobLine system will allow the labor department to expand its use of technology as a way to improve services to a wider range of clients. The labor department also has JobTV, which has a specialized local listing of job openings via television. 
 
NEWS MEDIA NEEDING MORE INFORMATION MAY CALL (404) 656-3032. 
 
E-mail: communications@dol.state.ga.us. 
 
FY-00-455 
 
An Equal Opportunity Employer 
 
file:///E|/pressrel%20from%201-98%20to%20present/a00455.htm (2 of 2)10/27/2004 12:54:54 PM