Every person who was a member of a
fire-fighting organization operated by a private enterprise,
which fire-fighting organization shall be hereafter acquired
before September 1, 1959, by a municipality as its fire
department as a matter of public convenience or necessity, where
it is in the public interest to retain the trained personnel of
such fire-fighting organization, shall have added and accredited
to his or her period of employment as a firefighter his or her
period of service with said private enterprise, except that this
shall apply only to those persons who are in the service of such
fire-fighting organization at the time of its acquisition by the
municipality and who remain in the service of that municipality
until this chapter shall become applicable to such persons.
No such person shall have added and accredited to his or her
period of employment as a firefighter his or her period of
service with said private enterprise unless he, she, or a third
party shall pay to the municipality his or her contribution for
the period of such service with the private enterprise at the
rate provided in RCW 41.18.030, or, if he or she shall be
entitled to any private pension or retirement benefits as a
result of such service with the private enterprise, unless he or
she agrees at the time of his or her employment by the
municipality to accept a reduction in the payment of any benefits
payable under this chapter that are based in whole or in part on
such added and accredited service by the amount of those private
pension or retirement benefits received. For the purposes of RCW 41.18.030, the date of entry of service shall be deemed the date
of entry into service with the private enterprise, which service
is accredited by this section, and the amount of contributions
for the period of accredited service shall be based on the wages
or salary of such person during that added and accredited period
of service with the private enterprise.
The city may receive payments for these purposes from a
third party and shall make from such payments contributions with
respect to such prior service as may be necessary to enable the
fund to assume its obligations.
[2007 c 218 § 57; 1959 c 69 § 1.]
NOTES:
Intent -- Finding -- 2007 c 218: See note following RCW 1.08.130.