Opinion ID: 2218651
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Civil Service Commission Jurisdiction.

Text: Iowa Code section 400.20 suggests a limited scope of civil service jurisdiction. It provides: The suspension, demotion, or discharge of a person holding civil service rights may be appealed to the civil service commission within fourteen calendar days after the suspension, demotion, or discharge. (Emphasis added.) On the other hand, section 400.27 appears to provide for a broad jurisdiction. It states: The civil service commission has jurisdiction to hear and determine matters involving the rights of civil service employees under this chapter, and may affirm, modify, or reverse any case on its merits. (Emphasis added.) The commission, pointing to section 400.20, argues that it has jurisdiction in only three categories: suspension, demotion or discharge, and this case does not fall within any of them. Conkel responds that section 400.27 gives the commission jurisdiction to affirm, modify or reverse any case. This court resolved the question of commission jurisdiction under similar statutes in McMahon v. City of Des Moines, 232 Iowa 240, 4 N.W.2d 866 (1942). There we held that the commission had jurisdiction to decide a question of veterans' preference in hiring, refusing to limit the jurisdiction of the commission to suspensions, demotions, or discharges. Id. at 244-45, 4 N.W.2d at 868-69. Since McMahon, the legislature has not acted to clarify the apparent conflict between sections 400.20 and 400.27. In this appeal, however, it will make no difference to Conkel, because his case must fail on its merits.