S. 4271: Support our Firefighters Act

This bill, titled the Support our Firefighters Act, proposes several changes to federal law designed to enhance the working conditions and benefits of wildland firefighters. The main provisions of the bill are as follows:

Rest and Recuperation Leave

The bill introduces a new category of paid leave, known as rest and recuperation leave, specifically for covered employees engaged in wildland firefighting. This leave is intended to allow firefighters time to recover after being deployed for duty related to wildland fire incidents. Key aspects include:

• A covered employee is defined as an employee from the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior who meets specific criteria related to wildland firefighting duties.
• After completing service on qualifying incidents, these employees may receive paid leave under established policies.
• The policies for this leave will be developed by the Secretaries of Agriculture and the Interior, who will jointly determine the specifics.
• Employees will be required to use rest and recuperation leave within a certain timeframe after their deployment, with a focus on ensuring they recover before returning to work.

Leave Usage Guidelines

The bill stipulates guidelines for how the rest and recuperation leave should be utilized, which includes:

• The leave must be taken during scheduled work hours and will be paid similarly to annual leave.
• It must be used immediately after participation in a qualifying incident.
• Employees cannot cash out or carry over unused leave.

Special Circumstances for Intermittent Workers

For employees with intermittent work schedules, the bill provides that they will also be entitled to the rest and recuperation leave during the same period as other covered employees, and they will receive payment for this period as if they were on leave.

Transfer of Funds

The bill allows for the transfer of certain unobligated federal funds (up to $5 million) within the Wildland Fire Management budget to support the implementation of the pay increases available for federal wildland firefighters.

Overtime Caps

The legislation amends existing laws to eliminate overtime pay caps for wildland firefighters, thereby allowing them to receive additional compensation without restrictions that previously applied in specific years.

Technical Amendments

Lastly, the bill includes technical amendments to update the legal framework to incorporate the new provisions regarding rest and recuperation leave into the federal law.

Relevant Companies

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