Ala. Code § 45-27-120.10

All classified employees shall be hired from a list of job applicants who meet the job related qualifications in accordance with policies and procedures adopted by the county commission. The probate judge, sheriff, tax assessor, tax collector, and the county commission as a whole shall each be authorized one employee to serve as a principle assistant in that department. These persons are unclassified employees and need not be hired from a list of applicants, but must meet the job qualifications set for the position by the county commission. The county commission may authorize additional assistants, but it is the intent of this article to keep these assistants to a minimum. If two or more elected offices are combined, the elected official shall have no more than one unclassified employee.