Section 45-19-44. Unlawful practices punishable by civil fine

   (a) It shall be an unlawful practice for a person willfully to:

   (1) Make public with respect to a particular employer or person without the employer's or person's consent information obtained by the administrator or the administrator's employees pursuant to their authority under Code Section 45-19-41, except as shall reasonably be necessary to carry out the provisions of this article;

   (2) Retaliate or discriminate in any manner against a person because the person has opposed a practice declared unlawful by this article or because the person has made a charge, filed a complaint, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in any investigation, proceeding, or hearing concerning an unlawful practice under this article;

   (3) Aid, abet, incite, compel, or coerce a person to engage in any of the acts or practices declared unlawful by this article;

   (4) Obstruct or prevent a person from complying with this article or with any order issued under this article;

   (5) Resist, prevent, impede, or interfere with the administrator or any of his representatives, employees, or with a special master in the lawful performance of duty under this article; provided, however, that it shall not be a violation of this article for anyone to challenge or resist any action by the administrator or any of his employees or by a special master when there is a good faith belief that the administrator is, or his employees are, or the special master is acting unlawfully or acting in excess of statutory authority; or

   (6) Initiate frivolous and unwarranted charges of discrimination against a public employer.

(b) A violation of this Code section shall not be deemed a crime; but any person who willfully violates this Code section may be punished by a civil fine not to exceed $1,000.00.

Ga. L. 1978, p. 859, § 24; Ga. L. 1983, p. 1097, § 1; Ga. L. 1984, p. 22, § 45; Ga. L. 1992, p. 6, § 45.