SB81 Alabama 2014 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Tom Whatley

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2014

Title

Public employees, certain employees on active military duty, compensation provided for, Secs. 31-12-5, 31-12-6 am'd.

Summary

SB81 would extend the salary differential to state and public education employees, and allow local governments to provide it, for active-duty service in any U.S. Armed Forces.

What This Bill Does

The bill changes current law by expanding the military pay differential to cover any active service in any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. For state employees and public education employees, the differential would be mandatory and measured as the gap between the lower active-duty base pay and the higher public salary, for the duration of the active duty. Local governments could choose to pay a similar differential to their employees, with rules and processing set at the local level and duration aligned with federal USERRA provisions.

Who It Affects

• State employees and employees of public educational entities would receive a salary differential when called into active service in any U.S. Armed Forces, equal to the difference between their active-duty base pay and their public salary, for the length of the service (potentially retroactive to September 11, 2001).
• Employees of local governmental entities may receive a similar differential if their local government chooses to pay it; local entities would determine the rules, processing, and duration, following applicable federal protections.

Key Provisions

• Amends Sections 31-12-5 and 31-12-6 to extend the salary differential to any active service in any U.S. Armed Forces for state employees, public education employees, and local government employees (where applicable).
• For state and public education employees called to active service, the employer must pay a differential equal to the gap between the lower active-duty base pay and the higher public salary for the duration of the active service, with retroactive applicability to September 11, 2001 if applicable; payments come from the employer's funds.
• For local government employees, local governing bodies may provide the differential and must set rules and procedures for claims and payments; duration follows USERRA guidelines.
• Coordinating rules and procedures must be established by relevant state and local agencies and school boards to implement the differential.
• The act is severable; laws conflicting with it are repealed; it becomes effective immediately after passage and approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Military Compensation