Employee Resources

DeKalb County enforces strict federal protections against workplace discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

Discrimination prohibitions under Federal Law

Federal Civil Rights Laws prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or older), disability, or genetic information. These protections apply to hiring, firing, promotions, training, and many other terms and conditions of employment. This page includes posters that provide more information about federal civil rights laws that apply in the workplace.

DeKalb County’s Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Employment Policy

Under DeKalb County’s Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Employment Policy, which is available in this page, an employee who experiences work-related harassment, discrimination, or retaliation that the employee believes violates that policy is expected to report such conduct immediately and in writing to one of the following:

• Employee’s Department Head
• DeKalb County’s Employee Relations Manager
• DeKalb County’s Human Resources and Merit System Director
• DeKalb County’s Chief Operating Officer

DeKalb County requires its workforce to maintain the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and honesty.

DeKalb County Ethics Policy

All county employees must avoid conflicts of interest, bribery, and the misuse of government property. The independent DeKalb County Ethics Board oversees compliance and processes complaints against county personnel under Section 22A of the DeKalb County Organizational Act.

• How to Report: Submit a formal written complaint via the DeKalb County Ethics Board Complaint Portal.

For daily operational concerns, benefit distributions, or general policy advice, contact the appropriate county division directly.

HR Matters

For complaints, grievances, policy inquiries, workplace concerns, or accommodations, contact the DeKalb County Department of Human Resources:

• Phone: 404-371-2332
• Office Hours: 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM (Monday through Friday)
• Main Address: 1300 Commerce Dr., Suite 100, Decatur, GA 30030

General Employee Needs

For general payroll assistance, record updates, or basic inquiries, access the digital DeKalb County Employee Portal.

• General Helpline: Call 404-371-2000 or email 311CCC@dekalbcountyga.gov.

DeKalb County provides Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) leave and related job protection under the terms and conditions of the FMLA and DeKalb County’s FMLA leave policy, which is available in this portal.

To file an FMLA leave request or check your eligibility for FMLA leave, coordinate directly with your department payroll/personnel representative, then with Human Resources at 404-371-2332.

Paid Parental Leave for New Parents

DeKalb County provides paid parental leave to eligible employees who are new parents, under the terms and conditions of DeKalb County Code section 20-170 and related DeKalb County policies.

Eldercare

DeKalb County provides eldercare leave to eligible employees, allowing up to 4 weeks in a 12-month period to provide care or assistance to the employee's parent or grandparent, or to the employee's spouse's parent or grandparent, due to such parent or grandparent's illness, incapacity, limited self-care capacity, or doctor or dentist appointments. See section 20-163 of the DeKalb Code for information.

Employee wellness is a top priority. DeKalb County ensures its staff can access urgent or ongoing mental healthcare resources.

Georgia Mental Health Laws

Under Georgia’s Mental Health Parity Act, health insurance plans provided to county employees must offer the same level of coverage for mental health and substance use disorders as they do for physical healthcare conditions.

Counseling Services (EAP)

The Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provides completely confidential, professional counseling sessions at no cost (up to 8 sessions per issue) to county employees and their immediate household members. Reach out for support with stress management, grief, marital issues, or financial anxiety.

• EAP Contact (Acentra): Contact representative at 1-800-607-1522. Visit the HR Intranet page for the company code.
• Crisis Care Hotline: If you are experiencing a mental health emergency, call or text the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (available 24/7).

DeKalb County Commitment to Access and Opportunity

To transform our core inclusion values into observable organizational metrics, DeKalb County has developed a page committed to equity, access, and inclusion. Our philosophy takes a conglomerate approach to providing access to a wide range of employee information in a central hub. DeKalb County is committed to ensuring ease of access to information and creating an equitable environment for both employees and residents. The web portal displays a dynamic, interactive dashboard featuring three key tracking modules.

DeKalb County is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable environment for all employees, residents, and stakeholders. We believe that our organizational strength lies in the unique backgrounds, perspectives, and talents of our workforce.

• Community-First Service: We align our daily operations directly with the localized needs of our residents, prioritizing accessible, high-quality public care across all socioeconomic classes.
• Unwavering Accountability: We take measurable ownership of our actions, keeping county processes transparent and keeping ourselves open to public and internal audits.
• Intentional Inclusion: We actively invite diverse viewpoints to the decision-making table, acknowledging that varied backgrounds build stronger operational policies.
• Uncompromising Integrity: We uphold strict ethical standards, ensuring our daily professional conduct remains completely free of bias, favoritism, or conflicts of interest.
• Resilient Innovation: We pursue continuous improvement in local government, modernizing public services to eliminate systemic barriers and historical service gaps.

• Equal Opportunity: We provide fair treatment in employment, promotion, and professional development without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, genetic information, familial status, political affiliation, political opinion, sexual orientation, parental status, gender identity, marital status, protective hairstyle, or any other characteristic protected by federal or state law or the DeKalb County Code.
• Cultivating Belonging: We maintain a workplace culture where every individual feels respected, valued, and empowered to contribute to the County's success.
• Accessible Services: We design County programs, policies, and resources to eliminate barriers and ensure equitable access for everyone in our community.
• Zero Tolerance: We strictly prohibit any form of unlawful discrimination, harassment, or bias, holding all personnel accountable to the highest standards of fairness and mutual respect.