RCW 41.14.120 Removal, suspension, demotion, or discharge—Procedure—Appeal.

No person in the classified civil service who has been permanently appointed or inducted into civil service under provisions of this chapter, shall be removed, suspended, demoted, or discharged except for cause, and only upon written accusation of the appointing power or any citizen or taxpayer; a written statement of which accusation, in general terms, shall be served upon the accused, and a duplicate filed with the commission. Any person so removed, suspended, discharged, or demoted may within ten days from the time of his or her removal, suspension, discharge, or demotion file with the commission a written demand for an investigation, whereupon the commission shall conduct such investigation. Upon receipt of the written demand for an investigation, the commission shall within ten days set a date for a public hearing which will be held within thirty days from the date of receipt. The investigation shall be confined to the determination of the question of whether the removal, suspension, demotion, or discharge was made in good faith for cause. After such investigation the commission shall render a written decision within ten days and may affirm the removal, suspension, demotion, or discharge, or if it finds that removal, suspension, demotion, or discharge was not made in good faith for cause, shall order the immediate reinstatement or reemployment of such person in the office, place, position, or employment from which he or she was removed, suspended, demoted, or discharged, which reinstatement shall, if the commission so provides, be retroactive, and entitle such person to pay or compensation from the time of the removal, suspension, demotion, or discharge. The commission upon such investigation, in lieu of affirming a removal, suspension, demotion, or discharge, may modify the order by directing the removal, suspension, demotion, or discharge without pay, for a given period, and subsequent restoration to duty, or demotion in classification, grade, or pay. The findings of the commission shall be certified, in writing to the appointing power, and shall be forthwith enforced by such officer.

All investigations made by the commission pursuant to this section shall be by public hearing, after reasonable notice to the accused of the time and place thereof, at which hearing the accused shall be afforded an opportunity of appearing in person and by counsel, and presenting his or her defense. If order of removal, suspension, demotion, or discharge is concurred in by the commission or a majority thereof, the accused may appeal therefrom to the superior court of the county wherein he or she resides. Such appeal shall be taken by serving the commission, within thirty days after the entry of its order, a written notice of appeal, stating the grounds thereof, and demanding that a certified transcript of the record and of all papers on file in the office of the commission affecting or relating to its order, be filed by the commission with the court. The commission shall, within ten days after the filing of the notice, make, certify, and file such transcript with the court. The court shall thereupon proceed to hear and determine the appeal in a summary manner. Such hearing shall be confined to the determination of whether the order of removal, suspension, demotion, or discharge made by the commission, was or was not made in good faith for cause, and no appeal shall be taken except upon such ground or grounds. The decision of the superior court may be appealed to the supreme court or the court of appeals.

[ 2012 c 117 § 15; 1984 c 199 § 1; 1982 c 133 § 1; 1971 c 81 § 102; 1959 c 1 § 12 (Initiative Measure No. 23, approved November 4, 1958).]