BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – Legislation to create an on-the-job injury program for teachers and other education workers cleared an Alabama Senate committee Wednesday with unanimous support.
“Many people are surprised to learn that our state education employees do not have worker’s compensation coverage for on-the-job injuries,” said bill sponsor Sen. Sam Givhan, R-Huntsville. While state employees receive workers’ compensation coverage, education employees do not.
Currently, teachers and other school employees must pay out-of-pocket for medical bills related to their injury and request reimbursement from the state Board of Adjustment, which reviews claims for damages from those hurt within a state agency or property. The process can be slow and may leave teachers responsible for significant costs upfront.
Givhan’s Senate Bill 1, would create a Public Education Employee Injury Compensation Board to oversee the program and establish a dedicated fund reimbursements. Education employees in K-12, including bus drivers, and community colleges would be covered.
Givhan acknowledged some language in the bill may change as he continues to work with education groups to refine the details, but said the bill is a priority.
Givhan’s bill swept through the Senate last year, but died on the House floor. Givhan told Alabama Daily News in May that his bill was among those that were “indirect casualties of gambling and collateral damage.”
This year he’s more optimistic, he said.
Sen. Kirk Hatcher, D-Montgomery, thanked Givhan and said the legislation was “very necessary,” citing his experience as a Head Start director.
“We are seeing a lot of teachers who are being hurt on the job because of a lot of behavioral challenges our babies have,” Hatcher said.
Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, echoed the urgency.
“This bill is so long overdue,” he said. “I can’t think of any bill any more important than this bill in our legislative session right now.”
A fiscal note filed with the bill estimates a minimum cost of $14.9 million. Lawmakers appropriated that amount in the current year’s budget, but it was never accessed since the bill failed to pass last session.
The Alabama Education Association, which represents a group of teachers currently suing the Board of Adjustment, praised the bill’s progress.
“Under the proposed changes, injured employees would no longer need to rely on the cumbersome reimbursement process through the Board of Adjustment. Instead, they could focus on recovering without financial hardship or the fear of losing critical work benefits,” AEA officials said in a statement.
The bill advances to the full Senate for consideration.