53 Pa.C.S. § 739

(a) Transition.--As of the date when a consolidated or merged municipality shall begin to function, except for those officers and employees which are protected by any tenure of office, civil service provisions or collective bargaining agreement, all appointive offices and positions then existing in all former municipalities involved in the consolidation or merger shall be subject to the terms of the consolidation or merger agreement or transitional plan as provided for in section 735.1 (relating to initiative of electors seeking consolidation or merger with new home rule charter). Provisions shall be made for instances in which there is duplication of positions, including, but not limited to, chief of police or manager, and for other matters such as varying length of employee contracts, different civil service regulations in the constituent municipalities and differing ranks and position classifications for similar positions.

(b) Exception.--Nothing in this section shall be deemed to apply to a consolidated or merged municipality if one or more of the consolidating or merging municipalities has been declared distressed under the act of July 10, 1987 (P.L.246, No.47), known as the Municipalities Financial Recovery Act. In such case, the provisions of section 408 of that act shall control. (Oct. 23, 2003, P.L.180, No.29, eff. 60 days) 2003 Amendment. Act 29 amended subsec. (a).