(1) An eligible employee may transfer into the civil service system of the city, code city, or town fire department by filing a written request with the city, code city, or town civil service commission and by giving written notice thereof to the board of commissioners of the fire protection district. Upon receipt of such request by the civil service commission the transfer of employment shall be made. The employee so transferring will (a) be on probation for the same period as are new employees of the city, code city, or town fire department in the position filled, but if the transferring employee has already completed a probationary period as a firefighter prior to the transfer, then the employee may only be terminated during the probationary period for failure to adequately perform assigned duties, not meeting the minimum qualifications of the position, or behavior that would otherwise be subject to disciplinary action, (b) be eligible for promotion no later than after completion of the probationary period, (c) receive a salary at least equal to that of other new employees of the city, code city, or town fire department in the position filled, and (d) in all other matters, such as retirement, sick leave, and vacation, have, within the city, code city, or town civil service system, all the rights, benefits, and privileges to which he or she would have been entitled as a member of the city, code city, or town fire department from the beginning of employment with the fire protection district: PROVIDED, That for purposes of layoffs by the annexing fire agency, only the time of service accrued with the annexing agency shall apply unless an agreement is reached between the collective bargaining representatives of the employees of the annexing and annexed fire agencies and the annexing and annexed fire agencies. The board of commissioners of the fire protection district shall, upon receipt of such notice, transmit to any applicable civil service commission a record of the employee's service with the fire protection district which shall be credited to such employee as a part of the period of employment in the city, code city, or town fire department. All accrued benefits are transferable provided that the recipient agency provides comparable benefits. All benefits shall then accrue based on the combined seniority of each employee in the recipient agency.

     (2) As many of the transferring employees shall be placed upon the payroll of the city, code city, or town fire department as the department determines are needed to provide services. These needed employees shall be taken in order of seniority and the remaining employees who transfer as provided in this section and RCW 35.13.215 and 35.13.235 shall head the list for employment in the civil service system in order of their seniority, to the end that they shall be the first to be reemployed in the city, code city, or town fire department when appropriate positions become available: PROVIDED, That employees who are not immediately hired by the city, code city, or town shall be placed on a reemployment list for a period not to exceed thirty-six months unless a longer period is authorized by an agreement reached between the collective bargaining representatives of the employees of the annexing and annexed fire agencies and the annexing and annexed fire agencies.

[1994 c 73 § 3; 1986 c 254 § 8.]

NOTES:

     Effective date -- 1994 c 73: See note following RCW 35.10.365.