(a) As used in this Code section, the term:

(1) "Public employee" means any person who is employed by the executive branch of the state or by any other department, board, bureau, commission, authority, or other agency of the state except the office of the Governor, the judicial branch, or the legislative branch.

(2) "Public employer" means the executive branch of the state and any other department, board, bureau, commission, authority, or other agency of the state which employs or appoints a public employee or public employees except the office of the Governor, the judicial branch, or the legislative branch.

(b) A public employer may receive and investigate complaints or information from any public employee concerning the possible existence of any activity constituting fraud, waste, and abuse in or relating to any state programs and operations under the jurisdiction of such public employer.

(c) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, such public employer shall not after receipt of a complaint or information from a public employee disclose the identity of the public employee without the written consent of such public employee, unless the public employer determines such disclosure is necessary and unavoidable during the course of the investigation. In such event, the public employee shall be notified in writing at least seven days prior to such disclosure.

(d) No action against any public employee shall be taken or threatened by any public employer who has authority to take, direct others to take, recommend, or approve any personnel action as a reprisal for making a complaint or disclosing information to the public employer unless the complaint was made or the information was disclosed with the knowledge that it was false or with willful disregard for its truth or falsity.

(e) Any action taken in violation of subsection (d) of this Code section shall give the public employee a right to have such action set aside in a proceeding instituted in the superior court.