Georgia’s “whistleblower protection” law

In the state of Georgia, “whistleblowers” are protected from retaliation by public employers. If you are employed by the state, or by any local government that receives state funding (including counties and municipalities), the law protects your right to disclose violations of law by officials in your department.

Specifically, the law provides, at O.C.G.A. 45-1-4(d):

(1) No public employer shall make, adopt, or enforce any policy or practice preventing a public employee from disclosing a violation of or noncompliance with a law, rule, or regulation to either a supervisor or a government agency.

(2) No public employer shall retaliate against a public employee for disclosing a violation of or noncompliance with a law, rule, or regulation to either a supervisor or a government agency, unless the disclosure was made with knowledge that the disclosure was false or with reckless disregard for its truth or falsity.

(3) No public employer shall retaliate against a public employee for objecting to, or refusing to participate in, any activity, policy, or practice of the public employer that the public employee has reasonable cause to believe is in violation of or noncompliance with a law, rule, or regulation.

If you have been terminated, demoted, suspended, or otherwise retaliated against by a public employer after disclosing a violation of the law by a public official,  you may be protected by Georgia’s whistleblower law. Under this law, you may be entitled to reinstatement to your job, as well as damages to compensate you for all harm brought upon you by the retaliation.

James and the attorneys of Parks, Chesin & Walbert can help you determine whether you have a claim under Georgia’s whistleblower law. If you think you have suffered retaliation for disclosing a violation of law by a public official, give us a call to set up a consultation. Our number is (404) 873 8000.