employee merit system; dismissal; appeal

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not include information about whether public hearings are allowed or closed based on the bill's provisions.

Changes Appeal Time for Employee Dismissal in Arizona

HB2681 changes the time an employee has to appeal a dismissal, suspension, or reduction from 10 calendar days to 10 business days.

What This Bill Does

• Shortens the time employees have to file an appeal after receiving notice of dismissal, suspension, or rank reduction from 10 calendar days to 10 business days.
• Requires that the order be filed in the employee's official county personnel record and a copy given to the affected employee.
• Specifies that the County Employee Merit System Commission must set a hearing date within 20 calendar days of receiving an appeal.

Who It Names or Affects

• Employees in the classified civil service who receive orders of dismissal, suspension, or reduction in rank or compensation.

Terms To Know

classified civil service

A system where government employees are hired based on merit and have job protections.

County Employee Merit System Commission

The commission responsible for handling appeals related to employee dismissals, suspensions, or reductions in rank or compensation.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify what happens if an appeal is filed after the new 10 business day deadline.
• Does not address how furloughs due to budget issues are handled.
• The bill does not provide details on how appeals will be processed beyond setting a time limit.

Official Summary Text

HB2681 - 572R - House Bill Summary

ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

57th
Legislature, 2nd Regular Session

Majority Research Staff

House:
GOV DP 7-0-0-0

HB
2681
: employee merit system; dismissal; appeal

Sponsor:
Representative Hernandez A, LD 20

House
Engrossed

Overview

Changes
the window that an officer or employee in the classified civil service can
appeal an order of dismissal, suspension or reduction to 10 business days after
the order is presented to them.

History

The appointing authority officer can dismiss, suspend, or
reduce an officer or employee in rank or compensation by a written order
stating the specific reasons for the action. The order must be filed in the
officer or employee's official county personnel record and a copy must be
provided to the officer or employee. The officer or employee has 10 calendar
days to appeal the order through the clerk of the County Employee Merit System Commission
(Commission). The Commission must set a hearing date within 20 calendar days of
receiving the order and the appeal. The appellant can appear with evidence and
counsel. The Commission may appoint a hearing officer to conduct the hearing
and receive evidence. When a single hearing officer is appointed, the hearing
must be open to the public unless there is good cause. If a hearing officer is
appointed following the hearing, the hearing officer must submit proposed
findings of fact, conclusions of law and a recommendation to the Commission. After
the hearing or receiving the hearing officer's findings, conclusions and
recommendations, the Commission must either affirm, modify or revoke the order
(
A.R.S. � 11-356
).

Provisions

1.

Alters the
time within which an officer or employee in the classified civil service can
appeal an order of dismissal, suspension or reduction of rank or compensation from
10 calendar days to 10 business days after the order is presented to them.
(Sec. 1)

2.

3.

4.

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5.

Initials ML/MN�������������� HB
2681

6.

3/11/2026� Page 0 House
Engrossed

7.

8.

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Current Bill Text

HB2681 - 572R - H Ver

House Engrossed

employee merit
system; dismissal; appeal

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-seventh Legislature

Second Regular Session

2026

HOUSE BILL 2681

AN
ACT

amending section 11-356, arizona revised
statutes; relating to the county employee merit system.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it
enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 11-356, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE
11-356.

Dismissal, suspension or reduction in rank of employees; appeals;
hearings; applicability

A. Any officer or employee in the classified civil
service may be dismissed, suspended or reduced in rank or compensation by the
appointing authority after appointment or promotion is complete only by written
order, stating specifically the reasons for the action. The order shall
be filed in the officer's or employee's official county personnel record and a
copy shall be furnished to the person to be dismissed, suspended or reduced.

B. Within ten
calendar

business
days after the order is presented to the officer or
employee, the officer or employee may appeal the order through the clerk of the
commission.� On the filing of the appeal, the clerk of the commission shall
immediately transmit the order and appeal to the commission for a hearing.

C. Within twenty calendar days after receiving the
order and appeal, the commission shall set a date for a hearing of the appeal.�
The appellant may appear personally, produce evidence and have counsel.

D. The commission may appoint a hearing officer to
conduct the hearing and take evidence on behalf of the commission.� If a
hearing officer is appointed to conduct the hearing, on conclusion of the
hearing the hearing officer shall submit proposed findings of fact, conclusions
of law and a recommendation to the commission.

E. Any appeal of a dismissal, suspension or
reduction in rank in which a single hearing officer has been appointed by the
commission to conduct the appeal hearing shall be open to the public unless the
hearing officer determines that good cause exists to close the hearing.

F. In any appeal of a dismissal, suspension or
reduction in rank in which a single hearing officer has been appointed to
conduct the appeal hearing, the officer or employee or the employer may request
a change of hearing officer.� On the first request of a party, the commission
shall grant the request.� The commission may grant all other requests only on a
showing that a fair and impartial hearing cannot be obtained due to the
prejudice of the assigned hearing officer.� The chairperson of the commission
shall decide whether a sufficient showing of prejudice has been made.

G. Following the hearing, or if a hearing officer
has been appointed, following receipt of the hearing officer's proposed
findings of fact, conclusions of law and recommendation, the commission shall
either affirm, modify or revoke the order.

H. The findings and decision of the commission shall
be final and shall be subject to administrative review as provided in title 12,
chapter 7, article 6.

I. This section does not apply to furloughs of
classified employees if the furloughs are undertaken to address budget
shortfalls or structural imbalance.
END_STATUTE