Alabama State Personnel Board: In a unanimous decision, the Alabama State Personnel Board has greenlit an extension of bonuses for on-call state employees, stretching it out for another year.
The approval spans across 16 classifications of workers, encompassing roles from biologists and police communications officers to communications technicians and forestry specialists. These dedicated individuals, tasked with being on standby for forest fire emergencies, will receive an additional $2.50 per hour. Their commitment involves addressing communication and information technology needs during such critical situations.
This move, estimated to cost the state approximately $1 million annually, comes after on-call payments reached about $306,000 up to October.
Furthermore, the Board has sanctioned an extension granting an extra $4 per hour for social service caseworkers and social workers within the Department of Human Resources. These professionals, obligated to remain on-call beyond regular hours and during weekends, are set to benefit from this pay raise.
The projected expense for this extension is estimated at $2.5 million, with payments totaling around $1.5 million by October’s end.
Additionally, Board members have given the green light for overtime pay to non-exempt employees, as per the Fair Labor Standards Act, in Jefferson, Madison, Mobile, Shelby, and Montgomery counties, within the same classification. This extension, set to kick off in 2024, is anticipated to incur expenses of up to $400,000. Notably, the incurred overtime costs stood at approximately $275,000 through October.
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