Lawmakers from both major parties push for enhancements in terms of work conditions and benefits for federal firefighters.
Federal Firefighters Families First Act Proposed to Improve Work Conditions and Recruitment
The Federal Firefighters Families First Act, a bipartisan bill introduced by Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Bernie Moreno (R-OH), aims to enhance work conditions, pay, and benefits for federal firefighters. The Act targets the grueling work schedules and low pay that have contributed to recruitment and retention challenges in federal firefighting.
One of the key proposals in the Act is to reduce the federal firefighters' workweek from 72 hours to 60 hours, significantly cutting mandatory overtime from 19 to 7 hours per week. This change aims to create a better work-life balance by lessening the physical and mental stress caused by extended shifts many federal firefighters currently endure.
To ensure financial stability, the Act maintains steady pay for firefighters even with fewer hours worked. Overtime hours will be properly compensated as premium pay when calculating retirement benefits under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Currently, mandatory overtime is treated as basic, not premium, pay for pension calculations, disadvantaging firefighters.
The Act also seeks to support federal firefighters' physical and mental health by capping pre-scheduled work hours at 60 per week. This addresses the health risks associated with long shifts and extended time away from family.
The bill addresses the staffing shortages faced by the Department of Defense (DoD) and other government facilities. For years, civilian federal firefighter staffing at DoD has remained below the authorized levels. Wildland firefighters, who work at the Department of Interior and Forest Service, face similar recruitment and retention challenges.
The Act is part of broader efforts to improve recruitment and retention in the federal firefighting workforce. By enhancing pay fairness, reducing exhausting work hours, and better aligning benefits with actual work, the Act seeks to make federal firefighting careers more sustainable and attractive.
Under the new bill, federal firefighters would see a 60-hour cap on their workweek schedules. The legislation aims to improve work-life balance and recruitment and retention of federal firefighters. Federal firefighters would still be able to work more overtime voluntarily, but the hours would not be mandatory under the legislation.
The Government Accountability Office has reported that federal firefighters working at government and defense facilities face major recruitment and retention issues. Low staffing leads to increased mandatory overtime for federal firefighters at many DoD facilities, according to GAO. The bill seeks to reduce mandatory overtime hours for federal firefighters and adjust benefits calculations.
If passed, the Federal Firefighters Families First Act would adjust federal firefighters' retirement calculations to account for the higher wages they make while working overtime. This would help address the discrepancy between current calculations and the true work and sacrifice of federal firefighters.
The Act is a significant step towards improving the working conditions and recruitment of federal firefighters, ensuring a safer and more secure future for both the firefighters and the communities they serve.
- The Federal Firefighters Families First Act aims to reimagine the federal workforce by addressing the grueling work schedules and low pay that have contributed to recruitment and retention challenges in federal firefighting.
- The passage of the Act would lead to a healthier workforce, as it proposes a workplace-wellness initiative, including a cap on pre-scheduled work hours at 60 per week for federal firefighters, promoting science-based health and wellness, such as fitness-and-exercise.
- The Act also targets the health risks associated with long shifts and extended time away from family by adjusting federal firefighters' retirement calculations to account for the higher wages they make while working overtime, fostering a more sustainable and attractive career in the federal workforce.
