By Mike Cason
State Sen. Sam Givhan (R-Huntsville) has prefiled a bill, SB1, that would provide compensation benefits for full-time education employees who are injured while working.
Under current law, education employees have to pay for injuries out of pocket and request a reimbursement from the Board of Adjustment. The board determines how much an employee receives; the process can be time consuming and still leave employees with unpaid bills.
The bill would let employees continue to draw their salary for up to 90 days after being injured on the job, with a possibility for extension. They wouldn’t have to use up sick leave, and could get medical bills paid through the Public Education Employees Health Insurance Program.
Changes would apply to full-time education employees.
If passed, the bill would be known as the “Mary Anne Leonard Educators’ On-The-Job Injury Act,” in honor of a former Alabama teacher who had to stop working due to an on the job injury.
Leonard hit her head on a playground pole while playing with her students. The accident left her with a visual impairment and mobility issues, according to reports from the Alabama Reflector.
“There are some provisions that allow for the potential recovery through the board of adjustment,” Givhan told the Reflector. “This is not working well, and in my judgment, is not a satisfactory resolution for people who are injured taking care of our children.”
The filing on SB1 comes on the heels of a possible pay raise for Alabama teachers. In February, Gov. Kay Ivey proposed that teacher salaries start at $47,600, the highest among neighboring states. That’s a 7.6% increase over this year’s base salary of $44,226, topping previous raises teachers have received.
Decisions for the bill will be made in the 2025 session of the Legislature, which starts in February.
