---
title: O.C.G.A. § 34-5-5. Collection of unpaid wages by aggrieved employee; attorney’s fee; when action may be commenced.
collection: code
id: 34-5-5
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 34-5-5 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-5-5
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-5-5.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-5-5/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t34-(v26)-2017-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=ba91129b_0#page=43
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-5-4.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-5-6.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS / SEX DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT
---

# O.C.G.A. § 34-5-5. Collection of unpaid wages by aggrieved employee; attorney’s fee; when action may be commenced.

(a) Any employer who violates Code Section 34-5-3 shall be liable to the employee affected in the amount of his unpaid wages. An action to recover such liability may be maintained in any court of competent jurisdiction by the aggrieved employee. The court in such action shall, in cases of violation, in addition to any judgment awarded to plaintiff, allow costs of the action and a reasonable attorney’s fee not to exceed 25 percent of the judgment to be paid by the defendant.

(b) Court action under this Code section may be commenced no later than one year after the cause of action accrues.

## History

Ga. L. 1966, p. 582, §§ 4, 5.

## Cross References

Time limitation on actions to recover wages, overtime, or other benefits generally, § 9-3-22.