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AlabamaHB4932026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Shelby County; City of Helena, civil service system established, board, director, policies, and appeals created

Sponsored By: Leigh Hulsey (Republican)

Enacted

Shelby County

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

11 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 9 mixed.

Helena hiring includes probation and temporary jobs

Helena generally must fill nonexempt regular jobs from candidates certified by the personnel director; improper appointments can lose payroll certification. Higher-level vacancies use promotion when practical unless the appointing authority decides otherwise; promotions must add duties and responsibility. Full-time, regularly budgeted appointments from certified lists require one uninterrupted year of probation, with dismissal allowed without appeal. Satisfactory completion brings regular status and disciplinary appeal rights. Without an eligible list, the mayor can authorize urgent provisional hires who meet the job requirements for up to nine months. Provisional workers have no civil-service status or appeals and must leave when a certified replacement is appointed, or earlier at the mayor’s direction.

Helena replaces city employee job protections

Beginning June 1, 2026, this law replaces Helena’s 1992 civil-service law. Employees holding regular full-time city jobs on that date keep regular status unless their positions are exempt. Exempt groups include part-time, seasonal and temporary workers, elected officials, designated city officers, certain grant-funded workers and certain professionals. Exempt workers do not receive the same hiring and appeal protections as classified workers.

Helena sets worker pay and promotion rules

Helena’s council must adopt salary ranges with minimum, middle and maximum rates, effective within 30 days after adoption. Ranges must reflect job demands, local pay and benefits, recruitment experience and city finances. New hires generally start at the minimum; increases require satisfactory performance and cannot exceed the maximum. Promotion pay generally equals the higher of one step above former pay or the new class’s entrance rate. The appointing authority can set a different rate based on circumstances, skills or experience. Demotion pay must fit the lower class’s range; nonprobationary workers can appeal involuntary demotions. After a failed promotion, workers can return to their former job if vacant; otherwise, layoff rules apply. Workers may instead leave and have their former position listed for layoff for up to two years.

Helena workers face discipline and unpaid suspensions

Helena can dismiss, demote or suspend regular employees for cause or reasons serving the public interest. Causes include misconduct, poor performance, insubordination, specified criminal convictions and rule or safety violations. Written notice must state the action, reason and effective date, with a copy sent to the personnel director. Unpaid suspensions carry no hearing right within limits of 40 working hours per offense and 80 working hours per service year. Workers can request mayoral review of a suspension without a hearing within two business days after receiving notice.

Helena workers gain formal discipline appeals

Regular-status Helena employees can appeal dismissal, demotion or suspensions that qualify for a hearing. They must file a written answer and hearing request with the director and mayor within 10 calendar days after notice. An Alabama-licensed practicing attorney holds the hearing within 30 calendar days of appointment, unless all parties agree to delay. The attorney submits findings and a recommendation within 15 days after the hearing; the board makes the final administrative decision. Either side has 10 calendar days after announcement to appeal to Shelby County Circuit Court, which reviews legal issues and substantial evidence.

Helena workers keep earned leave and pay

Helena cannot reduce regular-service workers’ sick leave, vacation, overtime or compensation already earned by June 1, 2026. This protection does not extend to amounts earned after that date. Same-class transfers can change shifts, locations or schedules, but must preserve the work-week basis, seniority, earned leave and overtime. Duties from another job class cannot be assigned for more than one year. Assignments outside a worker’s class must be reported immediately to the personnel director and mayor.

Helena candidates get limited job return rights

Beginning June 1, 2026, regular Helena employees seeking public office must resign to use this return-to-work process. They must submit a written resignation stating its purpose to the appointing authority and copy the personnel director. The resignation counts as unpaid leave only if they request return to the eligible list and are reappointed within six months. Their former position must remain unfilled between resignation and reappointment, so a return is not guaranteed.

Helena creates employee oversight and rules

Helena’s three-member personnel board adopts rules, hears appeals and meets at least twice yearly. Regular-service employees elect one member, the mayor and council appoint another, and those two select the third. Initial terms are four, three and two years, respectively; later terms are four years. Members must be Helena voters and meet restrictions on recent public or party officeholding, city employment and employee relationships. The mayor appoints a personnel director or hires a human-resources company to manage records, policies, investigations and benefits support. The director can subpoena people and records; regular employees can complain to the mayor, and directors can appeal for-cause removal. Helena must also adopt a lawful handbook covering leave, overtime, pay, hiring, reviews, grievances, layoffs and discipline after mayoral recommendation and council approval.

Helena protects fair hiring, limits workplace politics

Beginning June 1, 2026, Helena civil-service employment decisions cannot discriminate on grounds protected by federal law. Officials cannot seek political endorsements for appointments or use jobs, raises or work benefits to influence political action. City employees can support candidates, donate, join political groups and support public issues or referendum petitions like other Alabama residents. Covered workers cannot engage in political activity while on duty or in uniform.

Helena workers get job review rights

Helena must maintain a job classification plan covering titles, duties, qualifications and pay grades, excluding the mayor and council. Classified jobs must use listed titles and receive a classification review at least every five years. The mayor can recommend, and the council approve, job changes or elimination that cause termination or demotion. Nonexempt regular employees can appeal only whether such action was arbitrary and capricious—without a reasonable basis. When a change adds duties, employees can request a written pay-grade review, but the council does not have to raise pay.

Helena workers get shared holiday rules

Helena’s council sets holidays, and all regular city employees receive the same number. Workers required to work on an observed holiday receive compensation under this law and federal law. Employees in non-pay status do not earn extra holiday time; the provision also lists leave of absence and paid military leave. The law does not set a holiday count or compensation amount.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Leigh Hulsey

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Arnold Mooney

    Republican • House

  • Kenneth Paschal

    Republican • House

  • Russell Bedsole

    Republican • House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 257 • No: 0

House vote • 3/5/2026

Hulsey Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 792

Yes: 102 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/5/2026

Chambliss motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 711

Yes: 27 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/5/2026

Third Reading in Second House

Yes: 27 • No: 0

Senate vote • 3/5/2026

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 712

Yes: 27 • No: 0

House vote • 2/26/2026

Third Reading in House of Origin

Yes: 56 • No: 0 • Other: 45

House vote • 2/26/2026

Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 602

Yes: 18 • No: 0 • Other: 83

Actions Timeline

  1. Enacted

    3/13/2026House

  2. Third Reading in Second House

    3/5/2026Senate

  3. Shelby County Legislation 1st Amendment Offered

    3/5/2026Senate

  4. Chambliss motion to Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 711

    3/5/2026Senate

  5. Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 712

    3/5/2026Senate

  6. Hulsey Concur In and Adopt - Adopted Roll Call 792

    3/5/2026House

  7. Ready to Enroll

    3/5/2026House

  8. Enrolled

    3/5/2026House

  9. Signature Requested

    3/5/2026Senate

  10. Delivered to Governor

    3/5/2026House

  11. Shelby County Legislation 1st Amendment

    3/3/2026Senate

  12. Reported Out of Committee Second House

    3/3/2026Senate

  13. Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

    3/3/2026Senate

  14. Third Reading in House of Origin

    2/26/2026House

  15. Motion to Read a Third Time and Pass - Adopted Roll Call 602

    2/26/2026House

  16. Read for the first time and referred to the Senate Committee on Shelby County Legislation

    2/26/2026Senate

  17. Pending Committee Action in Second House

    2/26/2026Senate

  18. Reported Out of Committee House of Origin

    2/25/2026House

  19. Read for the Second Time and placed on the Calendar

    2/25/2026House

  20. Read for the first time and referred to the House Committee on Shelby County Legislation

    2/24/2026House

  21. Pending Committee Action in House of Origin

    2/24/2026House

Bill Text

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