Alabama Employee Rights

A brief guide to Alabama employee rights

If you are a worker in the state of Alabama, there are many legal protections designed to ensure that you are not taken advantage of. While every job is different, some standard Alabama employee rights apply.

Financially, you have the right to be paid the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. This Alabama employee right does come with certain exceptions. For example, any worker who is under the age of 20 only has a set minimum wage of $4.25 an hour for the first 90 days of their employment. After this period has passed or a person reaches the age of 20, the Alabama employee right to the federal minimum wage applies.

Certain other exceptions apply to workers in other fields. For example, if you are a salesperson who makes half or more of their income from commissions, Alabama employee rights mean your employer has the right to pay you less than minimum wage.

Overtime is another protection that you have. Anyone who works more than 40 hours in a week is has the Alabama employee right to be paid overtime for their labor. For every hour worked over this 40 hours per week, you must be paid time and a half for your services. This means that people who make $7.25 an hour are entitled to receive $10.88 an hour for all overtime labor.

Some unscrupulous employers may try to get around this Alabama employee right by making their workers salaried. They will then claim that no overtime must be paid. However, while this applies to certain employees, such as highly-compensated computer specialists, in most cases Alabama employee rights guarantee overtime payments.

If you believe you are being underpaid, you should contact the Hour and Wage division of the United States Department of Labor. This office can investigate your claims that your Alabama employee rights have been violated. Some people may also wish to pursue compensation for underpaid wages through the civil court system. Litigation to guarantee your Alabama employee right of adequate compensation may require you to retain the services of a lawyer.

All employers are required to maintain some form of workers compensation insurance to be paid in case of an injury sustained on the job. If you are injured while performing your job, you have the Alabama employee right to consult with the medical professional of your choice. While employers cannot stop you from scheduling an appointment with the physician of your choosing, they also have the right to request a second opinion from a doctor of their own.

The state of Alabama is a "right to work" state. This means that Alabama employee rights do not require you to join a union to perform any job. Similarly, no employer can restrict you from joining a union if you desire to do so. Any violations of this law should be reported to the United States Department of Labor for investigation.