Legislation that would have allowed employers to designate certain employees as seasonal workers never made it to a vote in the full Senate.

On Feb. 2, the Senate Fiscal Responsibility and Economic Development Committee approved SB100 by Sen. Chris Elliott, R-Fairhope, which would have allowed an employer to apply to the Department of Labor for seasonal employer status at least 60 days prior to the employer’s active seasonal period.

The bill defined a company’s active seasonal period as “the regularly recurring period of working operations within a calendar year, not to exceed six months, in which a seasonal employer customarily has an increase of 20% in business operations.”

Elliott said employers would not “put in or take out unemployment,” for seasonal workers under his bill.

The committee amended the bill for clarity at the request of the Alabama Labor Department.

Elliott said his bill needed further adjustments to make certain it didn’t upset the balance of the Unemployment Compensation Insurance Trust Fund. He specifically mentioned the possibility of limiting the legislation to certain payroll classes.

Lt. Gov. Will Ainsworth told media that the bill would “assist businesses in the hospitality industry and retailers operating during holiday seasons.” SB100 was part of the Alabama Small Business Commission’s legislative package.

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