---
title: O.C.G.A. § 34-8-221. Review of decision of hearing officer by board of review.
collection: code
id: 34-8-221
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 34-8-221 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-8-221
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-8-221.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-8-221/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t34-(v26)-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=ee0fddd_0#page=87
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.
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previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-8-220.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: Effective January 1, 2026.
in_force: true
other_versions:
  - version: Effective until January 1, 2026.
    in_force: false
    md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/34-8-221.md?version=until+January+1%2C+2026
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS / EMPLOYMENT SECURITY / APPEALS
extraction_warnings:
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---

# O.C.G.A. § 34-8-221. Review of decision of hearing officer by board of review.

(a) The board of review may on its own motion affirm, modify, or set aside any decision of an administrative hearing officer on the basis of the evidence previously submitted in such case or direct the taking of additional evidence or may permit any of the parties to such decision to initiate further appeals before the board of review. The board of review shall promptly notify the parties to any proceedings of its findings and decision. The decision of the board shall become final 15 days after the issue date printed on the decision.

(b) The board of review may, in its discretion and on its own motion, reconsider its decision at any time within 15 days from the issue date printed on the decision. The board shall notify all concerned parties of its intent to reconsider a final decision. Such notice shall stay the process of judicial review until a final decision is released by the board.

(c) The quorum for the board of review shall be two members. No meeting of the board shall be scheduled when it is anticipated that less than two members will be present, and no hearing shall be held nor decision released by the board in which less than two members participated.

(d) In the event only two members are able to vote on a case and one member votes to affirm the decision of the administrative hearing officer but the other member votes to reverse the decision or remand the case for another hearing, the decision of the administrative hearing officer shall stand affirmed.

(e) The Commissioner shall provide the board of review and the office of administrative appeals with proper facilities and assistants for the execution of their functions.

## History

Code 1981, § 34-8-221, enacted by Ga. L. 1991, p. 139, § 1; Ga. L. 2014, p. 730, § 5/HB 714; Ga. L. 2025, p. 747, § 4/SB 191, effective January 1, 2026.

## Amendments

The 2025 amendment, effective January 1, 2026, in subsection (a), substituted “15 days after the issue date printed on the decision” for “15 days from the date the decision is mailed to the parties” at the end of the last sentence; and, in subsection (b), substituted “15 days from the issue date printed on the decision” for “15 days from the date the decision is mailed to the parties” at the end of the first sentence.

## Delayed Effective Date

Code Section 34-8-221 is set out twice in this Code. This version is effective January 1, 2026. For version effective until January 1, 2026, see the preceding version.