Title IX, LOCAL GOVERNMENT (Ch. 331 - 420)

1. A city council, by majority vote, may suspend the practices specified in subsection 2 that are generally required pursuant to this chapter for the hiring of an employee of a department governed by civil service. A suspension shall not be in effect for more than one year, but a…

1. The chief of the fire department and the chief of the police department shall be appointed from the chiefs’ civil service eligible lists. Such lists shall be determined by original examination open to all persons applying, whether or not members of the employing city. The chie…

A police officer under civil service may be appointed chief of police and a fire fighter under civil service may be appointed chief of the fire department without losing civil service status, and shall retain, while holding the office of chief, the same civil service rights that …

1. All appointments or promotions to positions within the scope of this chapter other than those of chief of police and chief of fire department shall be made: a. In cities under the commission form of government, by the superintendents of the respective departments, with the app…

All appointive officers and employees of cities shall be selected with reference to their qualifications and fitness and for the good of the public service, and without reference to their political faith or party allegiance. [SS15, §1056-a32; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 5700; C46, 50,…

1. Except as otherwise provided in section 400.7 , a person shall not be appointed, promoted, or employed in any capacity, including a new classification, in the fire or police department, or any department which is governed by the civil service, until the person has passed a civ…

1. A person holding civil service rights as provided in this chapter shall only be removed, discharged, demoted, or suspended with just cause and upon a finding by a preponderance of the evidence that an act or failure to act by the employee is in violation of law, city policies,…

The person having the appointing power as provided in this chapter , or the chief of police or chief of the fire department, may, upon presentation of reasonable and just grounds for such action to the subordinate in writing, peremptorily remove, discharge, demote, or suspend a s…

1. The commissioners must be citizens of Iowa, eligible electors as defined in chapter 39 , and residents of the city preceding their appointment, and shall serve without compensation. A person, while on the commission, shall not hold or be a candidate for any office of public tr…

The removal, discharge, demotion, or suspension of a person holding civil service rights may be appealed to the civil service commission within fourteen calendar days after the removal, discharge, demotion, or suspension. [SS15, §1056-a32; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, § 5704; C46, 50, 54…

If the appeal be taken by the person removed, discharged, demoted, or suspended, notice of the appeal, signed by the appellant and specifying the ruling appealed from, shall be filed with the clerk of the commission. If the appeal is taken by the person making such removal, disch…

Within fourteen calendar days from the service of the notice of appeal, the person or body making the ruling appealed from shall file with the body to which the appeal is taken a written specification of the charges and grounds upon which the ruling was based. If the charges are …

A person shall not knowingly withhold exculpatory evidence from an employee subject to a written specification of charges filed under section 400.22 . 2025 Acts, ch 82, §6, 12 Section effective August 16, 2025; 2025 Acts, ch 82, §12 NEW section

Within ten days after such specifications are filed, the commission shall fix the time for a hearing, which shall be not less than five nor more than twenty days thereafter, and the place for hearing the appeal. The commission shall notify the parties in writing of the time and p…

1. The presiding officer of the commission or the council, as the case may be, shall have power to administer oaths in the same manner and with like effect and under the same penalties as in the case of magistrates exercising criminal or civil jurisdiction. 2. The council or comm…

In case a witness is duly subpoenaed and refuses to attend, or in case a witness appears and refuses to testify or to produce required books or papers, the official body hearing the appeal shall, in writing, report such refusal to the district court of the county, and said court …

The trial of all appeals shall be public, and the parties may be represented by counsel or by the parties’ authorized collective bargaining representative. However, upon the request of the employee, the deliberations of the commission in a city with a population of less than two …

1. a. The civil service commission has jurisdiction to hear and determine matters involving the rights of civil service employees under this chapter , and may affirm, modify, or reverse any case on its merits. b. If the commission determines that the city proved the employee comm…

A city council may implement a diminution of employees in a classification or grade under civil service. Such a diminution shall be carried out in accordance with any procedures provided in a collective bargaining agreement to which a bargaining unit that has at least thirty perc…

1. A person holding a civil service position shall not, while performing official duties or while using city equipment at the person’s disposal by reason of the position, solicit in any manner contribution for any political party or candidate or engage in any political activity d…

1. In cities having a population of less than eight thousand, the city council may, by ordinance, adopt the provisions of this chapter in which case it shall either appoint such commission or provide, by ordinance, for the exercise of the powers and performance of the duties of t…

The provisions of this chapter shall be strictly carried out by each person or body having powers or duties thereunder, and any act or failure to act tending to avoid or defeat the purposes of such provisions is hereby prohibited and shall be a simple misdemeanor. [C39, § 5713.1;…

In cities where the board of waterworks trustees has adopted a resolution placing its employees under this chapter as to civil service, the civil service commission acting under this chapter has charge of the civil service procedure as to those employees and this chapter applies.…

1. The commission shall elect a chairperson from among its members. In cities having a population of more than seventy-five thousand, the commission shall appoint a clerk of the commission. In all other cities the city clerk or a designee of the city clerk shall be clerk of the c…

The council shall provide suitable rooms in which the commission may hold its meetings and supply the commission with all necessary equipment and a qualified shorthand reporter or an electronic voice recording device to enable it to properly perform its duties. [SS15, §1056-a32; …

This chapter applies to permanent full-time police officers and fire fighters in cities having a population of more than eight thousand, and to all appointive permanent full-time employees in cities having a population of more than fifteen thousand except: 1. Persons appointed to…

1. An employee regularly serving in or holding a position when the position becomes subject to this chapter or when the position is reclassified by the city shall retain the position and have full civil service rights in the position under any of the following conditions: a. The …

1. The commission, when necessary under the rules, including minimum and maximum age limits, which shall be prescribed and published in advance by the commission and posted in the city hall, shall hold examinations for the purpose of determining the qualifications of applicants f…

The board of trustees of the fire and police retirement system established by section 411.5 , in consultation with the medical board established in section 411.5 , shall establish and maintain protocols and guidelines for ongoing wellness and fitness for police officers and fire …

1. The commission shall, at such times as shall be found necessary, under such rules as shall be prescribed and published in advance by the commission, and posted in the city hall, hold competitive promotional examinations for the purpose of determining the qualifications of appl…