Labor & Employment in Alabama

died · Alabama · Senate Apr 7, 2026

SB 132: Class 8 municipalities; to authorize certain municipalities to opt out of county personnel board

SB 132 allows specific Class 8 municipalities in Alabama (with 25,000+ population and corporate limits spanning two counties) to opt out of their county personnel board's jurisdiction after providing six months' notice. If a municipality opts out, it must create its own civil service system that protects current employees' rights and prohibits discrimination based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or political views. The bill repeals a prior law that permitted similar opt-outs and confirms retroactive application for municipalities already operating under that older law. This directly affects eligible municipalities seeking greater control over local personnel decisions while maintaining employee protections.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Public Employees Tags Local Government

in committee · Alabama · Senate Jan 15, 2026

SB 171: Minimum wage; established, small business exempted

SB 171 establishes Alabama's first state minimum wage at $10.00 per hour, effective January 1, 2027. It directly affects most employers by requiring them to pay this rate, but exempts small businesses with 50 or fewer employees. The bill sets a clear threshold for the exemption and aligns with the current federal minimum wage of $7.25. This legislation will take effect on October 1, 2026, with the wage requirement beginning in 2027.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

in committee · Alabama · House Jan 29, 2026

HB 352: Alabama Jobs Act; Secretary of Commerce prohibited from awarding economic tax incentives to companies that do not practice certain employment protections for workers

HB 352, the Alabama Jobs Act, requires companies receiving economic tax incentives from Alabama's Secretary of Commerce to certify they follow specific workplace protections. Directly affecting businesses seeking these incentives (typically for job-creating projects), the bill mandates that recipients: ban mandatory overtime, eliminate shift rotation, avoid requiring weekend work, provide 40 hours of paid emergency leave annually, guarantee a standard 40-hour work week (except for health/safety emergencies), prohibit off-the-clock work, and not count bathroom/breakroom travel time toward required breaks. These requirements would take effect for all new incentives starting October 1, 2026. The bill does not change existing employment laws but ties tax incentives to these specific worker protections.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

died · Alabama · Senate Apr 7, 2026

SB 176: Retirement benefits, circuit clerks authorized to participate in supernumerary program and Employees' Retirement System based on separate years of service

SB 176 allows circuit clerks in Alabama to participate in both a supernumerary program and the Employees' Retirement System, provided they qualify for each based on separate years of service. Currently, state law prevents circuit clerks from using the same service years for both programs. The bill adds a new section to Alabama law clarifying that clerks who independently qualify for both programs through distinct service periods may enroll in both. This change would take effect on July 1, 2026, if passed. The bill directly affects Alabama circuit clerks who meet the separate service-year requirement for both retirement options.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Alabama · House Apr 17, 2026

HB 307: Military spouses; preference in hiring and promoting in state service further provided for; preference authorized for political subdivisions, private employers

HB 307 adds hiring preferences for military spouses in Alabama state employment by granting them five additional points on employment test scores. Specifically, spouses of active duty service members and spouses of veterans (honorably discharged) each receive five points, while surviving spouses of service members who died in action or spouses of veterans with service-connected disabilities receive ten points. The bill also allows Alabama counties, municipalities, and private employers to voluntarily adopt similar hiring preferences for military spouses and veterans. These changes apply to employment tests and promotions within the state’s classified service, aiming to support military-connected individuals in job applications.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Military Families Veteran Education Veteran Employment

in committee · Alabama · House Jan 29, 2026

HB 346: Tax incentives; reimbursement for violation of labor and trafficking laws provided for

HB 346 would prevent businesses that violate human trafficking or child labor laws from receiving Alabama Jobs Act tax incentives. Specifically, it requires companies found guilty of violating these laws to pay back the full value of any tax breaks, grants, or abatements they received. The bill also updates Alabama law to mandate that the Secretary of Commerce verify businesses do not engage in such violations before approving tax incentives. This directly affects any business seeking economic development tax incentives under Alabama's Jobs Act.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives Child Labor Labor Standards Tags Economic Development

signed · Alabama · Senate Apr 6, 2026

SB 163: Alabama Board of Cosmetology and Barbering; adoption of Esthetics Licensure Compact

Alabama's SB 163 would adopt the Esthetics Licensure Compact, allowing estheticians licensed in Alabama to practice across participating states without obtaining separate licenses. This compact directly affects licensed estheticians, particularly military members and their spouses who relocate frequently, by creating a multistate license valid in all participating states. Key provisions establish uniform licensing requirements, enable states to share disciplinary information, and require background checks to maintain public safety standards. The bill aims to reduce licensing barriers while ensuring consistent professional practice and safety across state lines.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

Sub-Topics Professional Licensing

in committee · Alabama · House Jan 29, 2026

HJR 62: Urging the State of Alabama to acknowledge and adopt the temporary workers' bill of rights for the betterment of the state and its workforce

This resolution (HJR 62) urges the State of Alabama to adopt a "Temporary Workers' Bill of Rights" but does not create binding law. It proposes specific standards for temporary workers, including requiring fair pay, safety training, clear assignment details, prohibiting fees for background checks, banning forced arbitration, limiting assignment lengths (90 days max), and mandating offers of permanent roles after 90 days (or 180 days for medical leave exceptions). The resolution directly addresses temporary staffing agencies and host employers in Alabama, outlining 12 key provisions to improve working conditions. As a non-binding resolution, it expresses legislative support but would require separate action to become law.

Topics ✓ Immigration ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Paid Leave

passed · Alabama · House Feb 5, 2026

HB 130: Teachers' Retirement System, reopened to allow the purchase of credit for prior service rendered to the St. Clair County DAY Program, Incorporated

HB 130 allows current or former employees of the St. Clair County Day Program, Incorporated (a nonprofit serving children with disabilities) to buy back credit for prior service at the program toward their Alabama Teachers' Retirement System benefits. It requires the program’s governing body to formally elect participation and cover costs for crediting past service, with the employer paying the full employer contribution. Employees can only purchase credit for service before the program’s election to join the system, and benefits are limited to their contributions plus interest earned, with no state cost. The bill takes effect June 1, 2026, and directly affects eligible staff who previously worked for the Day Program.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

signed · Alabama · House Apr 17, 2026

HB 361: Living organ donors; to prohibit discrimination in obtaining insurance coverage, provide paid medical leave for public employees who donate organs and a tax credit to private sector employers that provide similar paid leave to their employees

HB 361, the Alabama Living Donor Protection Act, prohibits insurers from denying or limiting disability, life, or long-term care insurance coverage to living organ donors. It requires public employers (state/local government) to provide up to 80 hours of paid medical leave for employees donating organs, with no retaliation allowed. Private employers offering similar paid leave (minimum 80 hours or 15 days) qualify for a 25% tax credit (capped at $2,000 annually) for tax years starting in 2027. The bill directly affects organ donors, insurers, public employees, and private sector employers. It aims to remove financial barriers to donation through concrete protections and incentives.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Insurance Long-Term Care Paid Leave

All labor & employment bills