Our Purpose

Serve

Serve Alabama citizens by recruiting, cultivating, and supporting a mission- ready workforce grounded in merit, integrity, and public trust.

Partner

Partner with state agencies to provide timely, efficient, and effective services and solutions.

Strengthen

Strengthen state government through responsive, adaptable, and strategic personnel practices.

Attract

Attract top talent to state service by developing and promoting competitive and meaningful career pathways.

Our Values

Guiding & Developing

We provide guidance that is valuable, consistent, and aligned with best practices and merit-based principles.

Listening to Understand

We engage in focused and intentional conversations with our customers to understand their needs and provide thoughtful feedback.

Streamlining for Success

We strive to streamline our business processes for timely and accurate results.

Focusing on Solutions

We seek out fair and consistent resolutions following established rules, guidelines, and professional standards.

Building Trust

We continuously build trust through a reliable and consistent commitment to those we serve.

Communicating Clearly

We strive to establish and maintain clear lines of communication to promote clarity and provide responsive service.

State Personnel Board

Ms. Faye Nelson | Chair
Mr. Evan M. Thornton
Mr. David R. Mellon
Ms. Carolyn Fair
Mr. Phil Webb

SPD Leadership Team

Laury Morgan | Director
Amanda Mercado | Deputy Director

More about SPD

The State Personnel Board

The State Personnel Board oversees the operations and administration of the State Personnel Department. The Board consists of five members, each serving staggered six-year terms. The Governor appoints two members, while the Lieutenant Governor and Speaker of the House each appoint one member. In addition, one member must be a classified state employee (i.e., an employee subject to all merit system rules and regulations) elected by the employees within the classified service.

By law, the Board must meet at least once per month. The Board handles all matters at its monthly Board meeting, which include the following principal functions:

  • Adopting and amending its rules and regulations;
  • Adopting and modifying classifications and corresponding salary ranges;
  • Adopting and modifying the State’s Pay Plan;
  • Conducting hearings for employees who have appealed their dismissal from State employment;
  • Representing the taxpayers’ interest in the improvement and administration of personnel management within the State system;
  • Advising and assisting the Personnel Director.

While the law provides independence and continuity of the system from one administration to the next, the Governor must still provide approval in matters of fundamental importance. As such, rules and amendments approved by the Board are submitted to the Governor and become effective upon the Governor’s approval or on the tenth day after submission if the Governor has not rejected them. Further, the Governor may approve, change, or disapprove the Board’s amendments to the State Pay Plan.

The State Personnel Department

The Merit System Act created the State Personnel Department to oversee the implementation of, and adherence to, the Merit System. The State Personnel Board appoints a Director as the executive head of the Department. The Director then employs the individuals, experts, and special assistants necessary to carry out the functions of the department. Of those employed, the Director designates one employee of the Department as Deputy Director, who may carry out the Department’s functions in the Director’s absence.

The Department is charged with ensuring compliance with the Merit System Act. To that end, the Department establishes various job classifications for use by the State’s agencies, boards, and commissions. These classifications group positions with similar duties and responsibilities and establish consistent requirements for education, experience, knowledge, and skills. Each classification is assigned to a salary range within the State’s Pay Plan.

In addition to establishing the State’s job classifications, the Department accepts applications for those classifications and reviews applications to determine whether applicants meet the established requirements for the classification. In some cases, this includes developing and administering examinations or other assessments used to evaluate applicants for the classification. Qualified applicants who successfully complete the applicable selection process may be placed on a register. When a Merit System agency seeks to hire for a position, the agency will request a Referral List from the Department. The Department then provides a Referral List to the agency containing the top ten ranking eligible candidates from the appropriate register, plus any ties. The hiring agency will then return the Referral List to the Department, notating the candidate selected for appointment.

The Personnel Department is sub-divided into several statutory and service divisions represented by the links below. Please click below to learn more about each division and its responsibilities.

Classification and Pay Division

General Information

Maintenance of the State’s classification plan and pay plan is among the various statutory responsibilities prescribed to the State Personnel Director by the Code of Alabama. The Classification & Pay Division assists the State Personnel Director in this effort by researching and evaluating proposed changes to the plans, recommending appropriate actions, and monitoring their continued effectiveness.

The Division is headed by the Classification and Pay Manager, who reports directly to the Personnel Director, and is staffed by professional analysts, personnel assistants, and support staff.

The Classification & Pay Division supports the Personnel Director and State Personnel Board in maintaining an equitable classification plan and competitive pay plan. Together, these functions play a critical role in the State’s ability to recruit and retain a qualified workforce.

Classification and pay serve as the foundation of the State’s employment process. Before applicants can be recruited and evaluated, a job must first be clearly defined, properly classified, and assigned appropriate qualifications and compensation. These decisions help establish consistent employment standards while influencing the State’s ability to attract qualified applicants in a competitive job market.

Even the most effective selection process can identify the best candidates only from among those who apply. By establishing appropriate classifications, qualifications, and competitive salary structures, the Classification & Pay Division helps ensure the State is positioned to attract, select, and retain a capable workforce.

The State’s classification plan groups positions with similar duties and responsibilities into clearly defined job classifications. Positions assigned to the same classification have similar requirements for knowledge, skills, abilities, education, and experience. This structure allows similar positions to be treated consistently for purposes of recruitment, selection, and compensation.

The classification plan includes approximately 1,400 job classifications. Agencies may request changes to the plan, including revisions to existing classifications, establishment of new classifications, or abolishment of classifications that are no longer needed.

In reviewing a request, Classification & Pay analysts may interview agency managers and employees, compare similar classifications, and conduct salary or classification research involving other public employers and the private sector. The analyst’s findings and recommendations are reviewed within the Division and by the Personnel Director. Changes requiring State Personnel Board approval are presented to the Board for consideration, and those requiring the Governor’s approval are submitted accordingly.

The Classification & Pay Division conducts salary studies and evaluates proposed changes to the State’s Pay Plan to help ensure that compensation remains competitive and appropriate.

Each job classification is assigned to a salary range within the State’s Pay Plan. Most salary ranges consist of 22 steps, with approximately 2.5 percent between steps, although some classifications are assigned to different or expanded salary structures.

Employees may progress through their assigned salary range in several ways, including merit increases based on performance, promotional increases, general pay adjustments authorized by law, and other increases permitted under State Personnel Board rules. Certain special pay increases require approval by the State Personnel Board.

The Division reviews and maintains information about positions in the classified service through Position Classification Questionnaires, commonly referred to as PCQs or Form 40s. A Form 40 documents the duties, responsibilities, supervisory relationships, and other relevant characteristics of individual positions. State agencies are responsible for keeping this information current, particularly when significant changes occur in a position’s assigned duties or responsibilities.

The Division provides guidance and technical assistance to State agencies regarding classification and compensation policies and procedures. Division staff also review certain personnel actions involving matters such as transfers, pay changes, and overtime.

In the event of a layoff, the Division reviews proposed layoff plans for compliance with State Personnel Board rules, including the calculation of employee retention scores. Retention scores are determined using factors established by the Board’s rules, including performance and seniority within the affected classification and department.

Examination Division

General Information

The Merit System is founded on the principle that public employment should be accessible to all qualified individuals through a fair and equitable process. Employment opportunities are based on job-related qualifications, skills, abilities, and performance. The Examination Division of the State Personnel Department is responsible for developing and administering selection processes used to evaluate candidates for Merit System positions. The Division also supports statewide recruitment efforts for a variety of job classifications, helping attract qualified applicants to careers in public service.

The Examination Division is responsible for developing and administering selection procedures that evaluate and rank eligible applicants for state employment. These procedures are designed to identify the most qualified available candidates from the applicant pool for consideration in filling state job vacancies. Depending on the job classification, these procedures may assess an applicant’s qualifications, knowledge, skills, abilities, experience, and other competencies necessary for successful job performance.

Each job classification is defined by a classification specification, which provides a general description of the work performed and serves as a foundation for developing the job posting. When an agency or department needs to fill a vacancy and there is not an adequate eligible list of candidates, it may request that the State Personnel Department establish or update the appropriate eligible list. As part of this process, a job analysis is completed to identify and evaluate the essential functions and duties of the job, as well as the knowledge, skills, abilities, and other job-related qualifications necessary for successful performance. The results of the job analysis help ensure that the qualifications and selection procedures described in the job posting are relevant to the work being performed.

The Examination Division uses the term “test” broadly to describe a variety of job-related selection methods used to evaluate applicants for state employment. A test is not limited to a traditional written examination. Depending on the job classification, the selection process may include a review of qualifications listed on the application, written examinations, evaluations of education and experience, structured interviews, performance or skills-based assessments, and assessment center exercises. The specific testing method is selected based on the requirements of the job and the competencies needed for successful performance. The purpose of the testing process is to provide a fair, consistent, and objective means of evaluating applicants and identifying the best candidates for further consideration in the employment process

Certification Division

General Information

The Certification Division is the focal point of enforcement of the Merit System rules and regulations by ensuring registers are processed and applicants appointed in accordance with the rules of the State Personnel Board. The Division is headed by a Section Manager reporting to a Division Manager. The diversified tasks in this division include maintaining the registers, issuing certifications, and monitoring and enforcing the law regarding employment practices. The staff includes professional, technical, and clerical employees.

 

After classifications are established by the State Personnel Board, positions are approved, and examinations are administered and scored, the results are furnished to the Certification Division. These test results of candidates, shown by name and rank order from high score to low score, are called registers. It is the responsibility of this unit, upon request, to issue a “certification” which is a list of the applicants in the top ten on the register. Since all tie scores are certified, sometimes there are more than ten names, depending on the number of applicants who performed well on the examination. During the process of issuing certifications, the Department monitors and enforces relevant laws and policies for agencies.

There are several different types of registers available for use by state agencies. Open-competitive registers contain applicants who have met the minimum qualifications and who may or may not already work for the State of Alabama. Promotional registers include only current state employees who have met the minimum examination requirements and who are in line for a promotion. Departmental promotional registers include only current state employees in a specific department who meet the minimum job requirements and who are in line for a promotion. Reemployment registers are composed of former state employees who had status (i.e., who have successfully completed a probationary period) who have left state service in good standing and who have been recommended for re-employment by department management. Lay-off registers are composed of employees who have been laid off from their permanent state jobs and who have an absolute right to the first available job in their former job class. A lay-off register takes precedence over any other register in the filling of a vacancy in the department where the employee was laid off, and over open-competitive registers for any other state agency. Aside from this one restriction, an appointing authority may select any available register to fill a vacancy.

Personnel & Payroll Audit Division

General Information

The responsibility of the division is to certify, for the Personnel Director, the “lawfulness” of State Payrolls to the State Comptroller in order for payroll warrants to be issued. The staff includes professional, paraprofessional, technical and clerical employees. The Manager of the division reports directly to the State Personnel Director.

Every employment change to a merit employee, from initial employment to separation, including all pay rate changes, must be audited and approved by this division for lawfulness according to the Code of Alabama, State Personnel Board Rules, and State Personnel Procedures Manual. Included in their responsibility is the approval and recording of these changes in the automated personnel/payroll system to ensure accurate information for reporting purposes. The documents that solidify the changes to employee records are properly stored electronically and in paper format by this division. A personnel file is created and maintained for every employee hired in the merit system. This division is responsible for ensuring the personnel/payroll system calculates pay and leave correctly based on legislative changes, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and state law, including implementing all changes authorized by the State Personnel Board. The division also fields questions concerning personnel matters for hiring, promotions, separations, pay increases and leave administration.

Information Technology Division

General Information

The Information Technology Division is headed by the Division Manager, who reports directly to the State Personnel Director. The Division provides technology leadership and support for the Department and is responsible for the administration, security, maintenance, and oversight of the Department’s technology and data environment. Division staff includes system administrators, technical specialists, programmers, and support personnel who provide services necessary to maintain and support the Department’s technology infrastructure, applications, systems, and users.

The Information Technology Division is responsible for providing and maintaining the technology infrastructure, systems, data, security, and technical services necessary to support the operations of the State Personnel Department. The Division provides technical oversight of the Department’s data environment, including data integrity, security, access, and the appropriate exchange of data among Department systems and authorized external systems.

The Division administers and supports the Department’s modernized technology environment, including server-based systems and web-based applications. This includes responsibility for system administration, system integrations, data exchanges, security controls, technical support, system maintenance, and coordination with technology vendors and service providers. The Division also evaluates, researches, and implements emerging technologies and industry best practices to improve operational efficiency, security, accessibility, and the delivery of services as the technology needs of the State Personnel Department continue to evolve.

Training Division

General Information

The Training Division is operated by a State Personnel Training Coordinator and is supported by administrative staff. The Training Division reports to the Deputy Director.

The Training Division provides a centralized training effort that strives to meet the needs of state agencies and state employees regarding personnel policies and procedures, as well as management and leadership training. In addition, State Personnel legal staff provides training on topics such as state and federal employment laws and sexual harassment prevention. All programs are scheduled on a continual basis or by special request. A schedule of training events is distributed to each agency and is also located on the SPD website under Training Calendar.

Legal Division

General Information

State Personnel’s General Counsel serves as the head of the Legal Division and reports directly to the State Personnel Director. The Legal Division employs additional attorneys who assist State Personnel with legal matters and legislative affairs. The Division is supported by paralegal support staff.

The Legal Division is responsible for advising, coordinating, and assisting in all legal matters for the State Personnel Department and the State Personnel Board. These matters include, but are not limited to, compliance with the Merit System Law, as well as State and Federal law. The Legal Division also assists the State’s various agencies, boards, and commissions, by providing legal advice on issues related to Merit System compliance, employee discipline, and compliance with Federal and State employment laws. In addition, the Legal Division assists State agencies with employment litigation matters, coordinating this representation with the Attorney General’s Office. Finally, the Legal Division is responsible for handling Open Records requests to the State Personnel Department under the Alabama Open Records Act.

Administrative Law Division

General Information

The Administrative Law Division is composed of licensed attorneys, serving as Administrative Law Judges, and their administrative support staff. The Chief Administrative Law Judge is the head of the Administrative Law Division and reports directly to the State Personnel Director.

Administrative Law Judges of State Personnel conduct evidentiary hearings on behalf of the State Personnel Board in employee termination appeals. After the hearing, and upon consideration of the evidence presented, the Administrative Law Judges recommend to the Board whether the termination should be upheld, overturned, or addressed through some other action. The State Personnel Board then considers those recommendations at its monthly meetings and issues a final decision on the appeal.

In addition to conducting hearings on behalf of the State Personnel Board, the Administrative Law Division provides its expertise to various state agencies, boards, and commissions. In this capacity, Administrative Law Judges conduct evidentiary hearings at the request of the respective entity and, following consideration of the evidence presented, issue a recommendation to the appropriate decision-maker.