Other Languages(1) It is not necessary that a fire dispatcher pass a civil service examination for firemen or fire fighters in order to be considered a "fire fighter" as that term is used in chapter 41.26 RCW, the law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' retirement system; instead, it is sufficient that a person has been serving on a full-time, fully compensated basis as a fire dispatcher in a city, town or other municipal fire department which, on March 1, 1970, required its dispatchers to have passed a civil service examination for fireman or fire fighter ‑ without regard to whether the particular individual has, himself, taken or passed such an examination.(2) Any person who, on March 1, 1970, was employed in a fulltime, fully compensated basis by an employer covered by the law enforcement officers' and fire fighters' retirement system, and who, on May 21, 1971, was making contributions under the provisions of chapters 41.16 or 41.18 RCW, is also now to be considered a "fire fighter" for the purposes of chapter 41.26 RCW, whether or not he has taken or passed a civil service examination for fire fighters or firemen.(3) A retired fireman is entitled to the increased benefits provided by RCW 41.16.145 or RCW 41.18.104, as clarified by §§ 17 and 18 of chapter 257, Laws of 1971, 1st Ex. Sess., if he was retired for disability under either of those two chapters and was so retired prior to June 8, 1961.(4) A fire fighter who has vested under RCW 41.18.130 is not required to have attained the age of 50 years before being entitled to receive an allowance under that statute.
It is not necessary for a city fire fighter or a county deputy sheriff to have satisfactorily completed the probationary periods of service provided for in RCW 41.08.100 or RCW 41.14.130 in order to obtain membership in the Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System; likewise, as a matter of state law, it is not necessary for a city police officer to have satisfactorily completed the probationary period specified in RCW 41.12.100 in order to obtain membership in the retirement system but, conceivably, such a qualification could be established in this instance by a local charter provision or ordinance.
Applicability of public employees' retirement system (PERS) to employees of private transportation company acquired by Metro Transit; entitlement of such employees to service credit for periods of employment with private company; funding of such service credit by employer; impact of labor contract between Metro Transit and bargaining representative of employees on the foregoing.
If a person who was previously employed by a state agency but who was not then eligible for membership in the public employees retirement system (PERS) returns to employment on or after October 1, 1977, and then for the first time becomes a member of the retirement system, that person will be covered by the alternative pension benefits of Chapter 295, Laws of 1977, 1st Ex. Sess.
The three‑year statute of limitations is applicable to claims against municipal firemen's pension fund for a refund of overpayments to the fund by municipal firemen.
Where a member of the volunteer fire department of a fire protection district is injured in the performance of his duties as a fireman in consequence of tortious conduct on the part of the district, including district officials or employees, the fact that his disability is also compensable under the provisions of chapter 41.24 RCW, relating to the volunteer firemen's relief and pension system, does not constitute a defense to liability on the part of the fire protection district.
Municipal firemen retired under a pension law predating chapter 91, Laws of 1947, are not entitled to receive a post-retirement increase under the provisions of chapter 190, Laws of 1974, 1st Ex. Sess.
In the event that a member of the public employees retirement system, upon retirement, selects a particular form of retirement allowance as provided for in RCW 41.40.185 or RCW 41.40.190, the member may not thereafter (during his or her retirement) revoke the selection made at the time of retirement and either choose a different form of retirement allowance or change of beneficiary designation.
Necessity for completion of all contributions to the public employees' retirement fund as a condition precedent to acquisition of service credit for previous periods of employment under RCW 41.40.120(3), RCW 41.40.150(2), RCW 41.40.170(3) and RCW 41.40.361(5).
(1) A fireman who has made contributions under prior act and desires to avail himself of the benefits of chapter 255, Laws of 1961, must manifest his election by filing a written notice with the board within sixty days from June 8, 1961.(2) Such a fireman must return any refunds previously received by reason of selecting the benefits of prior acts before becoming entitled to the benefits provided by chapter 255, Laws of 1961, but such return of refunds need not be accomplished within sixty days after June 8, 1961.(3) A fireman who has received prior refunds cannot elect to come under the 1961 act without returning in full the amount of such refunds.(4) The return of refunds above described is to be made to the appropriate local firemen's pension board and a contract can be made between the fireman and the board for the payment of required refunds over a period of time; but until a complete return of such refunds is accomplished, the fireman in question will not be covered by the new act.(5) With the exception of those pre‑1947 (i.e., "prior") firemen who affirmatively elected, pursuant to chapter 382, Laws of 1955, to remain under the pre‑1947 pension system, firemen whose employment commenced prior to January 1, 1947, should be treated as being covered by chapter 382, Laws of 1955, and thereby required to contribute to the firemen's pension fund the salary percentages called for by that 1955 act rather than the lesser percentage called for by § 4, chapter 39, Laws of 1935.(6) A claim for refund of the overcontributions resulting from a mistake of law as to the applicability of chapter 91, Laws of 1947, would come within the three‑year statute of limitations.(7) Where a pre‑1947 (i.e., "prior") fireman pursuant to § 17, chapter 382, Laws of 1955, has elected to remain a member of the pre‑1947 pension system, his recovery of overcontributions due to a mistake of law is a refund by reason of selection of the benefits of prior acts and consequently, such overcontributions as have been thus recovered are returnable as a condition precedent to coverage under the new 1961 act if an election to be so covered is made.(8) A fireman whose employment commenced prior to January 1, 1947, is a member of the 1955 pension system in the absence of an affirmative election to the contrary. If an election to come into the 1947 [[Orig. Op. Page 2]]or 1955 system has been made by a particular prior fireman, such fireman cannot now elect to return to the pre‑1947 pension system.