§ 59C — Appointment of fire cadets to civil service fire force

[ Text of section added by 2024, 238, Sec. 147 effective November 20, 2024 until January 1, 2035. Repealed by 2024, 238, Sec. 148. See 2024, 238, Sec. 327.]Section 59C. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any person who has completed not less than 24 months of service as a fire cadet may, subject to a program established by the head of the fire department as defined in section 1 of chapter 148, on behalf of a municipality accepting this chapter, which program has been approved by both the administrator and the Massachusetts fire training council established in section 164 of chapter 6, be appointed to fill a vacancy in a position in the lowest grade in the civil service fire force of the city or town without certification from an eligible list prepared under this chapter; provided, however, that such person shall be on a fire entrance eligible list prepared under this chapter or shall have passed another qualifying examination approved by the administrator.(b) Any change in working conditions for incumbent firefighters directly precipitated by the employment of fire cadets shall trigger the bargaining obligations set forth in section 6 of chapter 150E. A cadet shall not be subject to or entitled to the benefits of any retirement or pension law nor shall any deduction be made from their compensation for the purpose thereof; provided, however, that a cadet who satisfies all prerequisites for appointment to the firefighting force of a city or town, and is appointed as a permanent full-time firefighter, shall have their fire cadet service considered as creditable service for purposes of retirement; provided further, that the cadet pays into the annuity savings fund of the retirement system such amount as the retirement board determines equal to that which they would have paid had they been a member of the retirement system during the period of training as a fire cadet.