HB0809 EngrossedLRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1    AN ACT concerning local government.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by
5changing Sections 10-1-7.2 and 10-2.1-6.4 as follows:
 
6    (65 ILCS 5/10-1-7.2)
7    Sec. 10-1-7.2. Alternative procedure; original
8appointment; full-time firefighter.
9    (a) Authority. The Joint Labor and Management Committee
10(JLMC), as defined in Section 50 of the Fire Department
11Promotion Act, may establish a community outreach program to
12market the profession of firefighter and firefighter-paramedic
13so as to ensure the pool of applicants recruited is of broad
14diversity and the highest quality. Nothing in this Section
15requires that the Joint Labor and Management Committee
16establish or operate the community outreach program or master
17register of eligibles, or to contract with a testing agency to
18establish or operate such program or register, unless the
19Joint Labor and Management Committee chooses to do so.
20    For the purposes of this Section, "firefighter" means any
21person who has been prior to, on, or after the effective date
22of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly appointed
23to a fire department or fire protection district or employed

 

 

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1by a State university and sworn or commissioned to perform
2firefighter duties or paramedic duties, or both, except that
3the following persons are not included: part-time
4firefighters; auxiliary, reserve, or voluntary firefighters,
5including paid-on-call firefighters; clerks and dispatchers or
6other civilian employees of a fire department or fire
7protection district who are not routinely expected to perform
8firefighter duties; and elected officials.
9    (b) Eligibility. Persons eligible for placement on the
10master register of eligibles shall consist of the following:
11        Persons who have participated in and received a
12    passing total score on the mental aptitude, physical
13    ability, and preference components of a regionally
14    administered test based on the standards described in this
15    Section. The standards for administering these tests and
16    the minimum passing score required for placement on this
17    list shall be as is set forth in this Section.
18        Qualified candidates shall be listed on the master
19    register of eligibles in highest to lowest rank order
20    based upon their test scores without regard to their date
21    of examination. Candidates listed on the master register
22    of eligibles shall be eligible for appointment for 2 years
23    after the date of the certification of their final score
24    on the register without regard to the date of their
25    examination. After 2 years, the candidate's name shall be
26    struck from the list.

 

 

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1        Any person currently employed as a full-time member of
2    a fire department or any person who has experienced a
3    non-voluntary (and non-disciplinary) separation from the
4    active workforce due to a reduction in the number of
5    departmental officers, who was appointed pursuant to this
6    Division, Division 2.1 of Article 10 of the Illinois
7    Municipal Code, or the Fire Protection District Act, and
8    who during the previous 24 months participated in and
9    received a passing score on the physical ability and
10    mental aptitude components of the test may request that
11    his or her name be added to the master register. Any
12    eligible person may be offered employment by a local
13    commission under the same procedures as provided by this
14    Section except that the apprenticeship period may be
15    waived and the applicant may be immediately issued a
16    certificate of original appointment by the local
17    commission.
18    (c) Qualifications for placement on register of eligibles.
19The purpose for establishing a master register of eligibles
20shall be to identify applicants who possess and demonstrate
21the mental aptitude and physical ability to perform the duties
22required of members of the fire department in order to provide
23the highest quality of service to the public. To this end, all
24applicants for original appointment to an affected fire
25department through examination conducted by the Joint Labor
26and Management Committee (JLMC) shall be subject to

 

 

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1examination and testing which shall be public, competitive,
2and open to all applicants. Any examination and testing
3procedure utilized under subsection (e) of this Section shall
4be supported by appropriate validation evidence and shall
5comply with all applicable state and federal laws. Any
6subjective component of the testing must be administered by
7certified assessors. All qualifying and disqualifying factors
8applicable to examination processes for local commissions in
9this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly shall be
10applicable to persons participating in Joint Labor and
11Management Committee examinations unless specifically provided
12otherwise in this Section.
13    Notice of the time, place, general scope, and fee of every
14JLMC examination shall be given by the JLMC or designated
15testing agency, as applicable, by publication at least 30 days
16preceding the examination, in one or more newspapers published
17in the region, or if no newspaper is published therein, then in
18one or more newspapers with a general circulation within the
19region. The JLMC may publish the notice on the JLMC's Internet
20website. Additional notice of the examination may be given as
21the JLMC shall prescribe.
22    (d) Examination and testing components for placement on
23register of eligibles. The examination and qualifying
24standards for placement on the master register of eligibles
25and employment shall be based on the following components:
26mental aptitude, physical ability, preferences, moral

 

 

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1character, and health. The mental aptitude, physical ability,
2and preference components shall determine an applicant's
3qualification for and placement on the master register of
4eligibles. The consideration of an applicant's general moral
5character and health shall be administered on a pass-fail
6basis after a conditional offer of employment is made by a
7local commission.
8    (e) Mental aptitude. Examination of an applicant's mental
9aptitude shall be based upon written examination and an
10applicant's prior experience demonstrating an aptitude for and
11commitment to service as a member of a fire department.
12Written examinations shall be practical in character and
13relate to those matters that fairly test the capacity of the
14persons examined to discharge the duties performed by members
15of a fire department. Written examinations shall be
16administered in a manner that ensures the security and
17accuracy of the scores achieved. Any subjective component of
18the testing must be administered by certified assessors. No
19person who does not possess a high school diploma or an
20equivalent high school education shall be placed on a register
21of eligibles. Local commissions may establish educational,
22emergency medical service licensure, and other pre-requisites
23for hire within their jurisdiction.
24    (f) Physical ability. All candidates shall be required to
25undergo an examination of their physical ability to perform
26the essential functions included in the duties they may be

 

 

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1called upon to perform as a member of a fire department. For
2the purposes of this Section, essential functions of the job
3are functions associated with duties that a firefighter may be
4called upon to perform in response to emergency calls. The
5frequency of the occurrence of those duties as part of the fire
6department's regular routine shall not be a controlling factor
7in the design of examination criteria or evolutions selected
8for testing. These physical examinations shall be open,
9competitive, and based on industry standards designed to test
10each applicant's physical abilities in each of the following
11dimensions:
12        (1) Muscular strength to perform tasks and evolutions
13    that may be required in the performance of duties
14    including grip strength, leg strength, and arm strength.
15    Tests shall be conducted under anaerobic as well as
16    aerobic conditions to test both the candidate's speed and
17    endurance in performing tasks and evolutions. Tasks tested
18    are to be based on industry standards developed by the
19    JLMC by rule.
20        (2) The ability to climb ladders, operate from
21    heights, walk or crawl in the dark along narrow and uneven
22    surfaces, and operate in proximity to hazardous
23    environments.
24        (3) The ability to carry out critical, time-sensitive,
25    and complex problem solving during physical exertion in
26    stressful and hazardous environments. The testing

 

 

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1    environment may be hot and dark with tightly enclosed
2    spaces, flashing lights, sirens, and other distractions.
3    The tests utilized to measure each applicant's
4capabilities in each of these dimensions may be tests based on
5industry standards currently in use or equivalent tests
6approved by the Joint Labor-Management Committee of the Office
7of the State Fire Marshal.
8    (g) Scoring of examination components. The examination
9components shall be graded on a 100-point scale. A person's
10position on the master register of eligibles shall be
11determined by the person's score on the written examination,
12the person successfully passing the physical ability
13component, and the addition of any applicable preference
14points.
15    Applicants who have achieved at least the minimum score on
16the written examination, as set by the JLMC, and who
17successfully pass the physical ability examination shall be
18placed on the initial eligibility register. Minimum scores
19should be set by the JLMC so as to demonstrate a candidate's
20ability to perform the essential functions of the job. The
21minimum score set by the JLMC shall be supported by
22appropriate validation evidence and shall comply with all
23applicable State and federal laws. Applicable preference
24points shall be added to the written examination scores for
25all applicants who qualify for the initial eligibility
26register. Applicants who score at or above the minimum passing

 

 

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1score as set by the JLMC, including any applicable preference
2points, shall be placed on the master register of eligibles by
3the JLMC.
4    These persons shall take rank upon the register as
5candidates in the order of their relative excellence based on
6the highest to the lowest total points scored on the mental
7aptitude and physical ability components, plus any applicable
8preference points requested and verified by the JLMC, or
9approved testing agency.
10    No more than 60 days after each examination, a revised
11master register of eligibles shall be posted by the JLMC
12showing the final grades of the candidates without reference
13to priority of time of examination.
14    (h) Preferences. The board shall give military, education,
15and experience preference points to those who qualify for
16placement on the master register of eligibles, on the same
17basis as provided for examinations administered by a local
18commission.
19    No person entitled to preference or credit shall be
20required to claim the credit before any examination held under
21the provisions of this Section. The preference shall be given
22after the posting or publication of the applicant's initial
23score at the request of the person before finalizing the
24scores from all applicants taking part in a JLMC examination.
25Candidates who are eligible for preference credit shall make a
26claim in writing within 10 days after the posting of the

 

 

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1initial scores from any JLMC test or the claim shall be deemed
2waived. Once preference points are awarded, the candidates
3shall be certified to the master register in accordance with
4their final score including preference points.
5    (i) Firefighter apprentice and firefighter-paramedic
6apprentice. The employment of an applicant to an apprentice
7position (including a currently employed full-time member of a
8fire department whose apprenticeship may be reduced or waived)
9shall be subject to the applicant passing the moral character
10standards and health examinations of the local commission. In
11addition, a local commission may require as a condition of
12employment that the applicant demonstrate current physical
13ability by either passing the local commission's approved
14physical ability examination, or by presenting proof of
15participating in and receiving a passing score on the physical
16ability component of a JLMC test within a period of up to 12
17months before the date of the conditional offer of employment.
18Applicants shall be subject to the local commission's initial
19hire background review including criminal history, employment
20history, moral character, oral examination, and medical
21examinations which may include polygraph, psychological, and
22drug screening components, all on a pass-fail basis. The
23medical examinations must be conducted last, and may only be
24performed after a conditional offer of employment has been
25extended.
26    (j) Selection from list. Any municipality or fire

 

 

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1protection district that is a party to an intergovernmental
2agreement under the terms of which persons have been tested
3for placement on the master register of eligibles shall be
4entitled to offer employment to any person on the list
5irrespective of their ranking on the list. The offer of
6employment shall be to the position of firefighter apprentice
7or firefighter-paramedic apprentice.
8    Applicants passing these tests may be employed as a
9firefighter apprentice or a firefighter-paramedic apprentice
10who shall serve an apprenticeship period of 12 months or less
11according to the terms and conditions of employment as the
12employing municipality or district offers, or as provided for
13under the terms of any collective bargaining agreement then in
14effect. The apprenticeship period is separate from the
15probationary period.
16    Service during the apprenticeship period shall be on a
17probationary basis. During the apprenticeship period, the
18apprentice's training and performance shall be monitored and
19evaluated by a Joint Apprenticeship Committee.
20    The Joint Apprenticeship Committee shall consist of 4
21members who shall be regular members of the fire department
22with at least 10 years of full-time work experience as a
23firefighter or firefighter-paramedic. The fire chief and the
24president of the exclusive bargaining representative
25recognized by the employer shall each appoint 2 members to the
26Joint Apprenticeship Committee. In the absence of an exclusive

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 11 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1collective bargaining representative, the chief shall appoint
2the remaining 2 members who shall be from the ranks of company
3officer and firefighter with at least 10 years of work
4experience as a firefighter or firefighter-paramedic. In the
5absence of a sufficient number of qualified firefighters, the
6Joint Apprenticeship Committee members shall have the amount
7of experience and the type of qualifications as is reasonable
8given the circumstances of the fire department. In the absence
9of a full-time member in a rank between chief and the highest
10rank in a bargaining unit, the Joint Apprenticeship Committee
11shall be reduced to 2 members, one to be appointed by the chief
12and one by the union president, if any. If there is no
13exclusive bargaining representative, the chief shall appoint
14the second member of the Joint Apprenticeship Committee from
15among qualified members in the ranks of company officer and
16below. Before the conclusion of the apprenticeship period, the
17Joint Apprenticeship Committee shall meet to consider the
18apprentice's progress and performance and vote to retain the
19apprentice as a member of the fire department or to terminate
20the apprenticeship. If 3 of the 4 members of the Joint
21Apprenticeship Committee affirmatively vote to retain the
22apprentice (if a 2 member Joint Apprenticeship Committee
23exists, then both members must affirmatively vote to retain
24the apprentice), the local commission shall issue the
25apprentice a certificate of original appointment to the fire
26department.

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 12 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1    (k) A person who knowingly divulges or receives test
2questions or answers before a written examination, or
3otherwise knowingly violates or subverts any requirement of
4this Section, commits a violation of this Section and may be
5subject to charges for official misconduct.
6    A person who is the knowing recipient of test information
7in advance of the examination shall be disqualified from the
8examination or discharged from the position to which he or she
9was appointed, as applicable, and otherwise subjected to
10disciplinary actions.
11    (l) Applicability. This Section does not apply to a
12municipality with more than 1,000,000 inhabitants.
13(Source: P.A. 97-251, eff. 8-4-11; 97-898, eff. 8-6-12;
1498-760, eff. 7-16-14.)
 
15    (65 ILCS 5/10-2.1-6.4)
16    Sec. 10-2.1-6.4. Alternative procedure; original
17appointment; full-time firefighter.
18    (a) Authority. The Joint Labor and Management Committee
19(JLMC), as defined in Section 50 of the Fire Department
20Promotion Act, may establish a community outreach program to
21market the profession of firefighter and firefighter-paramedic
22so as to ensure the pool of applicants recruited is of broad
23diversity and the highest quality. Nothing in this Section
24requires that the Joint Labor and Management Committee
25establish or operate the community outreach program or master

 

 

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1register of eligibles, or to contract with a testing agency to
2establish or operate such program or register, unless the
3Joint Labor and Management Committee chooses to do so.
4    For the purposes of this Section, "firefighter" means any
5person who has been prior to, on, or after the effective date
6of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly appointed
7to a fire department or fire protection district or employed
8by a State university and sworn or commissioned to perform
9firefighter duties or paramedic duties, or both, except that
10the following persons are not included: part-time
11firefighters; auxiliary, reserve, or voluntary firefighters,
12including paid-on-call firefighters; clerks and dispatchers or
13other civilian employees of a fire department or fire
14protection district who are not routinely expected to perform
15firefighter duties; and elected officials.
16    (b) Eligibility. Persons eligible for placement on the
17master register of eligibles shall consist of the following:
18        Persons who have participated in and received a
19    passing total score on the mental aptitude, physical
20    ability, and preference components of a regionally
21    administered test based on the standards described in this
22    Section. The standards for administering these tests and
23    the minimum passing score required for placement on this
24    list shall be as is set forth in this Section.
25        Qualified candidates shall be listed on the master
26    register of eligibles in highest to lowest rank order

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 14 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1    based upon their test scores without regard to their date
2    of examination. Candidates listed on the master register
3    of eligibles shall be eligible for appointment for 2 years
4    after the date of the certification of their final score
5    on the register without regard to the date of their
6    examination. After 2 years, the candidate's name shall be
7    struck from the list.
8        Any person currently employed as a full-time member of
9    a fire department or any person who has experienced a
10    non-voluntary (and non-disciplinary) separation from the
11    active workforce due to a reduction in the number of
12    departmental officers, who was appointed pursuant to
13    Division 1 of Article 10 of the Illinois Municipal Code,
14    Division 2.1 of Article 10 of the Illinois Municipal Code,
15    or the Fire Protection District Act, and who during the
16    previous 24 months participated in and received a passing
17    score on the physical ability and mental aptitude
18    components of the test may request that his or her name be
19    added to the master register. Any eligible person may be
20    offered employment by a local commission under the same
21    procedures as provided by this Section except that the
22    apprenticeship period may be waived and the applicant may
23    be immediately issued a certificate of original
24    appointment by the local commission.
25    (c) Qualifications for placement on register of eligibles.
26The purpose for establishing a master register of eligibles

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 15 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1shall be to identify applicants who possess and demonstrate
2the mental aptitude and physical ability to perform the duties
3required of members of the fire department in order to provide
4the highest quality of service to the public. To this end, all
5applicants for original appointment to an affected fire
6department through examination conducted by the Joint Labor
7and Management Committee (JLMC) shall be subject to
8examination and testing which shall be public, competitive,
9and open to all applicants. Any examination and testing
10procedure utilized under subsection (e) of this Section shall
11be supported by appropriate validation evidence and shall
12comply with all applicable state and federal laws. Any
13subjective component of the testing must be administered by
14certified assessors. All qualifying and disqualifying factors
15applicable to examination processes for local commissions in
16this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly shall be
17applicable to persons participating in Joint Labor and
18Management Committee examinations unless specifically provided
19otherwise in this Section.
20    Notice of the time, place, general scope, and fee of every
21JLMC examination shall be given by the JLMC or designated
22testing agency, as applicable, by a publication at least 30
23days preceding the examination, in one or more newspapers
24published in the region, or if no newspaper is published
25therein, then in one or more newspapers with a general
26circulation within the region. The JLMC may publish the notice

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 16 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1on the JLMC's Internet website. Additional notice of the
2examination may be given as the JLMC shall prescribe.
3    (d) Examination and testing components for placement on
4register of eligibles. The examination and qualifying
5standards for placement on the master register of eligibles
6and employment shall be based on the following components:
7mental aptitude, physical ability, preferences, moral
8character, and health. The mental aptitude, physical ability,
9and preference components shall determine an applicant's
10qualification for and placement on the master register of
11eligibles. The consideration of an applicant's general moral
12character and health shall be administered on a pass-fail
13basis after a conditional offer of employment is made by a
14local commission.
15    (e) Mental aptitude. Examination of an applicant's mental
16aptitude shall be based upon written examination and an
17applicant's prior experience demonstrating an aptitude for and
18commitment to service as a member of a fire department.
19Written examinations shall be practical in character and
20relate to those matters that fairly test the capacity of the
21persons examined to discharge the duties performed by members
22of a fire department. Written examinations shall be
23administered in a manner that ensures the security and
24accuracy of the scores achieved. Any subjective component of
25the testing must be administered by certified assessors. No
26person who does not possess a high school diploma or an

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 17 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1equivalent high school education shall be placed on a register
2of eligibles. Local commissions may establish educational,
3emergency medical service licensure, and other pre-requisites
4for hire within their jurisdiction.
5    (f) Physical ability. All candidates shall be required to
6undergo an examination of their physical ability to perform
7the essential functions included in the duties they may be
8called upon to perform as a member of a fire department. For
9the purposes of this Section, essential functions of the job
10are functions associated with duties that a firefighter may be
11called upon to perform in response to emergency calls. The
12frequency of the occurrence of those duties as part of the fire
13department's regular routine shall not be a controlling factor
14in the design of examination criteria or evolutions selected
15for testing. These physical examinations shall be open,
16competitive, and based on industry standards designed to test
17each applicant's physical abilities in each of the following
18dimensions:
19        (1) Muscular strength to perform tasks and evolutions
20    that may be required in the performance of duties
21    including grip strength, leg strength, and arm strength.
22    Tests shall be conducted under anaerobic as well as
23    aerobic conditions to test both the candidate's speed and
24    endurance in performing tasks and evolutions. Tasks tested
25    are to be based on industry standards developed by the
26    JLMC by rule.

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 18 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1        (2) The ability to climb ladders, operate from
2    heights, walk or crawl in the dark along narrow and uneven
3    surfaces, and operate in proximity to hazardous
4    environments.
5        (3) The ability to carry out critical, time-sensitive,
6    and complex problem solving during physical exertion in
7    stressful and hazardous environments. The testing
8    environment may be hot and dark with tightly enclosed
9    spaces, flashing lights, sirens, and other distractions.
10    The tests utilized to measure each applicant's
11capabilities in each of these dimensions may be tests based on
12industry standards currently in use or equivalent tests
13approved by the Joint Labor-Management Committee of the Office
14of the State Fire Marshal.
15    (g) Scoring of examination components. The examination
16components shall be graded on a 100-point scale. A person's
17position on the master register of eligibles shall be
18determined by the person's score on the written examination,
19the person successfully passing the physical ability
20component, and the addition of any applicable preference
21points.
22    Applicants who have achieved at least the minimum score as
23set by the JLMC, and who successfully pass the physical
24ability examination shall be placed on the initial eligibility
25register. Minimum scores should be set by the commission so as
26to demonstrate a candidate's ability to perform the essential

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 19 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1functions of the job. The minimum score set by the commission
2shall be supported by appropriate validation evidence and
3shall comply with all applicable State and federal laws.
4Applicable preference points shall be added to the written
5examination scores for all applicants who qualify for the
6initial eligibility register. Applicants who score at or above
7the minimum passing score as set by the JLMC, including any
8applicable preference points, shall be placed on the master
9register of eligibles by the JLMC.
10    These persons shall take rank upon the register as
11candidates in the order of their relative excellence based on
12the highest to the lowest total points scored on the mental
13aptitude and physical ability components, plus any applicable
14preference points requested and verified by the JLMC, or
15approved testing agency.
16    No more than 60 days after each examination, a revised
17master register of eligibles shall be posted by the JLMC
18showing the final grades of the candidates without reference
19to priority of time of examination.
20    (h) Preferences. The board shall give military, education,
21and experience preference points to those who qualify for
22placement on the master register of eligibles, on the same
23basis as provided for examinations administered by a local
24commission.
25    No person entitled to preference or credit shall be
26required to claim the credit before any examination held under

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 20 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1the provisions of this Section. The preference shall be given
2after the posting or publication of the applicant's initial
3score at the request of the person before finalizing the
4scores from all applicants taking part in a JLMC examination.
5Candidates who are eligible for preference credit shall make a
6claim in writing within 10 days after the posting of the
7initial scores from any JLMC test or the claim shall be deemed
8waived. Once preference points are awarded, the candidates
9shall be certified to the master register in accordance with
10their final score including preference points.
11    (i) Firefighter apprentice and firefighter-paramedic
12apprentice. The employment of an applicant to an apprentice
13position (including a currently employed full-time member of a
14fire department whose apprenticeship may be reduced or waived)
15shall be subject to the applicant passing the moral character
16standards and health examinations of the local commission. In
17addition, a local commission may require as a condition of
18employment that the applicant demonstrate current physical
19ability by either passing the local commission's approved
20physical ability examination, or by presenting proof of
21participating in and receiving a passing score on the physical
22ability component of a JLMC test within a period of up to 12
23months before the date of the conditional offer of employment.
24Applicants shall be subject to the local commission's initial
25hire background review including criminal history, employment
26history, moral character, oral examination, and medical

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 21 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1examinations which may include polygraph, psychological, and
2drug screening components, all on a pass-fail basis. The
3medical examinations must be conducted last, and may only be
4performed after a conditional offer of employment has been
5extended.
6    (j) Selection from list. Any municipality or fire
7protection district that is a party to an intergovernmental
8agreement under the terms of which persons have been tested
9for placement on the master register of eligibles shall be
10entitled to offer employment to any person on the list
11irrespective of their ranking on the list. The offer of
12employment shall be to the position of firefighter apprentice
13or firefighter-paramedic apprentice.
14    Applicants passing these tests may be employed as a
15firefighter apprentice or a firefighter-paramedic apprentice
16who shall serve an apprenticeship period of 12 months or less
17according to the terms and conditions of employment as the
18employing municipality or district offers, or as provided for
19under the terms of any collective bargaining agreement then in
20effect. The apprenticeship period is separate from the
21probationary period.
22    Service during the apprenticeship period shall be on a
23probationary basis. During the apprenticeship period, the
24apprentice's training and performance shall be monitored and
25evaluated by a Joint Apprenticeship Committee.
26    The Joint Apprenticeship Committee shall consist of 4

 

 

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1members who shall be regular members of the fire department
2with at least 10 years of full-time work experience as a
3firefighter or firefighter-paramedic. The fire chief and the
4president of the exclusive bargaining representative
5recognized by the employer shall each appoint 2 members to the
6Joint Apprenticeship Committee. In the absence of an exclusive
7collective bargaining representative, the chief shall appoint
8the remaining 2 members who shall be from the ranks of company
9officer and firefighter with at least 10 years of work
10experience as a firefighter or firefighter-paramedic. In the
11absence of a sufficient number of qualified firefighters, the
12Joint Apprenticeship Committee members shall have the amount
13of experience and the type of qualifications as is reasonable
14given the circumstances of the fire department. In the absence
15of a full-time member in a rank between chief and the highest
16rank in a bargaining unit, the Joint Apprenticeship Committee
17shall be reduced to 2 members, one to be appointed by the chief
18and one by the union president, if any. If there is no
19exclusive bargaining representative, the chief shall appoint
20the second member of the Joint Apprenticeship Committee from
21among qualified members in the ranks of company officer and
22below. Before the conclusion of the apprenticeship period, the
23Joint Apprenticeship Committee shall meet to consider the
24apprentice's progress and performance and vote to retain the
25apprentice as a member of the fire department or to terminate
26the apprenticeship. If 3 of the 4 members of the Joint

 

 

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1Apprenticeship Committee affirmatively vote to retain the
2apprentice (if a 2 member Joint Apprenticeship Committee
3exists, then both members must affirmatively vote to retain
4the apprentice), the local commission shall issue the
5apprentice a certificate of original appointment to the fire
6department.
7    (k) A person who knowingly divulges or receives test
8questions or answers before a written examination, or
9otherwise knowingly violates or subverts any requirement of
10this Section, commits a violation of this Section and may be
11subject to charges for official misconduct.
12    A person who is the knowing recipient of test information
13in advance of the examination shall be disqualified from the
14examination or discharged from the position to which he or she
15was appointed, as applicable, and otherwise subjected to
16disciplinary actions.
17    (l) Applicability. This Section does not apply to a
18municipality with more than 1,000,000 inhabitants.
19(Source: P.A. 97-251, eff. 8-4-11; 97-898, eff. 8-6-12;
2098-760, eff. 7-16-14.)
 
21    Section 10. The Fire Protection District Act is amended by
22changing Section 16.06c as follows:
 
23    (70 ILCS 705/16.06c)
24    Sec. 16.06c. Alternative procedure; original appointment;

 

 

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1full-time firefighter.
2    (a) Authority. The Joint Labor and Management Committee
3(JLMC), as defined in Section 50 of the Fire Department
4Promotion Act, may establish a community outreach program to
5market the profession of firefighter and firefighter-paramedic
6so as to ensure the pool of applicants recruited is of broad
7diversity and the highest quality. Nothing in this Section
8requires that the Joint Labor and Management Committee
9establish or operate the community outreach program or master
10register of eligibles, or to contract with a testing agency to
11establish or operate such program or register, unless the
12Joint Labor and Management Committee chooses to do so.
13    For the purposes of this Section, "firefighter" means any
14person who has been prior to, on, or after the effective date
15of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly appointed
16to a fire department or fire protection district or employed
17by a State university and sworn or commissioned to perform
18firefighter duties or paramedic duties, or both, except that
19the following persons are not included: part-time
20firefighters; auxiliary, reserve, or voluntary firefighters,
21including paid-on-call firefighters; clerks and dispatchers or
22other civilian employees of a fire department or fire
23protection district who are not routinely expected to perform
24firefighter duties; and elected officials.
25    (b) Eligibility. Persons eligible for placement on the
26master register of eligibles shall consist of the following:

 

 

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1        Persons who have participated in and received a
2    passing total score on the mental aptitude, physical
3    ability, and preference components of a regionally
4    administered test based on the standards described in this
5    Section. The standards for administering these tests and
6    the minimum passing score required for placement on this
7    list shall be as is set forth in this Section.
8        Qualified candidates shall be listed on the master
9    register of eligibles in highest to lowest rank order
10    based upon their test scores without regard to their date
11    of examination. Candidates listed on the master register
12    of eligibles shall be eligible for appointment for 2 years
13    after the date of the certification of their final score
14    on the register without regard to the date of their
15    examination. After 2 years, the candidate's name shall be
16    struck from the list.
17        Any person currently employed as a full-time member of
18    a fire department or any person who has experienced a
19    non-voluntary (and non-disciplinary) separation from the
20    active workforce due to a reduction in the number of
21    departmental officers, who was appointed pursuant to
22    Division 1 of Article 10 of the Illinois Municipal Code,
23    Division 2.1 of Article 10 of the Illinois Municipal Code,
24    or the Fire Protection District Act, and who during the
25    previous 24 months participated in and received a passing
26    score on the physical ability and mental aptitude

 

 

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1    components of the test may request that his or her name be
2    added to the master register. Any eligible person may be
3    offered employment by a local commission under the same
4    procedures as provided by this Section except that the
5    apprenticeship period may be waived and the applicant may
6    be immediately issued a certificate of original
7    appointment by the local commission.
8    (c) Qualifications for placement on register of eligibles.
9The purpose for establishing a master register of eligibles
10shall be to identify applicants who possess and demonstrate
11the mental aptitude and physical ability to perform the duties
12required of members of the fire department in order to provide
13the highest quality of service to the public. To this end, all
14applicants for original appointment to an affected fire
15department through examination conducted by the Joint Labor
16and Management Committee (JLMC) shall be subject to
17examination and testing which shall be public, competitive,
18and open to all applicants. Any examination and testing
19procedure utilized under subsection (e) of this Section shall
20be supported by appropriate validation evidence and shall
21comply with all applicable state and federal laws. Any
22subjective component of the testing must be administered by
23certified assessors. All qualifying and disqualifying factors
24applicable to examination processes for local commissions in
25this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly shall be
26applicable to persons participating in Joint Labor and

 

 

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1Management Committee examinations unless specifically provided
2otherwise in this Section.
3    Notice of the time, place, general scope, and fee of every
4JLMC examination shall be given by the JLMC or designated
5testing agency, as applicable, by a publication at least 30
6days preceding the examination, in one or more newspapers
7published in the region, or if no newspaper is published
8therein, then in one or more newspapers with a general
9circulation within the region. The JLMC may publish the notice
10on the JLMC's Internet website. Additional notice of the
11examination may be given as the JLMC shall prescribe.
12    (d) Examination and testing components for placement on
13register of eligibles. The examination and qualifying
14standards for placement on the master register of eligibles
15and employment shall be based on the following components:
16mental aptitude, physical ability, preferences, moral
17character, and health. The mental aptitude, physical ability,
18and preference components shall determine an applicant's
19qualification for and placement on the master register of
20eligibles. The consideration of an applicant's general moral
21character and health shall be administered on a pass-fail
22basis after a conditional offer of employment is made by a
23local commission.
24    (e) Mental aptitude. Examination of an applicant's mental
25aptitude shall be based upon written examination and an
26applicant's prior experience demonstrating an aptitude for and

 

 

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1commitment to service as a member of a fire department.
2Written examinations shall be practical in character and
3relate to those matters that fairly test the capacity of the
4persons examined to discharge the duties performed by members
5of a fire department. Written examinations shall be
6administered in a manner that ensures the security and
7accuracy of the scores achieved. Any subjective component of
8the testing must be administered by certified assessors. No
9person who does not possess a high school diploma or an
10equivalent high school education shall be placed on a register
11of eligibles. Local commissions may establish educational,
12emergency medical service licensure, and other pre-requisites
13for hire within their jurisdiction.
14    (f) Physical ability. All candidates shall be required to
15undergo an examination of their physical ability to perform
16the essential functions included in the duties they may be
17called upon to perform as a member of a fire department. For
18the purposes of this Section, essential functions of the job
19are functions associated with duties that a firefighter may be
20called upon to perform in response to emergency calls. The
21frequency of the occurrence of those duties as part of the fire
22department's regular routine shall not be a controlling factor
23in the design of examination criteria or evolutions selected
24for testing. These physical examinations shall be open,
25competitive, and based on industry standards designed to test
26each applicant's physical abilities in each of the following

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 29 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1dimensions:
2        (1) Muscular strength to perform tasks and evolutions
3    that may be required in the performance of duties
4    including grip strength, leg strength, and arm strength.
5    Tests shall be conducted under anaerobic as well as
6    aerobic conditions to test both the candidate's speed and
7    endurance in performing tasks and evolutions. Tasks tested
8    are to be based on industry standards developed by the
9    JLMC by rule.
10        (2) The ability to climb ladders, operate from
11    heights, walk or crawl in the dark along narrow and uneven
12    surfaces, and operate in proximity to hazardous
13    environments.
14        (3) The ability to carry out critical, time-sensitive,
15    and complex problem solving during physical exertion in
16    stressful and hazardous environments. The testing
17    environment may be hot and dark with tightly enclosed
18    spaces, flashing lights, sirens, and other distractions.
19    The tests utilized to measure each applicant's
20capabilities in each of these dimensions may be tests based on
21industry standards currently in use or equivalent tests
22approved by the Joint Labor-Management Committee of the Office
23of the State Fire Marshal.
24    (g) Scoring of examination components. The examination
25components shall be graded on a 100-point scale. A person's
26position on the master register of eligibles shall be

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 30 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1determined by the person's score on the written examination,
2the person successfully passing the physical ability
3component, and the addition of any applicable preference
4points.
5    Applicants who have achieved at least the minimum score as
6set by the JLMC on the written examination, and who
7successfully pass the physical ability examination shall be
8placed on the initial eligibility register. Minimum scores
9should be set by the JLMC so as to demonstrate a candidate's
10ability to perform the essential functions of the job. The
11minimum score set by the JLMC shall be supported by
12appropriate validation evidence and shall comply with all
13applicable state and federal laws. Applicable preference
14points shall be added to the written examination scores for
15all applicants who qualify for the initial eligibility
16register. Applicants who score at or above the minimum passing
17score as set by the JLMC, including any applicable preference
18points, shall be placed on the master register of eligibles by
19the JLMC.
20    These persons shall take rank upon the register as
21candidates in the order of their relative excellence based on
22the highest to the lowest total points scored on the mental
23aptitude and physical ability components, plus any applicable
24preference points requested and verified by the JLMC, or
25approved testing agency.
26    No more than 60 days after each examination, a revised

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 31 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1master register of eligibles shall be posted by the JLMC
2showing the final grades of the candidates without reference
3to priority of time of examination.
4    (h) Preferences. The board shall give military, education,
5and experience preference points to those who qualify for
6placement on the master register of eligibles, on the same
7basis as provided for examinations administered by a local
8commission.
9    No person entitled to preference or credit shall be
10required to claim the credit before any examination held under
11the provisions of this Section. The preference shall be given
12after the posting or publication of the applicant's initial
13score at the request of the person before finalizing the
14scores from all applicants taking part in a JLMC examination.
15Candidates who are eligible for preference credit shall make a
16claim in writing within 10 days after the posting of the
17initial scores from any JLMC test or the claim shall be deemed
18waived. Once preference points are awarded, the candidates
19shall be certified to the master register in accordance with
20their final score including preference points.
21    (i) Firefighter apprentice and firefighter-paramedic
22apprentice. The employment of an applicant to an apprentice
23position (including a currently employed full-time member of a
24fire department whose apprenticeship may be reduced or waived)
25shall be subject to the applicant passing the moral character
26standards and health examinations of the local commission. In

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 32 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1addition, a local commission may require as a condition of
2employment that the applicant demonstrate current physical
3ability by either passing the local commission's approved
4physical ability examination, or by presenting proof of
5participating in and receiving a passing score on the physical
6ability component of a JLMC test within a period of up to 12
7months before the date of the conditional offer of employment.
8Applicants shall be subject to the local commission's initial
9hire background review including criminal history, employment
10history, moral character, oral examination, and medical
11examinations which may include polygraph, psychological, and
12drug screening components, all on a pass-fail basis. The
13medical examinations must be conducted last, and may only be
14performed after a conditional offer of employment has been
15extended.
16    (j) Selection from list. Any municipality or fire
17protection district that is a party to an intergovernmental
18agreement under the terms of which persons have been tested
19for placement on the master register of eligibles shall be
20entitled to offer employment to any person on the list
21irrespective of their ranking on the list. The offer of
22employment shall be to the position of firefighter apprentice
23or firefighter-paramedic apprentice.
24    Applicants passing these tests may be employed as a
25firefighter apprentice or a firefighter-paramedic apprentice
26who shall serve an apprenticeship period of 12 months or less

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 33 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1according to the terms and conditions of employment as the
2employing municipality or district offers, or as provided for
3under the terms of any collective bargaining agreement then in
4effect. The apprenticeship period is separate from the
5probationary period.
6    Service during the apprenticeship period shall be on a
7probationary basis. During the apprenticeship period, the
8apprentice's training and performance shall be monitored and
9evaluated by a Joint Apprenticeship Committee.
10    The Joint Apprenticeship Committee shall consist of 4
11members who shall be regular members of the fire department
12with at least 10 years of full-time work experience as a
13firefighter or firefighter-paramedic. The fire chief and the
14president of the exclusive bargaining representative
15recognized by the employer shall each appoint 2 members to the
16Joint Apprenticeship Committee. In the absence of an exclusive
17collective bargaining representative, the chief shall appoint
18the remaining 2 members who shall be from the ranks of company
19officer and firefighter with at least 10 years of work
20experience as a firefighter or firefighter-paramedic. In the
21absence of a sufficient number of qualified firefighters, the
22Joint Apprenticeship Committee members shall have the amount
23of experience and the type of qualifications as is reasonable
24given the circumstances of the fire department. In the absence
25of a full-time member in a rank between chief and the highest
26rank in a bargaining unit, the Joint Apprenticeship Committee

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 34 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1shall be reduced to 2 members, one to be appointed by the chief
2and one by the union president, if any. If there is no
3exclusive bargaining representative, the chief shall appoint
4the second member of the Joint Apprenticeship Committee from
5among qualified members in the ranks of company officer and
6below. Before the conclusion of the apprenticeship period, the
7Joint Apprenticeship Committee shall meet to consider the
8apprentice's progress and performance and vote to retain the
9apprentice as a member of the fire department or to terminate
10the apprenticeship. If 3 of the 4 members of the Joint
11Apprenticeship Committee affirmatively vote to retain the
12apprentice (if a 2 member Joint Apprenticeship Committee
13exists, then both members must affirmatively vote to retain
14the apprentice), the local commission shall issue the
15apprentice a certificate of original appointment to the fire
16department.
17    (k) A person who knowingly divulges or receives test
18questions or answers before a written examination, or
19otherwise knowingly violates or subverts any requirement of
20this Section, commits a violation of this Section and may be
21subject to charges for official misconduct.
22    A person who is the knowing recipient of test information
23in advance of the examination shall be disqualified from the
24examination or discharged from the position to which he or she
25was appointed, as applicable, and otherwise subjected to
26disciplinary actions.

 

 

HB0809 Engrossed- 35 -LRB102 10592 AWJ 15921 b

1(Source: P.A. 97-251, eff. 8-4-11; 97-898, eff. 8-6-12;
298-760, eff. 7-16-14.)