Navigating overtime laws in Alabama can be complex. While Alabama has limited state-level overtime protections, federal regulations play a crucial role. Specifically, overtime protections in Alabama primarily extend to state law enforcement officers, with no general state overtime requirement for other workers.
Alabama Department of Labor and Federal Oversight
The Alabama Department of Labor handles unpaid wage claims. However, due to the absence of a state overtime law, the department does not investigate overtime disputes. Alabama employees must rely on the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the U.S. Department of Labor for these claims.
Alabama aligns with federal minimum wage standards. Both federal and Alabama state law set the minimum wage at $7.25 per hour, effective since 2009. While most employers fall under FLSA provisions, those exempt must still adhere to Alabama’s state minimum wage.
Alabama follows the FLSA’s weekly overtime rule. Employers are required to pay overtime (1.5 times the regular rate) only for hours exceeding 40 in a workweek. Daily overtime is not mandated.
The Alabama Minimum Wage and Wage Payment law sets a 2-year statute of limitations for unpaid overtime claims. This can extend to 3 years if the employer’s violation is deemed “willful,” meaning they knowingly disregarded the law or acted recklessly.
Alabama employees pursuing unpaid overtime claims under federal law can typically recover:
Unpaid overtime wages
Liquidated (double) damages
Reasonable attorneys’ fees
Alabama courts utilize FLSA regulations to determine overtime exemptions. Alabama has not enacted its own specific exemptions. Therefore, federal guidelines are decisive in Alabama unpaid overtime lawsuits.
Our unpaid overtime attorneys based in Dallas, Texas have national unpaid overtime litigation experience in federal courts throughout the United States. Mr. Siegel has personally represented clients in wage and hour suits in at least 20 states, including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia.
