[Holmes:] President Obama's American Jobs Act includes a work sharing plan called "Bridge to Work" that is inspired by a state-run program in Georgia. Earlier I spoke with Michael Thurmond, Georgia's Labor Commissioner when the program started back in 2003. He said he didn't know the president would speak about the program that he initiated.
[Michael Thurmond, Former Georgia Labor Commissioner:] Well, no, I didn't, not specifically. I had been to Washington on several occasions and talked to members of the administration advocating the Georgia work strategy.
[Holmes:] What were they curious about? Did they come to you and say, we heard about this program, how does it exactly work? Could you tell they were always curious and trying to find a way to implement it nationally?
[Thurmond:] Yes. Momentum picked up. President Clinton began to advocate for it across the country and then Speaker Boehner of the U.S. House endorsed it and Reverend Jackson. What it does is six out of ten people who participate get jobs.
[Holmes:] OK, now you explain it. I'll allow you to do so. You explain to our viewers what it does. I know it's paired down for me here. But still, in essence, the program does what?
[Thurmond:] The person is laid off, construction worker. He decides to go into a new career, new job. How he receives unemployment insurance benefits, goes to a potential employer, look, if you will train me, provide me with the skill set need to do this job for six weeks. I can continue to receive my unemployment benefits no cost to you. After six weeks, you can hire me or give me a certificate of completion. What we found is that 60 percent, six out of ten within 90 days have jobs.
[Holmes:] All right. Now, there are some issues with the program.
[Thurmond:] Yes.
[Holmes:] Not everything works perfectly. So if the president were to call you and say, through trial and error, what did you all do wrong with the wrong with the program that we can correct nationally? What would you tell him didn't work so well?
[Thurmond:] Well, first, when I first started it here in Georgia, my biggest challenge was that the employees said it sounded too good to be true. Others say, it's too simple, such a complex problem with unemployment in America, we need a more complex solution. It was too simple. The big thing is to make sure that all employers follow labor laws and make sure the employees are not being abused. Make sure we follow the laws, keep it simple and empower states to be creative.
[Holmes:] A couple of issues that came up, I didn't really make a dent in Georgia's unemployment rate. Georgia has one of the highest in the country at 10.1 percent now and the program, it started off with a bang. But I understand the numbers have gotten down, as far as the people participating now, down to under 100. So why is that the case, with the unemployment rate and the numbers of participants so low now?
[Thurmond:] As you know, I left the Georgia Department of Labor in January. When I left, we had over 5,000 members participating. The commissioner who took over for me changed the program. It was his decision. That was his prerogative. But while I was there, 32,000 Georgians participated, 23,000 completed the program, 16,500 employers provided training and 6 out of 10 got jobs.
[Holmes:] All right, we're just eight minutes and 40 seconds away from the top of the hour. Good morning, Fredricka.
[Fredricka Whitfield, Cnn Anchor:] Good morning to you. How are you doing?
[Holmes:] I am well, always good to see you. Doing all right this morning?
[Whitfield:] I am doing pretty good. I love seeing Avery and Richard. So you've probably participated in an office pool of a lottery before, right? You put in a dollar or two
[Holmes:] I haven't, actually.
[Whitfield:] You haven't?
[Holmes:] No.
[Whitfield:] You put in a dollar or two or $5. Here's the case of a man who does that over a period of eight years with all his office buddies, then he's out sick one day. They continued to do the lottery. They win $99 million, but he doesn't get any of the winnings.
[Holmes:] On the one day he's out sick?
[Whitfield:] The one day he's out sick. And he says, I want a portion of that and they said, no, you weren't here that day. And he goes, yes, I'm taking you to court.
[Holmes:] How many employees?
[Whitfield:] I'm not sure.
[Holmes:] How much would it break up? They can't come on, let the guy in?
[Whitfield:] He wants in and he's taking them to court. And a judge is actually handling the case and says, OK, no one's going to get any winnings until we resolve this.
[Holmes:] So the money is held up for everybody?
[Whitfield:] That's right.
[Holmes:] So they'd be better off giving him the money
[Whitfield:] Well, that's what he's saying, might as well just give me a piece of it. Anyway, our legal guys are going to tackle that one. We have another lottery case, so lottery ticket, winning ticket goes in the trash. You rifle through the trash, you get the ticket. Do you get all the earnings?
[Holmes:] Of course you do.
[Whitfield:] Well, the store owner says, wait a minute, that was our trash and that winning ticket was in our trash. So we get a piece of it. Once again, the judge has that in escrow until they resolve that.
[Holmes:] Who threw it in the trash?
[Whitfield:] The store owner.
[Holmes:] The store owner did?
[Whitfield:] Yes.
[Holmes:] Threw it in the trash, why?
[Whitfield:] Because they thought it was trash, but apparently the ticket wasn't scratched out all the way, only half way
[Holmes:] Did somebody get it I'm fascinated.
[Whitfield:] Watch it. That's the idea. You have to watch.
[Holmes:] Did somebody get it after it was dumped outside
[Whitfield:] After it was dumped outside so one man's trash, another person's treasure, kind of like that. And then let's talk about buying American. You heard the president earlier this week saying America needs to invent more and buy and manufacture more. How difficult is it to try to buy American? We'll have our financial fix to help you navigate and put your money where your mouth is if you want to buy American.
[Holmes:] Not to say you don't normally, but you've really reeled me in with those two lottery stories.
[Whitfield:] You have to watch. Avery and Richard have some great cases. Those are just two little kernels on the docket.
[Holmes:] Good stuff. Fredricka Whitfield will be with you in five minutes and 45 seconds. You still tweeting @fwhitfield?
[Whitfield:] Yes, I am actually. I haven't done it today.
[Holmes:] Fredricka, that's fantastic.
[Whitfield:] Baby steps for me, but I'm getting there.
[Holmes:] Quick break, folks. We'll be right back.