Opinion ID: 1756978
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Final arbiter of civil service physical examination results.

Text: Civil service commissions such as the Sioux City CSC are charged by law with the responsibility of determining the qualifications of persons seeking appointment to civil service positions. The governing code provisions are as follows: 1. The commission shall . . . under such rules, including minimum and maximum age limits, as shall be prescribed and published in advance by the commission. . . hold examinations for the purpose of determining the qualifications of applicants for positions under civil service, other than promotions, which examinations shall be practical in character and shall relate to such matters as will fairly test the mental and physical ability of the applicant to discharge the duties of the position to which the applicant seeks appointment. Provided, however, that such physical examination of applicants for appointment to the positions of policeman, policewoman, police matron or firefighter shall be held under the direction of and as specified by the boards of trustees of the fire or police retirement systems established by section 411.5. . . . 2. The commission shall establish the guidelines for conducting the examinations under subsection 1 of this section. § 400.8, The Code 1979 (emphasis added). The commission shall, within ninety days after the beginning of each competitive examination for original appointment. . . certify to the city council a list of the names of the ten persons who qualify with the highest standing as a result of each examination for the position they seek to fill, or such number as may have qualified if less than ten, in the order of their standing, and all newly created offices or other vacancies in positions under civil service which shall occur before the beginning of the next examination for such positions shall be filled from said lists. . . . § 400.11, The Code 1979. Downs argues that the above-emphasized proviso of section 400.8 gives the pension board only the responsibility to administer the civil service physical examinations, and that the responsibility to finally determine the physical suitability of an applicant on the basis of the physical examination results must rest with the CSC. Although the pension board's brief appeared to take a contrary position, the board's attorney conceded on oral argument that when the pension board and the CSC disagree as to whether an applicant has passed the physical examination, the CSC's determination should prevail. Thus Downs, the pension board and trial court all appear to agree on that point. Given the CSC's statutory responsibility for determining the overall qualifications of civil service applicants, we also agree with that conclusion. Therefore, we hold that the pension board may make nonbinding recommendations as to who has passed a civil service physical examination, but that the final responsibility for determining the physical suitability of an applicant rests with the CSC. [3]