(a) The Alabama Department of Corrections may establish a program designed to increase correctional officer hiring and retention by offering bonuses or training incentives, or a combination of both, to employees in specified correction officer classifications for remaining employed by the department for consecutive terms of employment.
(b) The department may grant bonuses to employees of the department, to be paid incrementally, upon successful completion of certain training programs and upon the attainment of certain career milestones, provided the employee is an active employee of the department on the date the bonus payment is made, to be granted as follows:
(1)a. Correctional Officer bonuses shall be awarded as follows:
1. A one thousand five hundred dollar ($1,500) bonus for successful completion of an Alabama Department of Corrections Training Academy class or successful completion of an Alabama Peace Officers' and Standards Training Commission law enforcement refresher class.
2. A one thousand five hundred dollar ($1,500) bonus for attainment of status as a Correctional Officer.
3. A one thousand eight hundred seventy-five dollar ($1,875) bonus for attainment of status as a Correctional Officer Senior upon creation of the position by the State Personnel Board.
4. A two thousand six hundred twenty-five dollar ($2,625) bonus upon the one-year anniversary of the attainment of status as a Correctional Officer Senior upon creation of the position by the State Personnel Board.
b. Other Correctional Officers of the Department of Corrections may receive promotional or retention bonuses subject to the limitation in subdivision (3), upon recommendation of the Department of Corrections and approval by the State Personnel Department.
(2) The bonuses described in subdivision (1) shall be paid by the department to new appointments, transfers, and promotions as provided in subdivision (1) beginning on May 29, 2019, and continuing through December 31, 2022. No bonus payment pursuant to this section may be made by the department after December 31, 2025. If the staffing targets of the department are achieved prior to December 31, 2022, the department may discontinue the bonus program for any further appointments.
(3) In no event shall the total bonus payments under this section total more than seven thousand five hundred dollars ($7,500) per employee.
(4) In no event shall any employee of the department who separates from the department after April 1, 2019, be eligible for any incentives under this program.
(c) No bonus payments received by an employee of the Department of Corrections under this section shall be used in the computation of retirement or other benefits.
(d) The department shall report annually on the first legislative day of the Regular Session of the Legislature to the Chairs of the House Ways and Means, General Fund Committee, the Senate Committee on Finance and Taxation, General Fund, and the Joint Legislative Prison Oversight Committee on the number and amount of bonuses paid under the program.
(e) It is not the intention of this section to make appropriations, but the program established by the department is subject to the appropriations made for the department in the annual appropriations act.
Last modified: May 3, 2021