They just might. We all need to push this hard.
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from page 19 of the pdf, sounds like you would at least be able to buy back temp time
DEPOSIT SERVICE.—Notwithstanding any other
provision of law, any service performed by an individual
as a Federal wildland firefighter on or after January 1,
1989, for which retirement deductions under chapter 84
of title 5, United States Code, have not been made shall
be creditable under such chapter, but only if such fire-
fighter—
(1) submits a written election to the Director;
(2) the deposit requirements of section 8411(f)
of such title had been met with respect to such service.
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Thanks for looking that up, sorry I should have looked at the full doc. That makes sense because I believe that back dates to the last time temp employment was able to be bought.
Yet in the fact sheet it says.
Ensure all federal wildland firefighters earn retirement benefits for temporary seasonal employment, retroactively applying to the last 10 years of service
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Our pay is a long ways from where it should be. When you look at most trade’s that require education, years of training to climb the responsibility ladder, and high work ethic and performance…those careers pay very well after all the work. Fire seems to just stagnate. Work more, then work more and more if you want more
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I saw this on the web, maybe some you have read it. It helps describe the challenges that wildland firefighters have making ends meet. I hope this, and the other light that is finally showing on this national crisis will get the attention it deserves.
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Keep fighting. We’ve come too far to not push hard now for Congressmen Neguse’s Tim Hart bill.
Get this thing on the floor of the House, one way or another.
Let’s get Tim’s wife Michelle to the White House for this signing!
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Getting more steam
0700 PST 10/27/21 the bill goes to the natural resources committee.
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Actually heard a high level line officer say today they hope to see starting pay at $20 and scale up from there.
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Case in point, one of our biggest legacy challenges is having people speak on our behalf that have no experience in fire as Ms. Hall-Riveria stated of herself. No offense to her, but I continue to see the lack of understanding what’s happening at the ground level with the real retention issues…All the salary stuff is of course needed along with the other bullet points, but we need fire people leading the fire programs for long term improvements.
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Fire people involved in the union?
Because if the WFCPA gets approved, the union will be fighting to get every other Federal worker the same benefits. OPM is aware of this and will be fighting against anything other than a new classification and new pay scales.
Testimony today on the Tim Hart Act.
The recorded session can be heard here.
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Need to start entry level pay at $20 per house and scale up, plus H and portal to portal. This would be a game changer. This could bring significant interest and competition for these fed positions.
We need to get this. A day should not go bye where the thousands of us are not calling, emailing, blogging or doing something to reach out to an elected official.
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The House has scheduled this Tuesday to vote on the bipartisan Infra bill and send it to the Presidents desk. As a reminder of what’s in this bill, here is a piece of the letter Diane Feinstein and a group of Democrat Senators coauthored to Sec’s Haaland and Vilsack a month ago.
“We ask that your agencies begin working together now to be in position to swiftly implement the pay increase ($20,000 or 50% of annual salary, which ever is lower) for federal wildland firefighters, the development of a distinct ‘wildland firefighter’ occupational series, and the conversion of at least 1,000 seasonal firefighting positions to permanent positions once this bill is signed into law.”
This is a bipartisan bill and a solid second phase in support of Federal Wildland Firefighters.
However we must never stop fighting for the passage of the Tim Hart Act. The passage of the Tim Hart Act is the game changer, and we must do whatever we can to get it to Biden’s desk.
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Let’s get it done people. The Tim Hart Act can become law. We have bipartisan support. Keep fighting, do whatever you can we reach out to lawmakers and discuss the Tim Hart Act. We can do this! Please take a moment and listen to Rep Neguse.
#TimHartAct
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This will be the 3rd time this bill has been scheduled for a vote in the house. The prior 2 times it was pulled at the last minute due to the votes not being there. The Progressive Caucus WILL NOT vote for this bill without a vote in the Build Back Better Reconciliation Bill at the same time. The BBB bill doesn’t have the support in Senate in its original form for 3.5T. Last Thur POTUS outlined a “Framework” for a revised BBB at 1.95T, but there is ZERO LEGISLATION for said framework. Additionally, the Progressive Caucus has said the the BBB at 1.95T isn’t enough and several Senators have said 1.95T is too much.
Until the votes to overcome the Progressive Caucus opposition to a stand alone Infrastructure Bill vote changes. As said in INGLORIOUS BASTARDS “What we have here is a Mexican Stand Off”
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A 100% of house progressives support the Senates infra bill and the house will pass it and send to the presidents desk. It’s political suicide not too. The progressives and two dem senators do have differences on what BBB should look like and how it’s paid for. BBB is 90% written right now, they need to work out the final details. Progressives want to vote on both bills at the same time.
For this long overdue second step for federal wildland firefighters, I am hoping the vote is this week so the departments can get to work soon on implementing and more importantly, so we all can see what implementation looks like, which is always a concern when you involve department bureaucrats.
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After several months, the House of Representatives has passed the Infrastructure Bill (11/5/2021) This is the Sentate bill that includes the WFF pay increase as Championed by Senator Feinstein. Progress has been made.
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