Alabama teacher worker’s compensation bill moves forward

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – Alabama teachers are one step closer to having worker’s compensation.

Senate Bill One passed the Finance and Taxation Education Committee Wednesday. It’s now heading to the full Senate for consideration.

While the worker’s comp benefit has been in the conversation for years now, the 2024 bill didn’t make it past the legislative finish line last year.

AEA’s Government Relations Manager says she hopes this is the year teachers can get the injury protection.

If a K-12 educator gets hurt on the job right now, they must file the injury with their school within 24 hours and oftentimes use sick leave and PTO. They then have to cover the expenses and bills on their own and seek reimbursement later, which sometimes isn’t even approved.

Dr. Allison King says this new benefit could help with recruitment and retention in the education sector, but more importantly, it fills a need.

“Some people don’t think of, always of, education as an industry where people get hurt a lot, but truthfully, they do,” said Dr. King. “Our folks are on the frontlines everyday. Sometimes it’s teachers dealing with student assault or breaking up fights, anything like that that they’re dealing with. Our administrators deal with those same things. Even our custodians or CMP employees deal with injuries. They have more labor intensive roles in the schools that can create injuries from time to time.”

The bill is sponsored by Senator Sam Givhan. If enacted, it would allow injured educators to continue receiving their salary for up to 90 days and it would help cover medical expenses.

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