File Code: 6150-2-3
Date: November 17, 2004
Route To: (5130), (6100)
Subject: 2005 Administratively Determined (AD) Pay Plan Draft Review
To: Regional Foresters, Station Directors, Area Director, IITF Director, and WO Staff

OPTIONAL REPLY DUE DECEMBER 17, 2004

Enclosed is a draft of our 2005 Administratively Determined (AD) Pay Plan for Emergency Workers.

This AD Pay Plan was initially established to be a stand-alone pay and hiring process, outside the Federal system, to pick up local help on a short-term basis to fill shortage positions during an emergency that threatens life and property. However, our Fire Directors have concluded that the pay plan has been expanded beyond its original intent in recent years. As a result, the National Wildfire Coordinating Group’s Incident Business Practices Working Team tasked three different interagency groups over the last year to analyze the use of the AD Pay Plan, its covered positions, and associated pay rates, prior to issuance in 2005. The groups have completed their tasks. Their work product is summarized below:

· Utilizing subject matter experts, human resource specialists reviewed and ranked all common AD positions through a leveling process into categories based on their complexity.

· WO HRM led a group that developed pay rates for each of the AD position categories, through comparison with salary tables for equivalent General Schedule and Wage Grade positions.

· The pay plan language has been reviewed and appropriate changes made to address issues from the field in regard to our AD hiring processes and payment methods.

· Remaining questions pertaining to the status and use of AD positions have been submitted to Office of General Counsel for an opinion.

· An additional group has been chartered to evaluate other emergency hiring authorities, which could be used as an alternative to the AD pay plan.

A more detailed description of the processes and rationales used to develop the 2005 Pay Plan is included in the enclosed draft. In addition, the digest outlines a number of significant changes that have been made in this year’s AD Pay Plan.

Using the enclosed form, please send consolidated Region and Station responses to Debbie Rigden at drigden@fs.fed.us by December 17. Comments should be limited to issues that might prevent implementation or use of the pay plan. Each form should include the name, telephone number and e-mail information of the primary Regional or Station contact for follow-up purposes.

/s/ John G. Lopez
JOHN G. LOPEZ
Director of Human Resources Management