The USFS isn’t having any trouble handing out hiring incentive packages. Some nice amounts getting distributed. Now we just need to retain the folks we already have!!
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Will you elaborate on the hiring incentive packages? 1st I’ve heard of it!
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Lump sum payments to folks who accept positions that have been vacant for a certain amount of time. I know 1 person who got $26k, has to remain in the position for 2 years or they have to pay it back.
I’ve reached out to the Union (NFFE) to see any updates. I know they’ve been at the table with OPM working hard on this to get it right.
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Well that smells like a law suit coming from current employees in the same position. Let’s see how much money this will cost the federal government rather then making pay the same across the board.
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Yeah that’s where that is going to end up, they’re essentially treating them like they are under a contract.
I would be more than happy to accept $26k to remain in my current position for 2 years.
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Meanwhile in California the minimum wage will increase from $15/hr to $15.50/hr on 1/1/2023.
Calfire entry position applications open Nov 1, 2022.
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Runormill is saying there will be a townhall meeting on Classification by 5/24 and 5/25.
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It was a dangling carrot. Read article in Wildfire Today.
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Full on bummer trumpets… So let’s see if I got this,
Somebody will get something for sometime. But we don’t know who will or won’t. But we’re hoping it happens soon.
Did I miss anything?
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Theres no info in wildfire todays article. Same stuff that has been thrown around
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Yep that sums it up.
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hats off to the boots on the ground for their service in fighting the wildfires in the midst of all the business happening. Head up and shoulders back troops!
Strength and Honor,
Clifford Natzke -supt
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Messaging.
Forest Service will spend the 480 million for increased salaries in two years. They’re calling it a supplemental pay increase to a persons base pay.
Unknown which grade levels and geographic areas will receive the supplemental. However oddly enough they said supplemental payments will start in June. With June around the corner, how they could not know who is going to get the supplemental to was a mystery to me.
Not messaged, but the math in the law says: if you make over $40,000 in base salary you get $20,000. That’s $1,667 a month more or $833 a check. That could be the supplemental. It’s only based on base pay. Again, they think this will last two years. If you make under $40,000 the law says the supplemental will be 50%
of your base pay.
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Good summary, appreciate it. This whole thing is a joke
A slap in our face at best just like the retention pay we had years ago. Made my decision to retire at 50 really easy now
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I don’t understand how they can not follow the law of the bill passed. I think we all need to band together and file a case against all the agencies for breaking the law and get what we truly deserve as written in the BIL. I already have reached out to multiple firms and they are ready to take this on.
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If they follow up with making the *$833 per check payments and they back pay those payments to Oct 2021 (as the law requires) and they make it broad geographically and up and down the GS scale, I think it’s still a really good start.
However, that’s a big IF. *Note the numbers are just doing the math as outlined in the infra bill. Could they augment/justify something different for these supplemental payments, I’d say anything is possible with bureaucrats and Line Officers.
Stay on them. Be loud. Overall I think the Associate Chief and the person on special assignment to the WO to implement this were sincere in their delivery, but we need to make sure we remind them each day the Wildland fire community is watching.
Another briefing this morning for other regions. I think it’s at 0900 Pacific.
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I agree with desertrat. Also tell the union you expect answers and results.
The infra bill is not the solution for everything. The Tim Hart Act is the answer. Do all you can to tell elected officials you want an up or down vote on the Tim Hart Act before the new congress is seated in January. Tell them daily, if not hourly.
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