Frustration over glitches in Georgia Department of Labor online appointment scheduler program

ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Labor's online appointment scheduler pilot program faced a rocky rollout Monday morning.

Many users expressed their frustration after not being able to access the website.

Donna Leal said she tried to get on the website from 8:30 a.m. to about 1 p.m. She said she finally got the website to work, only to learn all the spots were filled up.

"We're drowning and we just need a hand up. To have a human to talk to is just the greatest hope in the world right now. And then all of a sudden, it's just right back where you're at," Leal said.

Leal has been trying to get her unemployment benefits since June and been unable to contact anyone with the Georgia Department of Labor. She was hoping the online appointment system would be her chance to talk to a representative one on one.

"I don't have months to wait anymore. I barely have weeks because that's where I'm at financially," Leal said.

Trine Webb said she ran into a similar issue. She was not able to find any open appointment times.

"It's like you're going back to point A. We're not moving any further than we were before this trial scheduler came into play. I don’t know what else to do because they're not giving us answers. They're not helping us," Webb said.

The department acknowledged the problems many were facing Monday morning. On Twitter, they said "The GDOL launched the Appointment Scheduler pilot this morning. As expected, many appointments have already been scheduled. Due to high volume on the site, you may be experiencing a 500 timeout error causing delays in accessing the portal."

The department also said there are up to 3,000 appointment slots available for this week and the next. More will be available after the first two weeks.

According to the website, people should check back on Mondays between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. to find available appointment times.