Fire dept. civil service

AN ACT Relating to civil service positions in city and town fire 1
departments; and amending RCW 41.08.050. 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 41.08.050 and 1987 c 339 s 1 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
((The classified civil service and provisions of this chapter 6
shall include all full paid employees of the fire department of each 7
city, town or municipality coming within its purview, except that 8
individuals appointed as fire chief after July 1, 1987, may be 9
excluded by the legislative body of the city, town, or 10
municipality.)) (1) For fire departments with fewer than six 11
firefighters, including the fire chief, the classified civil service 12
provisions of this chapter include all full paid employees of the 13
department of the city, town, or municipality.14
(2) For fire departments with six or more firefighters, including 15
the fire chief, the legislative body of a city, town, or municipality 16
may exempt from civil service individuals appointed as fire chief 17
after July 1, 1987.18
(a) If the fire chief is not exempt, the classified civil service 19
includes all full paid employees of the department of the city, town, 20
or municipality, including the fire chief.21
H-3002.1
HOUSE BILL 2582
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Representatives Paul and Shavers
Read first time 01/20/26. Referred to Committee on Local Government.
p. 1 HB 2582
(b) If the fire chief is exempt, the classified civil service 1
includes all full paid employees of the department of the city, town, 2
or municipality, except the fire chief and an additional number of 3
positions, designated the unclassified service, determined as 4
follows:5
6
7
Department Personnel Unclassified
Position Appointments
8 6 through 10 2
9 11 through 20 3
10 21 through 50 4
11 51 through 100 5
12 101 through 250 6
13 251 through 500 8
14 501 and over 10
(3) The unclassified position appointments authorized by 15
subsection (2)(b) of this section may only include selections from 16
the following positions up to the limit of the number of positions 17
authorized: Assistant chief, deputy chief, division chief, and 18
administrative assistant or administrative secretary. The initial 19
selection of specific positions to be in the unclassified service and 20
exempt from civil service shall be made by the fire chief, who shall 21
notify the civil service commission of his or her selection. 22
Subsequent changes in the designation of which positions are in the 23
unclassified service may be made only with the concurrence of the 24
fire chief, the mayor or the city administrator, and the civil 25
service commission, and then only after the civil service commission 26
has heard the issue in an open meeting. If a position initially 27
selected by the fire chief to be in the unclassified service is in 28
the classified civil service at the time of the selection, and if the 29
position is occupied, the employee occupying the position has the 30
right to return to the next highest position or a like position in 31
the classified civil service.32
(4) All appointments to and promotions in said department shall 33
be made solely on merit, efficiency and fitness, which shall be 34
ascertained by open competitive examination and impartial 35
investigation. No person shall be reinstated in, or transferred, 36
p. 2 HB 2582
suspended or discharged from any such place, position or employment 1
contrary to the provisions of this chapter. 2
--- END ---
p. 3 HB 2582