§ 34-76. Employee complaint procedure.

(a)

As used in this section, the term:

(1)

"County employee" means classified and unclassified employees of Fulton County, and individuals who perform services for Fulton County on a contract or fee basis, but does not include elected officials.

(2)

"County employer" means any department, board, bureau, commission, authority or other agency of the county which employs or appoints any county employee, except the chairperson and members of the county board of commissioners and the courts of the county.

(b)

A county employer may receive and investigate complaints or information from any county employee concerning the possible existence of any activity constituting fraud, waste and abuse in or relating to any county programs and operations under the jurisdiction of such county employer.

(c)

Notwithstanding any other local law or ordinance to the contrary, such county employer shall not, after receipt of a complaint or information from a county employee, disclose the identity of the county employee without the written consent of such county employee, unless the county employer determines such disclosure is necessary and unavoidable during the course of the investigation.

(d)

No action against any county employee shall be taken or threatened by any county employer who has [the] authority to take, direct others to take, recommend or approve any personnel action as a reprisal for making a complaint or disclosing information to the county employer unless the complaint was made or the information was disclosed with the knowledge that it was false or with willful disregard for its truth or falsity.

(e)

Any action taken in violation of subsection (d) of this section shall give the county employee a right to have such action set aside by the personnel board after a hearing.

(1994 Ga. Laws (Act No. 1081), page 4838, § 1; 16-1066, Exh. A, 12-7-16)