Legislature stops Birmingham minimum-wage law

On February 25, 2016, Governor Robert Bentley signed House Bill 174 which stopped the local minimum-wage ordinance passed by the Birmingham city council on August 18, 2015. The bill then became Alabama Act 2016-18, which is entitled the Alabama Uniform Minimum Wage and Right-to-Work Act.

Because Alabama does not have a state minimum-wage requirement, the minimum wage in Alabama is the minimum wage set by the federal government, currently at $7.25 an hour. The Birmingham ordinance was set to increase the minimum wage to $8.50 in July 2016 and to $10.10 in July 2017. On February 9, the Birmingham City Council voted to implement the increase on March 1, 2016. But the new Alabama law stopped that attempt in its tracks.

In addition to prohibiting counties, municipalities, or other political subdivisions from setting a minimum wage, the act also prohibits them from requiring an employer to provide paid or unpaid leave, vacation time, or a work schedule that is not required by federal law.

© 2016