Alabama does not have a comprehensive anti-discrimination law. However, Alabama does have a variety of laws prohibiting discrimination in employment in the sections below of the Alabama Code.
Age Discrimination
Age Discrimination - Title 25, Chapter 1, Article 3
State Employees Protection Act, Title 36, Chapter 26A
Discrimination Based on Religion, Title 36, Chapter 26
Discrimination Against the Handicapped, Title 21, Chapter 7
25-1-20 Definitions.
For the purposes of this article, the following words and phrases shall have the following meanings:
(1) DISCRIMINATORY PRACTICE. Any practice made unlawful by this article.
(2) EMPLOYER. Any person employing 20 or more employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year, including any agent of that person.
(3) EMPLOYMENT AGENCY. Any person regularly undertaking, with or without compensation, to procure employees for an employer or to procure for employees opportunities to work for an employer, including any agent of that person.
(4) LABOR ORGANIZATION. Any organization which exists for the purpose, in whole or in part, of collective bargaining, of dealing with employers concerning grievances, terms, or conditions of employment, or of other mutual aid or protection in connection with employment.
25-1-21 Discrimination against workers 40 years of age and over - Prohibited.
No employer, employment agency, or labor organization shall discriminate in employment against a worker 40 years of age and over in hiring, job retention, compensation, or other terms or conditions of employment.
25-1-22 Unlawful employment practices - Generally.
It is an unlawful employment practice for an employer to do any of the following:
(1) Fail or refuse to hire or discharge an individual, or otherwise discriminate against an individual with respect to compensation, terms, or privileges of employment, because of the age of the individual.
(2) Limit, segregate, or classify employees or applicants for employment in any way which would deprive or tend to deprive an individual of employment opportunities or to adversely affect the status of an individual as an employee, because of the age of the individual.
25-1-23 Unlawful employment practices - Employment agency.
It is an unlawful employment practice for an employment agency to fail or refuse to refer for employment, or otherwise to discriminate against an individual because of the age of the individual.
25-1-24 Unlawful employment practices - Labor organization.
It is an unlawful employment practice for a labor organization to do any of the following:
(1) Exclude or expel from its membership, or otherwise discriminate against an individual because of the age of the individual.
(2) Limit, segregate, or classify its membership, or to classify or fail or refuse to refer for employment an individual in any way which would deprive or tend to deprive an individual of employment opportunities, or adversely affect the status of an individual as an employee, or as an applicant for employment, because of the age of the individual.
(3) Cause or attempt to cause an employer to discriminate against an individual in violation of this section.
25-1-25 Unlawful employment practices - Apprenticeship.
It is an unlawful employment practice for an employer, labor organization, or joint labor-management committee controlling apprenticeship or other training or retraining, including on-the-job training programs, to discriminate against an individual because of age in admission to, or employment in, any program established to provide apprenticeship or other training.
25-1-26 Unlawful employment practices - Licensure, etc.
It is an unlawful employment practice for an employer, employment agency, labor organization, or joint labor-management committee to discriminate against an individual seeking a license, certification, or seeking to take or pass an examination, because of the age of the individual.
25-1-27 Unlawful employment practices - Advertisement.
It is an unlawful employment practice for an employer, labor organization, employment agency, or joint labor-management committee to print, or cause to be printed or published, any notice or advertisement relating to employment, apprenticeship, or other training, indicating any preference, limitation, specification, or discrimination of age.
25-1-28 Unlawful employment practices - Opposition to employer.
It is an unlawful employment practice for an employer, labor organization, employment agency, or joint labor-management committee to discriminate against an individual because that individual has opposed any practice which is an unlawful employment practice under this article, or because that individual has made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner in an investigation, proceeding, or hearing under this article.
25-1-29 Remedies.
Any person aggrieved may elect to pursue their remedies under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as amended, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act 29 U.S.C. Section 621 or in the alternative bring a civil action in the circuit court of the county in which the person was or is employed for such legal or equitable relief as will effectuate the purposes of this article. However, if an action is brought in the federal court, any action pending in the state court shall be simultaneously dismissed with prejudice. Further, any party bringing action under this section shall only be entitled to one recovery of damages. Any damages assessed in one court will offset any entitlement to damages in any other state or federal court. In any action, a person shall be entitled to a trial by jury of any issue of fact in any action for recovery of amounts owed as a result of a violation of this article, regardless of whether equitable relief is sought by any party in the action. Any employment practice authorized by the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act shall also be authorized by this article and the remedies, defenses, and statutes of limitations, under this article shall be the same as those authorized by the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act except that a plaintiff shall not be required to pursue any administrative action or remedy prior to filing suit under this article.
State Employees Protection Act
36-26A-2 Definitions.
As used in this chapter, the following words and phrases have the following meanings:
(1) PUBLIC BODY. All of the following:
a. A state officer, employee, agency, department, division, bureau, board, commission, council, authority, or other body in the executive branch of state government.
b. An agency, board, commission, council, member, or employee of the legislative branch of state government.
c. A law enforcement agency, including the offices of the Attorney General and district attorneys, or any member or employee of a law enforcement agency.
d. The judicial branch of state government and any member or employee of that branch.
(2) STATE EMPLOYEE. A person defined as a classified employee under Section 36-26-2.
(3) SUPERVISOR. Any individual having authority, in the interest of the employer, to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, regard, or discipline other employees, or responsibly to direct them, or to adjust their grievances, or effectively to recommend such action, if, in connection with the foregoing, the exercise of the authority is not of a merely routine or clerical nature but requires the use of independent judgment.
36-26A-3 Discharge for reporting violation of law prohibited.
A supervisor shall not discharge, demote, transfer, or otherwise discriminate against a state employee regarding the state employee's compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment if the state employee, reports, under oath or in the form of an affidavit, a violation of a law, a regulation, or a rule, promulgated pursuant to the laws of this state, or a political subdivision of this state, to a public body.
36-26A-4 Limitations; venue.
(a) A state employee shall bring a civil action within two years after the occurrence of the alleged violation of this chapter.
(b) A civil action may be brought in Montgomery County, or in the county in which the supervisor against whom the civil complaint is filed resides.\
36-26A-5 Remedies.
A court, in rendering a judgment in an action brought pursuant to this chapter, may order, where appropriate, payment of back wages, front wages, and compensatory damages, or any combination of these remedies.
36-26A-6 Sovereign immunity.
This chapter does not create a new cause of action against the State of Alabama or its agencies.
36-26A-7 Conduct not protected.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to prevent or prohibit a supervisor from disciplining, discharging, transferring, or otherwise affecting the terms and conditions of a state employee's employment not connected with the conduct protected by this chapter.
36-26-38. Unlawful hiring practices -- religion.
(a) No person shall be appointed or promoted to or demoted or dismissed from any position in the classified service or in any way favored or discriminated against with respect to employment in the classified service because of his political or religious opinions or affiliations. No person shall seek or attempt to use any political endorsement in connection with any appointment to a position in the classified service. No person shall use or promise to use, directly or indirectly, any official authority or influence, whether possessed or anticipated, to secure or attempt to secure for any person an appointment or advantage in appointment to a position in the classified service or an increase in pay or other advantage in employment in any such position for the purpose of influencing the vote or political action of any person or for any consideration. No employee in the classified service and no member of the board shall, directly or indirectly, pay or promise to pay any assessment, subscription or contribution for any political organization or purpose or solicit or take any part in soliciting any such assessment, subscription or contribution under coercion; provided, however, it shall be unlawful for any officer or employee to solicit any type political campaign contributions from other employees who work for said officer or employee in a subordinate capacity. No employee in the classified service shall be a member of any national, state or local committee of a political party or an officer of a partisan political club or a candidate for nomination or election to any public office or shall take any part in the management or affairs of any political party or in any political campaign, except on his personal time and to exercise his right as a citizen privately to express his opinion and to cast his vote; provided, however, that nothing in this section shall prohibit any person in the classified service from serving out the term of a party office which he had been elected at the time this chapter goes into effect. Any employee in the classified service may engage in political action or political activities on personal time before and after work, holidays and during approved leave.
(b) Any officer or employee in the classified service who violates any of the foregoing provisions of this section shall forfeit his office or position.
21-7-8. Discrimination against handicapped - State employment.
It is the policy of this state that the blind, the visually handicapped and the otherwise physically disabled shall be employed in the state service, the service of the political subdivisions of the state, in the public schools and in all other employment supported in whole or in part by public funds on the same terms and conditions as the able-bodied, unless it is shown that the particular disability prevents the performance of the work involved.
Right To Breastfeed
Section 1. A mother may breastfeed her child in any location, public or private, where the mother is otherwise authorized to be present.