Pennsylvania Statutes Title 53 P.S. Municipal and Quasi-Municipal Corporations § 23453. Removals or discharges;  reasons to be given;  suspensions;  successive suspensions forbidden;  exception as to policemen and firemen

No officer, clerk, or employé, in the competitive class or in the non-competitive class of the classified civil service of any city of the second class, who shall have been appointed under the provisions of this act, or of the rules made pursuant thereto, shall be removed, discharged, or reduced in pay or position except for just cause, which shall not be religious or political.  Further, no such officer, clerk, or employé shall be removed, discharged, or reduced, except as provided in section eight of this act,  1 until he shall have been furnished with a written statement of the reasons for such action, and been allowed to give the removing officer such written answer as the person sought to be removed may desire.  In every case of such removal or reduction a copy of the statement of reasons therefor, and of the written answer thereto, shall be furnished to the civil service commission, and entered upon its records.  Nothing in this act shall limit the power of any officer to suspend a subordinate for a reasonable period, not exceeding thirty days:  Provided, however, That successive suspensions shall not be allowed, except in special cases, where reasons of public importance make it necessary, and where the permission of the commission has first been obtained and recorded upon its public records.  Nothing in this act shall alter the procedure required for the removal or punishment of policemen and firemen, as provided in the act of March seventh, one thousand nine hundred and one,  2 relating to the government of cities of the second class.