Florida Statutes

Fla. Stat. § 110.205 (2025)

Career service; exemptions.

✓ 2025 Florida Statutes — current through the 2025 Regular Session

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110.205 Career service; exemptions.—

(1) CAREER POSITIONS.—The career service to which this part applies includes all positions not specifically exempted by this part, any other provisions of the Florida Statutes to the contrary notwithstanding.

(2) EXEMPT POSITIONS.—The exempt positions that are not covered by this part include the following:

(a) All officers of the executive branch elected by popular vote and persons appointed to fill vacancies in such offices. Unless otherwise fixed by law, the salary and benefits for any such officer who serves as the head of a department shall be set by the department in accordance with the rules of the Senior Management Service.

(b) All members, officers, and employees of the legislative branch, except for the members, officers, and employees of the Florida Public Service Commission.

(d) All officers and employees of the state universities and the academic personnel and academic administrative personnel of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind. In accordance with the provisions of s. 1002.36, the salaries for academic personnel and academic administrative personnel of the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind shall be set by the board of trustees for the school, subject only to the approval of the State Board of Education.

(e) The state chief information officer, the state chief data officer, and the state chief information security officer. The Department of Management Services shall set the salary and benefits of these positions in accordance with the rules of the Senior Management Service.

(f) All members of state boards and commissions, however selected. Unless otherwise fixed by law, the salary and benefits for any full-time board or commission member shall be set by the department in accordance with the rules of the Senior Management Service.

(g) Judges, referees, and receivers.

(h) Patients or inmates in state institutions.

(i) All positions that are established for a limited period of time for the purpose of conducting a special study, project, or investigation and any person paid from an other-personal-services appropriation. Unless otherwise fixed by law, the salaries for such positions and persons shall be set in accordance with rules established by the employing agency for other-personal-services payments pursuant to s. 110.131.

(j) The appointed secretaries and the State Surgeon General, assistant secretaries, deputy secretaries, and deputy assistant secretaries of all departments; the executive directors, assistant executive directors, deputy executive directors, and deputy assistant executive directors of all departments; the directors of all divisions and those positions determined by the department to have managerial responsibilities comparable to such positions, which positions include, but are not limited to, program directors, assistant program directors, district administrators, deputy district administrators, the Director of Central Operations Services of the Department of Children and Families, the State Transportation Development Administrator, the State Public Transportation and Modal Administrator, district secretaries, district directors of transportation development, transportation operations, transportation support, and the managers of the offices of the Department of Transportation specified in s. 20.23(4)(b). Unless otherwise fixed by law, the department shall set the salary and benefits of these positions and the positions of county health department directors and county health department administrators of the Department of Health in accordance with the rules of the Senior Management Service.

(k) The personal secretary to the incumbent of each position exempted in paragraphs (a), (e), and (j). Unless otherwise fixed by law, the department shall set the salary and benefits of these positions in accordance with the rules of the Selected Exempt Service.

(l) All officers and employees in the office of the Governor, including all employees at the Governor’s mansion, and employees within each separate budget entity, as defined in chapter 216, assigned to the Governor. Unless otherwise fixed by law, the salary and benefits of these positions shall be set by the department as follows:

1. The chief of staff, the assistant or deputy chief of staff, general counsel, Director of Legislative Affairs, chief inspector general, Director of Cabinet Affairs, Director of Press Relations, Director of Planning and Budgeting, director of administration, director of state-federal relations, Director of Appointments, Director of External Affairs, Deputy General Counsel, Governor’s Liaison for Community Development, Chief of Staff for the Lieutenant Governor, Deputy Director of Planning and Budgeting, policy coordinators, and the director of each separate budget entity shall have their salaries and benefits established by the department in accordance with the rules of the Senior Management Service.

2. The salaries and benefits of positions not established in sub-subparagraph a. shall be set by the employing agency. Salaries and benefits of employees whose professional training is comparable to that of licensed professionals under paragraph (r), or whose administrative responsibility is comparable to a bureau chief shall be set by the Selected Exempt Service. The department shall make the comparability determinations. Other employees shall have benefits set comparable to legislative staff, except leave shall be comparable to career service as if career service employees.

(m) All assistant division director, deputy division director, and bureau chief positions in any department, and those positions determined by the department to have managerial responsibilities comparable to such positions, which include, but are not limited to:

1. Positions in the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Families which are assigned primary duties of serving as the superintendent or assistant superintendent of an institution.

2. Positions in the Department of Corrections which are assigned primary duties of serving as the warden, assistant warden, colonel, or major of an institution or that are assigned primary duties of serving as the circuit administrator or deputy circuit administrator.

3. Positions in the Department of Transportation which are assigned primary duties of serving as regional toll managers and managers of offices, as specified in s. 20.23(4)(b) and (5)(c).

4. Positions in the Department of Environmental Protection which are assigned the duty of an Environmental Administrator or program administrator.

5. Positions in the Department of Health which are assigned the duties of Environmental Administrator, Assistant County Health Department Director, and County Health Department Financial Administrator.

6. Positions in the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles which are assigned primary duties of serving as captains in the Florida Highway Patrol.

7. Positions in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services which are assigned primary duties of serving as captains or majors in the Office of Agricultural Law Enforcement.

Unless otherwise fixed by law, the department shall set the salary and benefits of the positions listed in this paragraph in accordance with the rules established for the Selected Exempt Service.

(n)1.a. In addition to those positions exempted by other paragraphs of this subsection, each department head may designate a maximum of 20 policymaking or managerial positions, as defined by the department and approved by the Administration Commission, as being exempt from the Career Service System. Career service employees who occupy a position designated as a position in the Selected Exempt Service under this paragraph shall have the right to remain in the Career Service System by opting to serve in a position not exempted by the employing agency. Unless otherwise fixed by law, the department shall set the salary and benefits of these positions in accordance with the rules of the Selected Exempt Service; provided, however, that if the agency head determines that the general counsel, chief Cabinet aide, public information administrator or comparable position for a Cabinet officer, inspector general, or legislative affairs director has both policymaking and managerial responsibilities and if the department determines that any such position has both policymaking and managerial responsibilities, the salary and benefits for each such position shall be established by the department in accordance with the rules of the Senior Management Service.

b. In addition, each department may designate one additional position in the Senior Management Service if that position reports directly to the agency head or to a position in the Senior Management Service and if any additional costs are absorbed from the existing budget of that department.

2. If otherwise exempt, employees of the Public Employees Relations Commission, the Commission on Human Relations, and the Reemployment Assistance Appeals Commission, upon the certification of their respective commission heads, may be provided for under this paragraph as members of the Senior Management Service, if otherwise qualified. However, the deputy general counsel of the Public Employees Relations Commission shall be compensated as members of the Selected Exempt Service.

(o) The executive director, deputy executive director, general counsel, official reporters, and division directors within the Public Service Commission and the personal secretary and personal assistant to each member of the Public Service Commission. Unless otherwise fixed by law, the salary and benefits of the executive director, deputy executive directors, general counsel, Director of Administration, Director of Appeals, Director of Auditing and Financial Analysis, Director of Communications, Director of Consumer Affairs, Director of Electric and Gas, Director of Information Processing, Director of Legal Services, Director of Records and Reporting, Director of Research, and Director of Water and Sewer shall be set by the department in accordance with the rules of the Senior Management Service. The salary and benefits of the personal secretary and the personal assistant of each member of the commission and the official reporters shall be set by the department in accordance with the rules of the Selected Exempt Service, notwithstanding any salary limitations imposed by law for the official reporters.

(p) All military personnel of the Department of Military Affairs. Unless otherwise fixed by law, the salary and benefits for such military personnel shall be set by the Department of Military Affairs in accordance with the appropriate military pay schedule.

(q) The staff directors, assistant staff directors, district program managers, district program coordinators, district subdistrict administrators, district administrative services directors, district attorneys, and the Deputy Director of Central Operations Services of the Department of Children and Families. Unless otherwise fixed by law, the department shall establish the salary and benefits for these positions in accordance with the rules of the Selected Exempt Service.

(r) All positions not otherwise exempt under this subsection which require as a prerequisite to employment: licensure as a physician pursuant to chapter 458, licensure as an osteopathic physician pursuant to chapter 459, licensure as a chiropractic physician pursuant to chapter 460, including those positions which are occupied by employees who are exempted from licensure pursuant to s. 409.352; licensure as an engineer pursuant to chapter 471, which are supervisory positions; or for 12 calendar months, which require as a prerequisite to employment that the employee have received the degree of Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association and thereafter membership in The Florida Bar, except for any attorney who serves as an administrative law judge pursuant to s. 120.65 or for hearings conducted pursuant to s. 120.57(1)(a). Unless otherwise fixed by law, the department shall set the salary and benefits for these positions in accordance with the rules established for the Selected Exempt Service.

(s) The statewide prosecutor in charge of the Office of Statewide Prosecution of the Department of Legal Affairs and all employees in the office. The Department of Legal Affairs shall set the salary of these positions.

(t) The executive director of each board or commission established within the Department of Business and Professional Regulation or the Department of Health. Unless otherwise fixed by law, the department shall establish the salary and benefits for these positions in accordance with the rules established for the Selected Exempt Service.

(u) All officers and employees of the State Board of Administration. The State Board of Administration shall set the salaries and benefits of these positions.

(v) Positions that are leased pursuant to a state employee lease agreement expressly authorized by the Legislature pursuant to s. 110.191.

(w) Managerial employees, as defined in s. 447.203(4), confidential employees, as defined in s. 447.203(5), and supervisory employees who spend the majority of their time communicating with, motivating, training, and evaluating employees, and planning and directing employees’ work, and who have the authority to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline subordinate employees or effectively recommend such action, including all employees serving as supervisors, administrators, and directors. Excluded are employees also designated as special risk or special risk administrative support and attorneys who serve as administrative law judges pursuant to s. 120.65 or for hearings conducted pursuant to s. 120.57(1)(a). Additionally, registered nurses licensed under chapter 464, dentists licensed under chapter 466, psychologists licensed under chapter 490 or chapter 491, nutritionists or dietitians licensed under part X of chapter 468, pharmacists licensed under chapter 465, psychological specialists licensed under chapter 491, physical therapists licensed under chapter 486, and speech therapists licensed under part I of chapter 468 are excluded, unless otherwise collectively bargained.

(x) All officers and employees of the Justice Administrative Commission, Office of the State Attorney, Office of the Public Defender, regional offices of capital collateral counsel, offices of criminal conflict and civil regional counsel, and Statewide Guardian ad Litem Office, including the circuit guardian ad litem offices.

(3) PARTIAL EXEMPTION OF DEPARTMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT.—Employees of the Department of Law Enforcement shall be subject to the provisions of s. 110.227, except in matters relating to transfer.

(4) DEFINITION OF DEPARTMENT.—When used in this section, the term “department” shall mean all departments and commissions of the executive branch, whether created by the State Constitution or chapter 20; the office of the Governor; and the Public Service Commission; however, the term “department” shall mean the Department of Management Services when used in the context of the authority to establish pay bands and benefits.

(5) POSITIONS EXEMPTED BY OTHER STATUTES.—If any position is exempted from the career service by any other statute and the personnel system to which that position is assigned is not specifically included in the statute, the position shall be placed in the Selected Exempt Service, and the department shall establish the pay band and benefits for that position in accordance with the rules of the Selected Exempt Service.

(6) EXEMPTION OF CHIEF INSPECTOR OF BOILER SAFETY PROGRAM, DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES.—In addition to those positions exempted from this part, there is hereby exempted from the Career Service System the chief inspector of the boiler inspection program of the Department of Financial Services. The pay band of this position shall be established by the Department of Management Services in accordance with the classification and pay plan established for the Selected Exempt Service.

(7) CARRYING LEAVE FORWARD.—If an employee is transferred or otherwise moves from the Career Service System into the Selected Exempt Service, all of the employee’s unused annual leave and unused sick leave shall carry forward with the employee.

History.—s. 21, ch. 79-190; s. 2, ch. 80-404; s. 1, ch. 81-213; s. 1, ch. 82-187; s. 2, ch. 82-221; s. 2, ch. 83-72; s. 4, ch. 83-174; s. 2, ch. 83-177; s. 1, ch. 83-280; s. 10, ch. 83-332; s. 41, ch. 84-207; s. 2, ch. 85-65; s. 8, ch. 85-179; s. 2, ch. 85-219; ss. 9, 12, ch. 85-241; s. 2, ch. 85-318; s. 1, ch. 86-149; s. 16, ch. 87-361; s. 1, ch. 88-29; s. 1, ch. 88-174; s. 1, ch. 88-182; s. 3, ch. 88-215; s. 7, ch. 88-290; s. 1, ch. 88-366; s. 33, ch. 89-526; s. 1, ch. 90-337; s. 12, ch. 90-365; s. 11, ch. 91-139; s. 1, ch. 91-164; ss. 9, 21, ch. 91-431; s. 1, ch. 92-86; s. 158, ch. 92-152; s. 30, ch. 92-279; s. 55, ch. 92-326; s. 6, ch. 94-218; s. 1, ch. 94-264; s. 55, ch. 95-280; s. 2, ch. 95-295; s. 9, ch. 95-325; s. 44, ch. 96-323; s. 51, ch. 96-399; s. 11, ch. 96-410; s. 11, ch. 96-423; s. 173, ch. 97-101; s. 10, ch. 97-278; s. 8, ch. 99-8; ss. 30, 53, ch. 99-228; s. 3, ch. 99-240; s. 10, ch. 99-271; s. 3, ch. 99-397; s. 9, ch. 99-399; s. 5, ch. 2000-157; s. 1, ch. 2000-161; s. 15, ch. 2001-43; s. 2, ch. 2001-261; s. 19, ch. 2002-1; s. 4, ch. 2002-194; s. 3, ch. 2002-273; s. 892, ch. 2002-387; s. 9, ch. 2003-138; s. 1, ch. 2003-174; s. 122, ch. 2003-261; s. 6, ch. 2003-286; s. 4, ch. 2004-5; s. 2, ch. 2004-366; s. 38, ch. 2005-236; s. 25, ch. 2007-62; s. 5, ch. 2008-6; s. 4, ch. 2009-80; s. 11, ch. 2009-204; s. 21, ch. 2009-271; s. 3, ch. 2011-66; s. 41, ch. 2012-30; s. 11, ch. 2012-215; s. 11, ch. 2013-44; s. 1, ch. 2013-160; s. 31, ch. 2014-19; s. 23, ch. 2014-221; s. 49, ch. 2014-223; s. 16, ch. 2019-118; s. 2, ch. 2020-161; s. 1, ch. 2021-148; s. 42, ch. 2024-70; s. 1, ch. 2025-22; s. 48, ch. 2025-155.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 12 cases, 1981–2006 · leading case: Burgess v. Florida Dept. of Com., 436 So. 2d 356 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983).

Sort: Relevance Newest Treatment

Burgess v. Florida Dept. of Com., 436 So. 2d 356 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983). · cites it 10× “The applicable 1979 version of section 110.205 provides: 110.205 Career service; exemptions (1) CAREER POSITIONS.”

Fuller v. Dep't of Educ., 927 So. 2d 28 (Fla. 1st DCA 2006). · cites it 6× “Effective July 1, 2001, appellant was reclassified from Career Service to SES pursuant to section 110.205(2)(x), Florida Statutes (2001).”

Reeves v. Florida Unemployment Appeals Com'n, 782 So. 2d 525 (Fla. 1st DCA 2001). · cites it 2× “Over the next several months, appellant and the Division were engaged in resolving the question of appellant's eligibility for such *526 benefits because the position he had held was part of the Senior Management Service under section 110.205(2), Florida Statutes. The Division…”

Dep't of Military Affairs v. Griffin, 530 So. 2d 1029 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988). · cites it 9× “” Section 2, Chapter 80-404, Laws of Florida (House Bill 1754).”

Lee v. Florida Dep't of High. Saf. & Motor Vehs., 438 So. 2d 405 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983). · cites it 2× “Thus, Trooper Lee, as a member of the Highway Patrol, is entitled to the full protection of the Act.”

Burgess v. Dep't of Com., 400 So. 2d 1258 (Fla. 1st DCA 1981). · cites it 6× “We consider the pertinent allegations to be that the exemption procedure violated § 110.205(2)(h), Fla.Stat. (1979), because Burgess’ position was allegedly not “a policy-making position” which is permitted to be designated exempt under the statute.”

Town of Pembroke Park v. Florida State Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police, 501 So. 2d 1294 (Fla. 4th DCA 1986). · cites it 2× “Section 110.205(1), Florida Statutes (1981), expressly states that “[t]he Career Service .”

Reinshuttle v. Agency for Health Care Admin., 849 So. 2d 434 (Fla. 1st DCA 2003). · cites it 2× “As a result of Florida's "Service First" legislation, Appellants were reclassified from Career Service to Selected Exempt status under the authority of Florida Statute section 110.205(2) (2001). After working as Selected Exempt employees for various periods of time, Appellants…”

Nute v. Florida Dep't of Law Enf't, 397 So. 2d 1222 (Fla. 1st DCA 1981). “227, Florida Statutes, suspensions, dismissals, reductions in pay, demotions, lay-offs and transfers are appealable to the Career Service Commission but § 110.205(3) provides that, “Employees of the Department of Law Enforcement shall be subject to the provisions of § 110.”

Equal Emp. Opportunity Comm'n v. Reno, 758 F.2d 581 (11th Cir. 1985). “Fla.Stat. § 110.205(2)(k) (1981). . Although matters outside the pleadings were presented to the court, defendant’s motion to dismiss was not converted into a summary judgment motion.”

Klein v. Dep't of Educ., 908 So. 2d 1097 (Fla. 1st DCA 2005). · cites it 2× “On August 12, 2003, Klein, following the Department’s reclassification of his position from Career Service to Selected Exempt Service, pursuant to the “Service First” legislation, section 110.205(2), Florida Statutes (2001), challenged such classification by filing a petition…”

Park v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 21 Fla. Supp. 2d 219 (Fla. Div. Admin. Hr'g 1985). · cites it 2× “The Senior Management Service is limited to positions which are exempt from the Career Service Syste by Section 110.205(2), Florida Statutes (1983).”

— 110.205(1) — 3 cases

Lee v. Florida Dep't of High. Saf. & Motor Vehs., 438 So. 2d 405 (Fla. 4th DCA 1983). “Thus, Trooper Lee, as a member of the Highway Patrol, is entitled to the full protection of the Act.”

Town of Pembroke Park v. Florida State Lodge, Fraternal Order of Police, 501 So. 2d 1294 (Fla. 4th DCA 1986). “Section 110.205(1), Florida Statutes (1981), expressly states that “[t]he Career Service .”

Dep't of Military Affairs v. Griffin, 530 So. 2d 1029 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988). “” Section 2, Chapter 80-404, Laws of Florida (House Bill 1754).”

— 110.205(2) — 5 cases

Reeves v. Florida Unemployment Appeals Com'n, 782 So. 2d 525 (Fla. 1st DCA 2001). “Over the next several months, appellant and the Division were engaged in resolving the question of appellant's eligibility for such *526 benefits because the position he had held was part of the Senior Management Service under section 110.205(2), Florida Statutes. The Division…”

Reinshuttle v. Agency for Health Care Admin., 849 So. 2d 434 (Fla. 1st DCA 2003). “As a result of Florida's "Service First" legislation, Appellants were reclassified from Career Service to Selected Exempt status under the authority of Florida Statute section 110.205(2) (2001). After working as Selected Exempt employees for various periods of time, Appellants…”

Dep't of Military Affairs v. Griffin, 530 So. 2d 1029 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988). “” Section 2, Chapter 80-404, Laws of Florida (House Bill 1754).”

Klein v. Dep't of Educ., 908 So. 2d 1097 (Fla. 1st DCA 2005). “On August 12, 2003, Klein, following the Department’s reclassification of his position from Career Service to Selected Exempt Service, pursuant to the “Service First” legislation, section 110.205(2), Florida Statutes (2001), challenged such classification by filing a petition…”

Park v. Dep't of Health & Rehabilitative Servs., 21 Fla. Supp. 2d 219 (Fla. Div. Admin. Hr'g 1985). “The Senior Management Service is limited to positions which are exempt from the Career Service Syste by Section 110.205(2), Florida Statutes (1983).”

— 110.205(2)(h) — 2 cases

Burgess v. Florida Dept. of Com., 436 So. 2d 356 (Fla. 1st DCA 1983). “The applicable 1979 version of section 110.205 provides: 110.205 Career service; exemptions (1) CAREER POSITIONS.”

Burgess v. Dep't of Com., 400 So. 2d 1258 (Fla. 1st DCA 1981). “We consider the pertinent allegations to be that the exemption procedure violated § 110.205(2)(h), Fla.Stat. (1979), because Burgess’ position was allegedly not “a policy-making position” which is permitted to be designated exempt under the statute.”

— 110.205(2)(k) — 1 case

— 110.205(2)(q) — 1 case

Dep't of Military Affairs v. Griffin, 530 So. 2d 1029 (Fla. 1st DCA 1988). “” Section 2, Chapter 80-404, Laws of Florida (House Bill 1754).”

— 110.205(2)(x) — 1 case

Fuller v. Dep't of Educ., 927 So. 2d 28 (Fla. 1st DCA 2006). “Effective July 1, 2001, appellant was reclassified from Career Service to SES pursuant to section 110.205(2)(x), Florida Statutes (2001).”

— 110.205(3) — 2 cases

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