H.R. 408

 

 

Federal Wildland Firefighter Emergency Response Compensation Act

Of

2005

 

 

An Effort to Improve The Recruitment, Retention, Benefits, and Working Conditions for Federal Wildland Firefighters

 

 

FACT SHEETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HR 408 Pay Comparison Facts

 

Current System – GS-0462-04

 

Grade: GS-0462-04 Step 1

Hourly Base Pay: $10.57 per hour.

Overtime Rate of Pay: $15.86

Hazard Pay Rate: $2.64 per hour.

Tour of Duty: Monday – Friday, 0930-1330, 1400-1800

Base Gross Pay: $845.60 per pay period.

 

Variables:       Current Fire Assignment (June 12 – June 25, 2005)

                        Shift Schedules:         0600-1800       (12 Hour Shift)

                                                           

 

Calculation for a 12 Hour Shift – Regular Day

8 hrs. base pay @ $10.57 per hour                  =          $  84.86

4 hrs. overtime @ $15.86 per hour                 =          $  63.44

12 hrs. Hazard Pay @ $2.64 per hour             =          $  31.68

                                                            Total    =          $179.98

 

Calculation for a 12 Hour Shift – Overtime Day

12 hrs. overtime @ $15.86 per hour               =          $190.32

12 hrs. Hazard Pay @ $2.64 per hour             =          $  31.68

                                                            Total    =          $222.00

 

Calculation of Assignment Wages

10 Days @ $179.98                                        =          $1799.80

  4 Days @ $222.00                                        =          $  888.00

Total for the two week fire assignment       =          $2687.80

 

Calculation Using H.R. 408

 

Daily Calculation:

16 Hrs. Base Pay @ $10.57 per hour              =          $162.12

8 Hrs. Overtime Pay @ $15.86 per hour        =          $126.88

24 Hrs. Hazard Pay @ $2.64 per hour            =          $  63.36

Daily Total     =          $352.36

 

Calculation of Assignment Wages

14 Days @ $352.36 per day                           =          $4933.04

 

Current System:         $2687.80 for a 14 day assignment.

HR 408 System:         $4933.04 for a 14 day assignment.

 

 

 

 

Current System – GS-0462-07

 

Grade: GS-0462-07 Step 5

Hourly Base Pay: $16.60 per hour.

Overtime Rate of Pay: $24.90

Hazard Pay Rate: $4.15 per hour.

Tour of Duty: Monday – Friday, 0930-1330, 1400-1800

Base Gross Pay: $1328 per pay period.

 

Variables:       Current Fire Assignment (June 12 – June 25, 2005)

                        Shift Schedules:         0600-1800       (12 Hour Shift)

                                                           

 

Calculation for a 12 Hour Shift – Regular Day

8 hrs. base pay @ $16.60 per hour                  =          $132.80

4 hrs. overtime @ $24.90 per hour                 =          $  99.60

12 hrs. Hazard Pay @ $4.15 per hour             =          $  49.80

                                                            Total    =          $281.40

 

Calculation for a 12 Hour Shift – Overtime Day

12 hrs. overtime @ $24.90 per hour               =          $298.80

12 hrs. Hazard Pay @ $4.15 per hour             =          $  49.80

                                                            Total    =          $348.60

 

Calculation of Assignment Wages

10 Days @ $281.40                                        =          $2814.00

  4 Days @ $348.60                                        =          $1394.40

Total for the two week fire assignment       =          $4208.40

 

Calculation Using H.R. 408

 

Daily Calculation:

16 Hrs. Base Pay @ $16.60 per hour              =          $265.60

8 Hrs. Overtime Pay @ $24.90 per hour        =          $199.20

24 Hrs. Hazard Pay @ $4.15 per hour            =          $  99.60

Daily Total     =          $564.40

 

Calculation of Assignment Wages

14 Days @ $564.40 per day                           =          $7901.60

 

Current System:         $4208.40 for a 14 day assignment.

HR 408 System:         $7901.60 for a 14 day assignment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current System – GS-0462-09

 

Grade: GS-0462-09 Step 5

Hourly Base Pay: $20.30 per hour.

Overtime Rate of Pay: $30.45 (Note: Pay Cap Removed – Thanks FWFSA!!!)

Hazard Pay Rate: $5.08 per hour.

Tour of Duty: Monday – Friday, 0930-1330, 1400-1800

Base Gross Pay: $1624 per pay period.

 

Variables:       Current Fire Assignment (June 12 – June 25, 2005)

                        Shift Schedules:         0600-1800       (12 Hour Shift)

                                                           

 

Calculation for a 12 Hour Shift – Regular Day

8 hrs. base pay @ $20.30 per hour                  =          $162.40

4 hrs. overtime @ $30.45 per hour                 =          $121.80

12 hrs. Hazard Pay @ $5.08 per hour             =          $ 60.96

                                                            Total    =          $345.16

 

Calculation for a 12 Hour Shift – Overtime Day

12 hrs. overtime @ $30.45 per hour               =          $365.40

12 hrs. Hazard Pay @ $5.08 per hour             =          $  60.96

                                                            Total    =          $426.36

 

Calculation of Assignment Wages

10 Days @ $345.16                                        =          $3456.60

  4 Days @ $426.36                                        =          $1705.44

Total for the two week fire assignment       =          $5162.04

 

Calculation Using H.R. 408

 

Daily Calculation:

16 Hrs. Base Pay @ $20.30 per hour              =          $324.80

8 Hrs. Overtime Pay @ $30.45 per hour        =          $243.60

24 Hrs. Hazard Pay @ $5.08 per hour            =          $139.20

Daily Total     =          $707.60

 

Calculation of Assignment Wages

14 Days @ $707.60 per day                           =          $9906.40

 

Current System:         $5162.04 for a 14 day assignment.

HR 408 System:         $9906.40 for a 14 day assignment

 

 

 

 

 

 

Concern Over the GS-15 Step 10 Aggregrate Yearly Cap on Premium Pay Earnings

 

The nationwide chart maximum is $116,517.00. There are also locality areas definitions as seen below:

 

Locality Pay Area

GS-15/10 Rate

Atlanta – Sandy Springs – Gainesville, GA-AL

$132,678

Boston – Worcester – Manchester, MA-NH-ME-RI

$138,061

Chicago – Naperville – Michigan City, IL-IN-WI

$139,471

Cincinnati – Middleton – Wilmington, OH-KY-IN

$135,206

Cleveland – Akron – Elyria, OH

$133,109

Columbus – Marion – Chillicothe, OH

$132,806

Dallas – Fort Worth, TX

$134,076

Dayton – Springfield – Greenville, OH

$131,501

Denver – Aurora – Boulder, CO

$137,560

Detroit – Warren – Flint, MI

$139,436

Hartford – West Hartford, Willimantic, CT-MA

$139,261

Houston – Baytown – Huntsville, TX

$140,300

Huntsville – Decatur, AL

$130,988

Indianapolis – Anderson – Columbus, IN

$130,511

Kansas City – Overland park – Kansas City, MO-KS

$130,919

Los Angeles – Long Beach – Riverside, CA

$140,300

Miami – Fort Lauderdale – Miami Beach, FL

$136,057

Milwaukee – Racine – Waukesha, WI

$132,387

Minneapolis – St. Paul – St. Cloud, MN-WI

$135,148

New York – Newark – Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA

$140,300

Orlando – The Villages, FL

$130,208

Philadelphia – Camden – Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD

$135,940

Pittsburgh – New Castle, PA

$131,501

Portland, Vancouver – Beaverton, OR-WA

$135,078

Richmond, VA

$131,839

Sacramento, Arden – Arcade – Truckee, CA-NV

$135,754

St. Louis – St. Charles – Farmington, MO-IL

$130,604

San Diego – Carlsbad – San Marcos, CA

$137,117

San Jose – San Francisco – Oakland, CA

$140,300

Seattle – Tacoma – Olympia, WA

$135,777

Washington – Baltimore – Northern Virginia, DC-MD-PA-VA-WV

$135,136

General Locality – Rest of U.S.

$130,173

 

Some Agency officials have expressed concerns that people above the GS-7 level will “max out” and actually lose money. I am sure that anyone who is still fighting fire (the intent of HR 408 is to provide for these folks regardless of GS grade), would love to come anywhere close to the “max out”. Very few will, even with the changes in HR 408, come close to hitting the aggregate pay cap on premium pay. If you are one of the folks who comes close, I say CONGRATULATIONS!!! You didn’t lose money, you made the maximum that the government allows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nationwide Base General Schedule Chart

 

(To do your own calculations, please utilize your local pay chart)

 

 

 

 

B/O

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Step 9

Step 10

1

B

7.67

7.93

8.19

8.44

8.69

8.84

9.10

9.35

9.36

9.60

O

11.51

11.90

12.29

12.66

13.04

13.26

13.65

14.03

14.04

14.40

2

B

8.63

8.83

9.12

9.36

9.47

9.74

10.02

10.30

10.58

10.86

O

12.95

13.25

13.68

14.04

14.21

14.61

15.03

15.45

15.87

16.29

3

B

9.41

9.73

10.04

10.36

10.67

10.98

11.30

11.61

11.92

12.24

O

14.12

14.60

15.06

15.54

16.01

16.47

16.95

17.42

17.88

18.36

4

B

10.57

10.92

11.27

11.62

11.98

12.33

12.68

13.03

13.39

13.74

O

15.86

16.38

16.91

17.43

17.97

18.50

19.02

19.55

20.09

20.61

5

B

11.82

12.22

12.61

13.01

13.40

13.80

14.19

14.58

14.98

15.37

O

17.73

18.33

18.92

19.52

20.10

20.70

21.29

21.87

22.47

23.06

6

B

13.18

13.62

14.06

14.50

14.94

15.38

15.82

16.26

16.70

17.13

O

19.77

20.43

21.09

21.75

22.41

23.07

23.73

24.39

25.05

25.70

7

B

14.65

15.13

15.62

16.11

16.60

17.09

17.58

18.06

18.55

19.04

O

21.98

22.70

23.43

24.17

24.90

25.64

26.37

27.09

27.83

28.56

8

B

16.22

16.76

17.30

17.84

18.38

18.92

19.46

20.00

20.54

21.08

O

24.33

25.14

25.95

26.76

27.57

28.38

29.19

29.60

29.60

29.60

9

B

17.92

18.51

19.11

19.71

20.30

20.90

21.50

22.09

22.69

23.29

O

26.88

27.77

28.67

29.57

29.60

29.60

29.60

29.60

29.60

29.60

10

B

19.73

20.39

21.05

21.70

22.36

23.02

23.68

24.33

24.99

25.65

O

29.60

29.60

29.60

29.60

29.60

29.60

29.60

29.60