An annual report requirement that created unnecessary red tape this year for small corporations could be gone for good if the governor signs into law legislation that received final passage Thursday.
Many members alerted us to the issue, which the Alabama Retail Association and other business groups worked to rectify. Raising your concerns made this easy fix possible!
With only five legislative days remaining in the 2024 regular session, the state budgets and a lottery/gaming proposal remain on the table. Both are expected to come to the forefront. The Senate budget committee will take up the House-passed education budget Tuesday after holding a rare public hearing this week. Several bills in the ‘Working for Alabama’ package intended to increase Alabama’s workforce participation could also surface next week.
Meanwhile, Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Labor issued its final rule for classifying employees as exempt from overtime requirements. The final rule raises the salary threshold from $35,568 to $43,888 ($844 per week) on July 1, and raises it again to $58,656 ($1,128 per week) on Jan. 1, 2025. Under the rule, DOL will update the threshold every three years beginning in 2027. Read the DOL news release on the rule change and an analysis by our employment law partner under the FEDERAL header below.
The Alabama House will reconvene at 1 p.m. and the Senate at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, for the 26th legislative day of the 30-day regular session.
For legislative and other news of relevance to retailers,
read This Week in Retail News.
THIS WEEK IN RETAIL NEWS
Repeal of small corporations annual report requirement awaits governor’s signature to become law (alabamaretail.org)
Budget chair ‘holding’ proposed tax exemptions/credits; panel takes no vote on baby, maternity & menstrual exemption (alabamaretail.org)
Supporters ask Senate to preserve House-passed employer and facility childcare tax credits (alabamaretail.org)
Conference committee to consider withholding future economic incentives for businesses that voluntarily recognize unions (alabamaretail.org)
Alabama legislators delay meeting on gambling bill (alabamareflector.com)
Almost 10,000 online job ads made retail and restaurants among most advertised jobs in March (adol.alabama.gov)
House sends prohibiting food products made from cultured animal cells back to the Senate (alabamaretail.org)
Unemployed would need 5, rather than 3, prospective employer contacts per week to receive benefits under last-minute bill (alabamaretail.org)
Panel adds rail workers to bill aligning overtime hours eligible for income tax exemption to Fair Labor Standards Act (alabamaretail.org)
Lawmakers show openness to Medicaid expansion after health care briefing (aldailynews.com)
Expanded income qualifications announced for WIC (aldailynews.com) | ADPH news release (alabamapublichealth.gov)
Groups urge Alabama to reverse course, join summer meal program for low-income kids (apnews.com)
Committee debates pornography filter requirement bill (aldailynews.com)
FEDERAL
Biden-Harris administration finalizes rule to increase compensation thresholds for overtime eligibility (dol.gov)
Employment expert expects overtime exemption rule to face legal challenges; provides employer options if rule survives (lehrmiddlebrooks.com)
U.S. Chamber of Commerce sues to block FTC ban on non-competes (shrm.org)
FTC issues final rule banning non-competes nationwide in all industries (lehrmiddlebrooks.com)
MEMBER NEWS
Co-owner of Montgomery’s legendary Chris’ Hotdogs restaurant dies (wsfa.com)
Hibbett Sports to be acquired by British sports fashion company in $1.1 billion deal (wbrc.com)
A sweet detour: Point Clear candy shop sells treats and the family’s 100-year-old recipes (gulfcoastmedia.com)
Callaghan’s in Mobile named a top dive bar by Southern Living (baybusinessnews.com)
Previous Alabama Retail Reports
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