2021 Georgia Code
Title 34 - Labor and Industrial Relations
Chapter 9 - Workers' Compensation
Article 2 - Administration
§ 34-9-57. Creation of Administrative Law Judge Emeritus of Board; Eligibility for Appointment; Manner of Appointment; Compensation

1. There is created the office of administrative law judge emeritus of the board.
2. Any administrative law judge, formerly known as deputy director, of the board in office on June 30, 2019, shall be eligible for appointment as administrative law judge emeritus once he or she has reached the age of 70 years and has either:
   1. Attained 20 years of service in the capacity of administrative law judge or deputy director; or
   2. Attained 20 years of total service, aggregating his or her service as administrative law judge or deputy director with any years of prior service as director, member of the General Assembly of Georgia or the Georgia National Guard, or as special assistant attorney general, or any combination of services in these offices.
3. An administrative law judge emeritus shall be eligible for appointment by the Governor in the same manner as provided for appointment of a director emeritus under Code Section 34-9-53 and shall exercise the same duties as provided in Code Section 34-9-55 for a director emeritus.
4. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this Code section, all persons appointed to the office of administrative law judge emeritus of the board prior to June 30, 2019, shall continue to hold such office and shall receive the annual salary provided for in subsection (e) of this Code section.
5. All persons appointed to the office of administrative law judge emeritus as provided in this Code section shall receive an annual salary equal to one-third of the annual salary provided by law for an administrative law judge of the board at the time of appointment of the administrative law judge emeritus under this Code section, such salary to be paid by the board in semimonthly installments from funds provided by law for the operation of the board.

(Code 1933, § 114-702.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1975, p. 198, § 8; Ga. L. 1988, p. 1679, § 12; Ga. L. 2019, p. 798, § 2/SB 135.)

The 2019 amendment, effective July 1, 2019, rewrote this Code section, which read: "There is created the office of administrative law judge emeritus of the board. Any administrative law judge, formerly known as deputy director, of the board now or hereafter in office shall be eligible for appointment as administrative law judge emeritus, provided he has reached the age of 70 years and has either (1) attained 20 years of service in the capacity of administrative law judge or deputy director or (2) attained 20 years of total service, aggregating his service as administrative law judge or deputy director with any years of prior service as director, member of the General Assembly of Georgia or the Georgia National Guard, or as special assistant attorney general, or any combination of services in these offices. Such administrative law judge emeritus shall be eligible for appointment by the Governor in the same manner as provided for appointment of a director emeritus under Code Section 34-9-53 and shall exercise the same duties as provided in Code Section 34-9-55 for a director emeritus. All persons appointed to the office of administrative law judge emeritus as provided in this Code section shall receive an annual salary equal to one-third of the annual salary provided by law for an administrative law judge of the board at the time of appointment of the administrative law judge emeritus under this Code section, such salary to be paid by the board in semimonthly installments from funds provided by law for the operation of the board."