Recently, the Georgia Forestry Commission became aware of a serious situation in which one of our employees made an inappropriate and insensitive comment on a personal Facebook post. The comment reflected poorly on the agency and inquiries from the public received our immediate attention. Balancing the rights of individuals to express their thoughts with the agency’s interest in fostering an environment of respect for all employees and customers can be challenging. While personnel matters are confidential by law, we have acted upon the results of an internal investigation, taking steps we believe are appropriate given the facts and circumstances.
The GFC family stands firmly on a foundation of inclusiveness and respect for all people at all times. The suggestion or advocacy of violence in any form is contrary to our values and culture. Discrimination has absolutely no place in our agency, and its appearance on any platform, including the personal platforms of anyone affiliated with the GFC, is reprehensible.
GFC prides itself on serving all Georgia citizens in a manner that fosters confidence in our agency and our state. We are committed to ensuring that all of our employees share these same objectives.