HB 524: Public officers and employees; elected officers or officials shall not have their employment terminated solely as a result of being elected to or holding an elected office; provide

Currently, Georgia law does not explicitly protect employees from being fired for holding elected office. House Bill 524 would add a new section to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated protecting elected officers or officials from having their public or private employment terminated solely because they hold or were elected to public office. An employer could still fire such an employee, but only if it can show the duties of the elected office prevent the person from doing more than 51 percent of their regular job duties. The bill also gives appointed officers or employees of the state, counties, municipalities, consolidated governments, school districts, or other political subdivisions the right to take unpaid leave from their government job while serving in an elected office. The bill repeals conflicting laws but does not include a stated effective date beyond standard enactment.

• Prohibits public and private employers from firing an employee solely because they hold or were elected to an elected office, unless a constitutional exception applies.
• Allows termination only if the employer can prove the elected office duties keep the employee from performing more than 51 percent of their job duties.
• Grants appointed government officers and employees (state, county, municipal, consolidated government, or school district) the right to unpaid leave while serving in an elected office.
• Adds this protection as a new Code section, O.C.G.A. § 45-1-9, within the general provisions governing public officers and employees.
• Repeals any existing laws that conflict with these new protections.

Georgians who hold or run for elected office while also working a private or public job, including school board members, city council members, and county commissioners; their employers, both private businesses and government bodies; and appointed government employees who take on elected roles.

People who run for or win local, state, or other elected office while employed could keep their jobs unless the office consumes most of their work time. Government employees serving in elected roles would get a guaranteed, though unpaid, way to take leave rather than resign or risk firing.

• Section 1 adds new Code section 45-1-9(a), barring termination of an elected officer or official solely for holding or being elected to office, subject to constitutional exceptions.
• Section 1 also sets the standard for permissible termination: the employer must show the office's duties prevent the employee from performing more than 51 percent of their job duties.
• Section 1 adds new Code section 45-1-9(b), entitling appointed government officers or employees who become elected officials to unpaid leave of absence while serving in the elected office.
• Section 2 repeals all laws and parts of laws that conflict with the new protections.

1. 2025-02-21House Second Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
2. 2025-02-20House First Readers (Cámara de Representantes)
3. 2025-02-19House Hopper (Cámara de Representantes)

• Eric Bell (D, HD-075)Patrocinador principal
• Billy Mitchell (D, HD-088)
• Mekyah McQueen (D, HD-061)
• Bryce Berry (D, HD-056)
• Ruwa Romman (D, HD-097)

• public employment protections
• elected officials
• job security
• local government
• workplace leave