---
title: O.C.G.A. § 45-22-11. Filing of employee grievances; termination of contract by employer for violation of Code Section 45-22-4; ability of employers to dismiss or discipline employees; judicial review of grievances.
collection: code
id: 45-22-11
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 45-22-11 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-22-11
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-22-11.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-22-11/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t45-(v33)-2016-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=cde47f8a_0#page=659
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/45-22.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-22-10.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/code/45-22-12.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: PUBLIC OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES / PUBLIC EMPLOYEE HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL PROTECTION AND RIGHT TO KNOW
---

# O.C.G.A. § 45-22-11. Filing of employee grievances; termination of contract by employer for violation of Code Section 45-22-4; ability of employers to dismiss or discipline employees; judicial review of grievances.

(a) In order to enforce the provisions of this chapter, any employee adversely affected by a violation of this chapter by that employee’s employer may file a grievance in accordance with the employer’s established grievance procedures. Appointing authorities shall pursue all complaints concerning occupational exposure to hazardous chemicals.

(b) Upon any violation of Code Section 45-22-4 by a contractor, the employer under agreement with such contractor shall have the right to terminate the contract without liability.

(c) Nothing in this chapter shall change or modify the right or ability of employers to dismiss or discipline employees in accordance with the laws of this state.

(d) Any employee dissatisfied with a final decision of an appointing authority with regard to a grievance filed pursuant to subsection (a) of this Code section shall be entitled to judicial review in the same manner as provided for judicial review of contested cases in Chapter 13 of Title 50, the ‘‘Georgia Administrative Procedure Act.’’

## History

Code 1981, § 45-22-11, enacted by Ga. L. 1988, p. 1778, § 1; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1304, § 12; Ga. L. 2015, p. 911, § 6/HB 278.

## Other Notes

The 2015 amendment, effective January 1, 2016, in subsection (a), deleted the former last sentence, which read: ‘‘Employees dissatisfied with a final decision of an appointing authority may file a grievance with the Commissioner.’’; and, in subsection (d), substituted ‘‘dissatisfied with a final decision of an appointing authority with regard’’ for ‘‘adversely affected by a final decision of the Commissioner’’.