Section 49-4-168.4. Protection of employees from discrimination; relief; statute of limitations

   (a) Any employee, contractor, or agent shall be entitled to all relief necessary to make such employee, contractor, or agent whole, if that employee, contractor, or agent is discharged, demoted, suspended, threatened, harassed, or in any other manner discriminated against in the terms and conditions of employment because of lawful acts done by such employee, contractor, agent or associated others in furtherance of a civil action under this Code section or other efforts to stop one or more violations of this article.

(b) Relief under subsection (a) of this Code section shall include reinstatement with the same seniority status that such employee, contractor, or agent would have had but for the discrimination, two times the amount of back pay, interest on the back pay, and compensation for any special damages sustained as a result of the discrimination, including litigation costs and reasonable attorney's fees. A civil action under this subsection may be brought in an appropriate court of this state for the relief provided in this Code section.

(c) Notwithstanding Code Section 49-4-168.5, a civil action under this Code section may not be brought more than three years after the date when the discrimination occurred.

Code 1981, § 49-4-168.4, enacted by Ga. L. 2007, p. 355, § 3/HB 551; Ga. L. 2012, p. 127, § 2-1/HB 822.