The Alabama Department of Corrections will hold job fairs in Atmore at Atmore City Hall on Monday, Aug. 13, and Thursday, Oct. 1, in an attempt to fill more than 200 job openings at both the Fountain and Holman Correctional Facilities.

The two job fairs will begin at 9 a.m. and last until 2 p.m. both days.

Capt. Mark Loman, director of recruiting for the Department of Corrections, described the available jobs as flexible, rewarding and potentially lucrative for qualified applicants.

“This is more than a job; it’s a career,” Loman said. “People can make a lot of money in this field, provide for their family and secure their retirement.”

An entry-level position starts at $28,516, with enhancements that raise the starting salary to almost $30,000. Applicants receive an additional 5 percent for an associate’s degree and 10 percent for a bachelor’s degree. Certified officers also receive $12 per day in subsistence pay.

Corrections officers work 12-hour shifts, but get every other weekend off and receive three days off in a row — Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Officers receive 13 annual leave and 13 sick days each year, 13 state holidays, and 21 days paid military leave when applicable. Officers also are paid during training, receive health and dental insurance, and gain access to state retirement, supplemental investment, and employee injury and workman’s compensation programs.
After five years, officers are eligible for a longevity bonus.

The qualifications for the job are as follows: High school diploma or GED certificate, valid driver’s license, no felony convictions, no domestic violence convictions, U.S. citizenship, and the ability to pass a written exam, background check and drug tests. If the applicant has been discharged from the U.S. Armed Forces, the discharge must have been under honorable conditions.

Applicants must also be 19 years of age, in good health and physically fit. Applicants will be administered a physical ability test, which includes requirements to complete 22 push-ups in one minute, 25 sit-ups in one minute, and be able to run 1.5 miles in 15 minutes and 28 seconds or less.

At current pay rates, entry-level corrections officers (rank: CO) can make as much as $45,501.60 per year. As they progress through the system, they can eventually make as much as $90,724.80 as a correctional warden (rank: CWIII).

Those interested in a position should come to the Atmore City Hall between the hours of 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 13 or Thursday, Oct. 1. Testing for applicants will be held Friday, Oct. 9.

For more information, call Capt. Mark Loman at (334) 353-4666 or send an email to mark.loman@doc.alabama.gov.