Title 41 — Title 41 PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, CIVIL SERVICE, AND PENSIONS
37 chapters · 1,408 sections in this title.
RCW 41.18.010 Definitions.
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For the purpose of this chapter, unless clearly indicated otherwise by the context, words and phrases shall have the meaning hereinafter ascribed.(1) "Basic salary" means the basic monthly salary, including longevity pay, attached to the rank held by the retired firefighter at th…
RCW 41.18.015 Pension boards—Members—Terms—Vacancies—Officers—Quorum.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***(1) There is hereby created in each fire protection district which qualifies under this chapter, a firefighters' pension board to consist of the following five members, the chairperson of the fire commissioners for said district who shal…
RCW 41.18.020 Powers and duties of board.
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The board, in addition to such general and special powers as are vested in it by the provisions of chapter 41.16 RCW, which powers the board shall have with respect to this chapter shall have power to:(1) Generally supervise and control the administration of this chapter;(2) Pass…
RCW 41.18.030 Contributions by firefighters.
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Every firefighter to whom this chapter applies shall contribute to the firefighters' pension fund a sum equal to six percent of his or her basic salary which shall be deducted therefrom and placed in the fund.[ 2007 c 218 s 44; 1961 c 255 s 2; 1955 c 382 s 3.]Notes:Intent—Finding…
RCW 41.18.040 Retirement for service—Widow's or widower's pension—Payments to children.
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Whenever any firefighter, *at the time of taking effect of this act or thereafter, shall have been appointed under civil service rules and have served for a period of twenty-five years or more as a member in any capacity of the regularly constituted fire department of any city, t…
RCW 41.18.042 Actuarially reduced retirement allowance—Spousal benefit.
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(1) Any retired firefighter married to a spouse ineligible for survivor benefits under RCW 41.18.040, 41.18.080, and 41.18.100 may choose an actuarially equivalent benefit adopted by the board that pays the retired firefighter a reduced retirement allowance, and upon death such p…
RCW 41.18.045 Pension benefits for widows or widowers of unretired, eligible firefighters—Retroactive.
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Upon the death of a firefighter who is eligible to retire under RCW 41.18.040 as now or hereafter amended, but who has not retired, a pension shall be paid to his widow or her widower at the same monthly rate that he or she was eligible to receive at the time of his or her death,…
RCW 41.18.050 Disablement in line of duty—Retirement.
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Every firefighter who shall become disabled as a result of the performance of duty may be retired at the expiration of six months from the date of his or her disability, upon his or her written request filed with his or her retirement board. The board may, upon such request being…
RCW 41.18.060 Disablement in line of duty—Inactive period—Allowance—Medical, hospital, nursing care.
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Whenever the retirement board, pursuant to examination by the board's physician and such other evidence as it may require, shall find a firefighter has been disabled while in the performance of his or her duties it shall declare the firefighter inactive. For a period of six month…
RCW 41.18.080 Payment upon disablement not in line of duty.
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Any firefighter who has completed his or her probationary period and has been permanently appointed, and sustains a disability not in the performance of his or her duty which renders him or her unable to continue his or her service, may request to be retired by filing a written r…
RCW 41.18.090 Examination of disability pensioners—Restoration to active duty.
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The board shall require all firefighters receiving disability pensions to be examined every six months: PROVIDED, That no such examinations shall be required if upon certification by physicians the board shall formally enter upon its records a finding of fact that the disability …
RCW 41.18.100 Payment on death in line of duty or while retired on account of service-connected disability.
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In the event a firefighter is killed in the performance of duty, or in the event a firefighter retired on account of service-connected disability shall die from any cause, his widow or her widower shall receive a monthly pension under one of the following applicable provisions: (…
RCW 41.18.102 Applicability of RCW 41.18.040 and 41.18.100.
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The provisions of RCW 41.18.040 and 41.18.100 shall be applicable to all firefighters employed prior to March 1, 1970, but shall not apply to any former firefighter who has terminated his or her employment prior to July 1, 1969.[ 2007 c 218 s 52; 1969 ex.s. c 209 s 32.]Notes:Inte…
RCW 41.18.104 Annual increase in benefits payable on retirement for service or disability—Appeals.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***The amount of all benefits payable under the provisions of RCW 41.18.040, 41.18.080, 41.18.100 and 41.18.200 as now or hereafter amended, shall be increased annually as hereafter in this section provided. The local pension board shall me…
RCW 41.18.130 Payment on separation—With less than twenty-five years service or less than fifty years of age—Option to be classified as vested firefighter.
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Any firefighter who shall have served for a period of less than twenty-five years, or who shall be less than fifty years of age, and shall resign, or be dismissed from the fire department for a reason other than conviction for a felony, shall be paid the amount of his or her cont…
RCW 41.18.140 Funeral expenses.
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The board shall pay from the firefighters' pension fund upon the death of any active or retired firefighter the sum of $1,000, to assist in defraying the funeral expenses of such firefighter.[ 2024 c 169 s 1; 2007 c 218 s 54; 1961 c 255 s 7; 1955 c 382 s 13.]Notes:Intent—Finding—…
RCW 41.18.150 Credit for military service.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 5420.SL) ***Every person who was a member of the fire department at the time he or she entered and served in the armed forces of the United States in time of war, whether as a draftee, or inductee, and who shall have been discharged from such armed for…
RCW 41.18.160 Certain firefighters may elect to be covered under other law.
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Every firefighter as defined in this chapter heretofore employed as a member of a fire department, whether or not as a prior firefighter as defined in chapter 41.16 RCW, who desires to make the contributions and avail himself or herself of the pension and other benefits of said c…
RCW 41.18.165 Credit for membership in private organization acquired by municipality.
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Every person who was a member of a firefighting organization operated by a private enterprise, which firefighting 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 i…
RCW 41.18.170 Application of chapter.
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The provisions of this chapter governing contributions, pensions, and benefits shall have exclusive application (1) to firefighters as defined in this chapter hereafter becoming members of a fire department, (2) to firefighters as defined in this chapter heretofore employed in a …
RCW 41.18.180 Firefighter contributor under prior law may obtain benefits of chapter—Refunds.
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Any firefighter who has made contributions under any prior act may elect to avail himself or herself of the benefits provided by this chapter or under such prior act by filing written notice with the board within sixty days from June 7, 1961: PROVIDED, That any firefighter who ha…
RCW 41.18.190 Transfer of membership authorized.
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Any firefighter as defined in RCW 41.18.010 who has prior to July 1, 1969 been employed as a member of a fire department and who desires to make contributions and avail himself or herself of the pension and other benefits of chapter 41.18 RCW as now law or hereafter amended, may …
RCW 41.18.200 Minimum pension.
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All retirees and survivors receiving a pension under the provisions of this chapter shall from and after April 25, 1973 receive a minimum pension of three hundred dollars per month.[ 1973 1st ex.s. c 181 s 2.]
RCW 41.18.210 Transfer of credit from city employees' retirement system to firefighters' pension system.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***Any former employee of a department of a city of the first class, who (1) was a member of the employees' retirement system of such city, and (2) is now employed within the fire department of such city, may transfer his or her former memb…
RCW 41.18.900 Construction—Chapter applicable to state registered domestic partnerships—2009 c 521.
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For the purposes of this chapter, the terms spouse, marriage, marital, husband, wife, widow, widower, next of kin, and family shall be interpreted as applying equally to state registered domestic partnerships or individuals in state registered domestic partnerships as well as to …