Ala. Code § 45-58A-111.08: Employee Handbook; Disciplinary Action; Standard Operating Procedures.

(a)(1) The mayor or city manager, in consultation with the director and department heads, shall adopt rules, policies, and procedures for employees and compile them in an employee handbook that shall be amended as needed. All rules, policies, and procedures shall be effective immediately upon adoption by the mayor or city manager in consultation with the human resources director and department heads.

(2) The employee handbook, and any amendments thereto, shall be periodically reviewed by the council, which, by resolution, may direct the reissue of an updated edition.

(3) All rules, policies, and procedures shall be consistent with any state or federal law that governs the subject.

(4) At a minimum, the employee handbook shall contain rules, policies, and procedures covering the following subjects:

a. Accrual and use of sick leave. However, sick leave of any employee in the regular service already accrued as of the date of the adoption of this part shall not be diminished.

b. Accrual and use of personal leave or vacation time. However, vacation time of any employee in the regular service already accrued as of October 1, 2024, shall not be diminished.

c. Compensation, including accurate time-keeping, payroll calculation, and overtime pay.

d. Military leave of absence, including leave for National Guard and Reserve service.

e. Jury duty or other court attendance.

f. Unpaid leaves of absence, including leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, and any other unpaid leave mandated by law.

g. Holding other employment and outside work and conflicts of interest related thereto.

h. Probationary status.

i. Promotion and open-competitive position posting, applicant testing, eligibility determination, and register ranking.

j. Handling grievances between employees that do not rise to the disciplinary level.

k. Acts, omissions, or conduct that subject employees to discipline, reporting infractions, disciplinary measures up to termination, and appeals.

l. Employee performance reviews.

m. Reduction in force and reinstatement.

n. Resignation and retirement.

o. Benefits, including qualifying for medical coverage, post-separation continuation of coverage, and retirement.

(b) The employee handbook shall indicate which rights of employees and benefits do not apply or apply only in part to probationary employees and employees and roles in the exempt service.

(c) Each employee shall follow the rules, regulations, codes of conduct, policies, and procedures set out by the city, the infraction of which the city may impose disciplinary action.

(d) Any department, in consultation with the mayor or city manager and the director, may institute standard operating procedures necessary to the work of that department which govern the department’s personnel and are not inconsistent with the rules, policies, and procedures in the employee handbook.