DFRS

POLICES & PROCEDURES
Department Of Fire & Rescue Services
Montgomery County, MD

TRANSFER
POLICY


 
 
No. 515
July 9, 1997

PURPOSE
1.0 To provide a method for the reassignment of an employee from one duty assignment to another.

APPLICABILITY
2.0 All DFRS personnel in the Fire/Rescue Occupational Series.
2.1
This policy was developed in cooperation with the International Association of Fire Fighters, Local 1664.

DEFINITIONS
3.0 Duty Assignment - The merit system position or job location of an employee.
3.1 Compulsory Skills Assessment - A battery of practical and/or written assessments given to personnel moving into the Bureau of Operations.
3.2 Transfer - The movement of an employee as specified in Section 22 of the Personnel Regulations.
3.3 Involuntary Transfer - A transfer initiated by the department, not at the employee's request.
3.4 Voluntary Transfer - A transfer initiated by an employee, and approved by the department.
3.5 Trade - An approved, mutually agreed to, exchange of duty assignments by two employees in the same job class.

RESPONSIBILITY
4.0 An employee desiring to transfer is responsible for completing a Transfer Request Form.
4.1 Transfer requests must be forwarded through the chain of command to the appropriate Bureau Chief.
4.2 Employees no longer interested in a transfer are responsible for notifying their Bureau Chief in writing of their wishes.
4.3 The Bureau of Operations is responsible for maintaining an up-to-date roster of all personnel and their current duty assignments.
4.4 The Bureau Chiefs, Shift Chiefs, and District Chiefs are responsible for maintaining up-to-date rosters of all personnel in their command.

POLICY
5.0 Personnel will normally serve a minimum of two years in a duty assignment. Bureau Chiefs may consider transfer requests from personnel with less than two years in an assignment for extenuating circumstances.
5.1 The Department will assign personnel through transfer, promotions, or demotions. Such assignments are based on workload needs and maintaining the operational effectiveness of the Department.
5.2 Personnel involuntarily transferred will be allowed to retain previously approved casual and vacation leave, regardless of available leave slots.
5.3 Voluntary transfers shall be given serious consideration over involuntary transfers, provided that the voluntary transfer applicant meets the minimum qualifications for the vacancy.
5.4 Personnel transferring into the Bureau of Operations, field staffing, from another Bureau, and who have been out of the Bureau of Operations, field staffing, for one year or more, must report to the PSTA for a Compulsory Skills Assessment.

PROCEDURE
6.0 Any employee desiring to transfer must complete a Transfer Request Form and forward it to their Bureau Chief via the employee's chain-of-command.
6.1 All supervisory personnel must forward transfer requests via the chain-of-command to their Bureau Chief. Appropriate comments must be included.
6.2 All supervisory personnel may initiate transfer requests for subordinates under their command.
6.3 A request for transfer for employees assigned to the Bureau of Operations will proceed as follows:

  1. Requests for transfer must first be sent through the chain of command to the appropriate shift District Chief. For day workers, the request must be sent to the Senior Career Officer. Once endorsed by the District Chief, the request must be forwarded to the appropriate Shift Chief. Once endorsed by the Shift Chief, the request must be sent to the Bureau Chief. The Bureau Chief must let the employee know if the request is granted, held or denied within 30 calendar days of receiving the request.
  1. If the request is from/for a paramedic, the EMS Chief will be consulted before action is taken. If the request is from a District Chief or higher rank, the Bureau Chief will consult with the Director before action is taken.
  1. If the request is for a transfer to another Bureau, the request will be forwarded with comments to the employee's current Bureau Chief via the chain-of-command. The current Bureau Chief will forward the request to the appropriate Bureau as necessary. The Bureau Chief, of the requested Bureau, may grant, hold or deny the request but must inform the employee via the chain-of-command within 30 calendar days the status of the request.

6.4 Captains and below transferring into, or returning from absences, of one year or more, to the Bureau of Operations field staffing must report to the PSTA for a Compulsory Skills Assessment and successfully complete the following prior to reporting to their duty station:
  1. successful demonstration of familiarization and use of ground ladders, hose, nozzles, applicable ropes and knots, and SCBA. The standard final practical examination for the Essentials of Firefighting Program shall be the test used.
  1. successful completion of an EMT-A or B skills assessment if the employee's certification has not lapsed.
  1. verification of current certifications.

6.5 Captains and below who fail to successfully complete the criteria above must:
  1. be temporarily assigned to a station familiar with the skills needing review or be retained at the PSTA for retraining, if approved by the Director. Personnel retained at the PSTA will work 4-10 hour days. Personnel sent to stations must not be assigned to riding positions that require use of skills needing review.
  1. successfully complete the appropriate certification program.

6.6 District Chiefs and above transferring into, or returning from absences, of one year or more, to the Bureau of Operations field staffing must report to the PSTA for a Compulsory Skills Assessment and successfully complete the following prior to assignment:
  1. successful completion of an EMT-A or B skills assessment if the employee's certification has not lapsed.
  1. verification of required certifications.

6.7 Requests for transfer of employees not assigned to the Bureau of Operations will proceed as follows:
  1. If the transfer is within the Bureau, the Bureau Chief will take appropriate action.
  1. If the request is for a transfer to another Bureau, the request will be forwarded with comments to the employee's current Bureau Chief via the chain-of-command. The current Bureau Chief will forward the request to the appropriate Bureau as necessary. The Bureau Chief, of the requested Bureau, may grant, hold or deny the request but must inform the employee via the chain-of-command within 30 calendar days the status of the request.
6.8 If the vacancy does not exist the Bureau Chief may return or hold the request. If held, the request remains valid until the employee rescinds the request or the vacancy is filled.
6.9 Bargining unit employees shall be notified in writing at least two (2) weeks in advance that they are subject to involuntary transfer.
6.10 Employees requesting to trade duty assignments must each submit a Transfer Request Form through their respective chain-of-command. Each request for trade must identify the name and duty assignment of both employees.

The request to trade assignments will be handled in the same manner as a transfer request. The designated representative of the affected Corporations will be consulted as to transfers affecting their Corporations.


ATTACHMENTS
7.0 Transfer Request Form
7.1 Section 22, Montgomery County Government, Personnel Regulations

CANCELLATION
8.0 DFRS Policy #515, "Transfer Policy," dated January 10,1995 is rescinded.