SB408 Alabama 2015 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Greg AlbrittonSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2015

Title

Labor relations, employer, employee rights, certain practices prohibited by local governments relating to leave and access to background information and to designate state for federal labor law disputes

Summary

SB408 would bar local governments in Alabama from requiring employee leave or restricting background checks, while clarifying that the state controls certain aspects of federal labor law disputes and project labor agreements.

What This Bill Does

It prevents counties, municipalities, and other subdivisions from mandating employment benefits such as paid or unpaid leave beyond what state or federal law requires, with an exception for leave mandated for the local government’s own employees. It also blocks local laws that interfere with an employer’s ability to obtain background information about current or prospective employees. The bill designates the Alabama Employment Fairness Act, giving the state exclusive authority to regulate project labor agreements and to limit local action that would waive NLRA rights or impose certain bargaining requirements, while allowing state-initiated project labor agreements when permissible under federal law; it also provides for injunctive relief in court for violations.

Who It Affects

• Local governments (counties, municipalities, and other subdivisions) — cannot impose extra leave requirements or restrict background checks by employers; any conflicting local rules would be void.
• Employers and multiemployer associations — protected from local mandates on benefits and background checks; face the state's exclusive authority over project labor agreements and certain federal-labor-law-related bargaining rules.
• Employees and job applicants in Alabama — could see background-check practices that are not hindered by local rules and operate under state-derived limits on certain bargaining practices; local-leave mandates for non-government employees are restricted.

Key Provisions

• Local governments may not require employers to provide leave or other employment benefits beyond what state or federal law requires; exception for leave mandates applicable to the local government's own employees.
• Local laws or regulations that hinder an employer's ability to obtain background information about employees or prospective employees are void; such restrictions are preempted.
• The Alabama Employment Fairness Act asserts state exclusive authority to require project labor agreements and to regulate certain collective bargaining matters under federal labor laws; it prohibits waivers of NLRA rights and any bargaining provisions outside federal law rules.
• No law can compel waivers of NLRA rights or require acceptance of mandatory or non-mandatory subjects of collective bargaining; project labor agreements are allowed where permissible under federal law; violations can be challenged with injunctive relief in Montgomery County circuit court.
• Effective date: July 1, 2015.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Labor Relations