Georgia Civil Rights Laws
Created by FindLaw's team of legal writers and editors | Last reviewed June 20, 2016
This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw’s team of legal writers and attorneys and in accordance with our editorial standards.
The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area.
Civil rights are the collective rights of individuals to receive equal treatment under the law, such as freedom from discrimination at one's place of employment. Most civil rights laws originate at the federal level, such as the prohibition against discrimination on the basis of race, gender, or national origin. Georgia civil rights laws do not offer additional protections for workers beyond what is provided by federal law.
Regardless, the following table lists the details of how Georgia civil rights laws are enforced. See FindLaw's extensive Civil Rights section to learn more.
| Code Section | 7-6-1 and 2 (Credit); 34-1-2 (Age); 45-19-20, et seq. (Public Employment); 8-3-200, et seq. (Housing) |
| Agency | Public Employment and Housing: Commission on Equal Opportunities |
| Administrative Preemption | No |
| Private Action Permitted? | 7-6-2: Yes; 34-1-2: No; Public Employment: No; Housing: Yes |
| Attorney Fees Recoverable by Plaintiff? | 7-6-2: No; 34-1-2: No; Public Employment: Discretionary; Housing: Yes |
| Statute of Limitations | Public Employment: 180 days/agency Housing: 1 yr./agency, 2 yrs./private |
Note: State laws are constantly changing -- contact a Georgia employment attorney or conduct your own legal research to verify the state law(s) you are researching.
Research the Law
- Georgia Law
- Official State Codes - Links to the official online statutes (laws) in all 50 states and DC.