Resolution 1595
RESOLUTION NO. 1595
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS,
WASHINGTON, CLARIFYING THE COUNCIL'S INTERPRETATION OF
THE TERM "MINOR REVISIONS" AS USED IN SECTION 3.10 OF THE
CITY OF EDMONDS PERSONNEL POLICIES, AND ESTABLISHING A
PROCESS FOR NOTICE TO COUNCIL OF JOB DESCRIPTION
REVISIONS APPROVED BY THE MAYOR.
WHEREAS, Section 3.10 of the City of Edmonds Personnel Policies addresses job
assignments and the process by which revised job descriptions are approved; and
WHEREAS, Section 3.10 provides in pertinent part that "[r]evised job descriptions, along
with the appropriate pay grade, are subject to the Mayor's approval, before submittal to the
Human Resources Office and City Council for their approval," and further provides that "[m]inor
revisions to job descriptions that do not impact the position's job duties, essential functions, or
compensation may be approved by the Mayor without City Council approval"; and
WHEREAS, the City is actively reviewing and updating job descriptions in connection with
recruitment for vacancies, and timely processing of those revisions supports the City's ability to
fill vacancies efficiently and to attract qualified candidates with current and relevant job
descriptions; and
WHEREAS, on July 21, 2026, the Human Resources Director presented to the Public
Safety, Planning, Human Services and Personnel (PSPHSP) Committee regarding the
interpretation of "minor revisions" under Section 3.10, and identified categories of changes that
do not impact a position's job duties, essential functions, or compensation; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has considered those categories and finds that they are
consistent with the meaning of "minor revisions" in Section 3.10 and that no amendment to the
text of the Personnel Policies is necessary in order to clarify the Council's intent; and
WHEREAS, the City Council desires to clarify its interpretation of Section 3.10 so that the
Mayor, the Human Resources Office, and Department Directors can efficiently process job
description revisions that qualify as "minor revisions," while preserving Council approval of
revisions that impact a position's job duties, essential functions, or compensation;
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, HEREBY
RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Recitals Incorporated.
The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein by this reference as if fully set forth.
Section 2. Interpretation of "Minor Revisions" Under Personnel Policy 3.10.
The City Council hereby interprets Section 3.10 of the City of Edmonds Personnel Policies as
follows: a revision to a job description that falls within one or more of the following categories is
conclusively deemed not to impact the position's job duties, essential functions, or
compensation, and accordingly constitutes a "minor revision" that may be approved by the
Mayor without City Council approval:
1. Changes to job descriptions made in response to amendments to employment laws or the
enactment of new employment legislation (for example, conforming physical or licensing
requirements to the Washington Law Against Discrimination or to RCW 49.58.120 regarding
driver's license requirements);
2. Changes to minimum qualifications where the qualification is not needed to support
performance of the essential functions of the position (for example, removing a commercial
driver's license requirement where a CDL is not required to perform the essential functions
of the job);
3. Changes to required or preferred certifications, including substitution of a comparable
successor certification when a prior certification is no longer offered or is renamed by the
issuing body;
4. Changes to essential functions where the function has become obsolete or is now performed
by technology or automation, provided the change does not alter the overall scope of the
position's duties or compensation;
5. Changes to specific terms of art, product names, or system references to reflect current tools
or terminology (for example, replacing a proprietary product name with a general functional
description); and
6. Improvements to language, formatting, and grammatical corrections that do not change the
position's job duties, essential functions, or compensation.
The categories set forth in this Section 2 establish a safe harbor for the Mayor's approval
authority under Section 3.10 and are not exhaustive of the revisions that may qualify as "minor
revisions." A revision that does not fall within any of these categories may nonetheless constitute
a minor revision if, under the functional test set forth in Section 3.10, the revision does not impact
the position's job duties, essential functions, or compensation.
Section 3. Revisions Requiring Council Approval.
Any revision to a job description that impacts the position's job duties, essential functions, or
compensation remains subject to City Council approval in accordance with Section 3.10 of the
Personnel Policies. A revision that falls outside the categories set forth in Section 2 is not, by that
fact alone, subject to City Council approval; rather, whether any such revision constitutes a
"minor revision" shall be determined by application of the functional test set forth in Section
3.10. Nothing in this Resolution alters the text of Section 3.10 or the Council's authority to
approve revised job descriptions that are not minor revisions.
Section 4. Notice to Council; Receipt of Filing.
Job descriptions revised under Section 2 of this Resolution and approved by the Mayor shall be
transmitted individually to the City Council as an informational receipt of filing promptly following
the Mayor's approval of each such revised job description. Each receipt of filing is provided for
the Council's information and does not require Council action. The Human Resources Director, or
designee, shall be responsible for transmitting each receipt of filing to Council on an individual
basis.
Section 5. No Amendment of Personnel Policies.
This Resolution is intended to clarify the Council's interpretation of the existing language of
Section 3.10 of the Personnel Policies. It does not amend the text of the Personnel Policies. In the
event of any conflict between this Resolution and Section 3.10, Section 3.10 shall control.
RESOLVED this 3rd day of August, 2026.
MAYOR, MIKE ROSEN
ATTEST/AUTHENTICATE:
CITY CLERK, LUKE LONIE
FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: JULY 21, 2026
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: AUGUST 3, 2026
RESOLUTION NO: 1595
Mike Rosen (Aug 3, 2026 19:49:21 PDT)