NRS288.215. Submission of dispute between firefighters or police officers and local government employer to arbitrator; hearing; determination of financial ability of local government employer; negotiations and final offer; effect of decision of arbitrator; content of decision.

      1.  As used in this section:

      (a) “Firefighters” means those persons who are salaried employees of a fire prevention or suppression unit organized by a political subdivision of the State and whose principal duties are controlling and extinguishing fires.

      (b) “Police officers” means those persons who are salaried employees of a police department or other law enforcement agency organized by a political subdivision of the State and whose principal duties are to enforce the law.

      2.  The provisions of this section apply only to firefighters and police officers and their local government employers.

      3.  If the parties have not agreed to make the findings and recommendations of the fact finder final and binding upon all issues, and do not otherwise resolve their dispute, they shall, within 10 days after the fact finder’s report is submitted, submit the issues remaining in dispute to an arbitrator who must be selected in the manner provided in NRS 288.200 and have the same powers provided for fact finders in NRS 288.210.

      4.  The arbitrator shall, within 10 days after the arbitrator is selected, and after 7 days’ written notice is given to the parties, hold a hearing to receive information concerning the dispute. The hearings must be held in the county in which the local government employer is located and the arbitrator shall arrange for a full and complete record of the hearings.

      5.  At the hearing, or at any subsequent time to which the hearing may be adjourned, information may be presented by:

      (a) The parties to the dispute; or

      (b) Any interested person.

      6.  The parties to the dispute shall each pay one-half of the costs incurred by the arbitrator.

      7.  A determination of the financial ability of a local government employer must be based on:

      (a) All existing available revenues as established by the local government employer and within the limitations set forth in NRS 354.6241, with due regard for the obligation of the local government employer to provide facilities and services guaranteeing the health, welfare and safety of the people residing within the political subdivision.

      (b) Consideration of funding for the current year being negotiated. If the parties mutually agree to arbitrate a multi-year contract the arbitrator must consider the ability to pay over the life of the contract being negotiated or arbitrated.

Ê Once the arbitrator has determined in accordance with this subsection that there is a current financial ability to grant monetary benefits, the arbitrator shall consider, to the extent appropriate, compensation of other governmental employees, both in and out of this State.

      8.  At the recommendation of the arbitrator, the parties may, before the submission of a final offer, enter into negotiations. If the negotiations are begun, the arbitrator may adjourn the hearings for a period of 3 weeks. An agreement by the parties is final and binding, and upon notification to the arbitrator, the arbitration terminates.

      9.  If the parties do not enter into negotiations or do not agree within 30 days, each of the parties shall submit a single written statement containing its final offer for each of the unresolved issues.

      10.  The arbitrator shall, within 10 days after the final offers are submitted, accept one of the written statements, on the basis of the criteria provided in NRS 288.200, and shall report the decision to the parties. The decision of the arbitrator is final and binding on the parties. Any award of the arbitrator is retroactive to the expiration date of the last contract.

      11.  The decision of the arbitrator must include a statement:

      (a) Giving the arbitrator’s reason for accepting the final offer that is the basis of the arbitrator’s award; and

      (b) Specifying the arbitrator’s estimate of the total cost of the award.

      12.  Within 45 days after the receipt of the decision from the arbitrator pursuant to subsection 10, the governing body of the local government employer shall hold a public meeting in accordance with the provisions of chapter 241 of NRS. The meeting must include a discussion of:

      (a) The issues submitted pursuant to subsection 3;

      (b) The statement of the arbitrator pursuant to subsection 11; and

      (c) The overall fiscal impact of the decision, which must not include a discussion of the details of the decision.

Ê The arbitrator must not be asked to discuss the decision during the meeting.

      13.  The chief executive officer of the local government shall report to the local government the fiscal impact of the decision. The report must include, without limitation, an analysis of the impact of the decision on compensation and reimbursement, funding, benefits, hours, working conditions or other terms and conditions of employment.

      (Added to NRS by 1977, 916; A 1985, 2163; 1987, 1860; 1995, 1938; 2005, 326; 2009, 2362)