(a) Notwithstanding any other law or regulation, the Mayor is authorized to provide for the transfer of Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department personnel holding valid certificates as paramedics or emergency medical technicians to be uniformed firefighters.

(1) Transfer shall be to the firefighter step and class with a rate of pay closest to, but not lower than, the rate of pay earned by the employee prior to transfer.

(2) Transferred employees may elect to participate in the District of Columbia Police Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Retirement Program established pursuant to Chapter 9 of Title 1 [§ 1-901.01 et seq.]. (“Program”).

(3) Transfer is conditioned on the transferred employee meeting the requirements for entry-level firefighters, including meeting established medical standards, undergoing a background check, and successfully completing a physical abilities test and the firefighting training program.

(4) Transferred employees are required to meet citizenship requirements set forth by law or regulation.

(5) Maximum age limitations for appointment shall not apply to transferred employees.

(a-1) Repealed.

(b) The Mayor, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 2 of Title 1, may issue rules to implement the provisions of this title [section].

(Oct. 3, 2001, D.C. Law 14-28, § 202, 48 DCR 6981; Mar. 13, 2004, D.C. Law 15-105, § 37(a), 51 DCR 881; Mar. 31, 2009, D.C. Law 17-356, § 2, 56 DCR 1614; Sept. 26, 2012, D.C. Law 19-171, § 39, 59 DCR 6190; Dec. 13, 2017, D.C. Law 22-33, § 7046, 64 DCR 7652.)

This section is referenced in § 5-544.01 and § 5-704.

Section 7046 of D.C. Law 22-33 repealed Law 17-356.

D.C. Law 15-105, in subsec. (a)(2), validated a previously made technical correction.

D.C. Law 17-356, The 2009 amendment by D.C. Law 17-356 added “or All Hazards/Emergency Medical Services ('EMS') Specialists” in the introductory language of (a); rewrote (a)(2) to read “Transferred employees may elect to participate in the District of Columbia Police Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Retirement Program established pursuant to Chapter 9 of Title 1 ('Program')”; and added (a-1).

The 2012 amendment by D.C. Law 19-171 validated a previously made technical correction in (a-1).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 7046 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-167, Oct. 24, 2017, 64 DCR 10802).

For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 7046 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-104, July 20, 2017, 64 DCR 7032).

For temporary (90 day) addition of section, see § 202 of Fiscal Year 2002 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2001 (D.C. Act 14-124, August 3, 2001, 48 DCR 7861).

Section 4 of D.C. Law 17-356 provided that this act shall apply upon the inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.

The Budget Director of the Council of the District of Columbia has determined, as of February 15, 2012, that the fiscal effect of Law 17-356 has not been included in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore, the provisions of this section, enacted by Law 17-356, are not in effect.