WA HB2582

Fire departments with fewer than six firefighters must include all full paid employees in classified civil service with no exemptions permitted

Fire departments with six or more firefighters may exempt the fire chief from civil service if appointed after July 1, 1987, at the discretion of the local legislative body

When the fire chief is exempt, additional leadership positions may be designated as unclassified service based on department size: 2 positions for departments of 6-10 firefighters, scaling up to 10 positions for departments with 501+ personnel

Unclassified positions are limited to assistant chief, deputy chief, division chief, and administrative assistant/secretary roles, with initial selections made by the fire chief

Employees whose positions are moved to unclassified service retain the right to return to the next highest or equivalent position in classified civil service