(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) 'Public employee' means any person who is employed by the executive branch of the
state or by any other department, board, bureau, commission, authority, or other agency
of the state except the office of the Governor, the judicial branch, or the legislative
branch.
(2) 'Public employer' means the executive branch of the state and any other department,
board, bureau, commission, authority, or other agency of the state which employs or
appoints a public employee or public employees except the office of the Governor, the
judicial branch, or the legislative branch.

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

(c) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, such public employer shall not after
receipt of a complaint or information from a public employee disclose the identity of the
public employee without the written consent of such public employee, unless the public
employer determines such disclosure is necessary and unavoidable during the course of the
investigation. In such event, the public employee shall be notified in writing at least seven
days prior to such disclosure.

(d) No action against any public employee shall be taken or threatened by any public
employer who has 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
public 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 Code section shall give the
public employee a right to have such action set aside in a proceeding instituted in the
superior court.