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ADMINISTRATIVELY DETERMINED FIREFIGHTERS

DOI Administrative Hire Pay Plan

The DOI Pay Plan is a special hiring authority granted to the Department of Interior to provide a simplified process to hire casuals for the specific needs identified below.

This Plan may not be used to circumvent other hiring authorities (i.e., temporary 1039 or career seasonal appointments), contracting procedures, or to fill vacant government positions. Additionally, this authority can never be used to extend a time limited appointment (i.e., 1039 appointment).

It is imperative hiring officials, approving officials, and other pertinent staff educate themselves with this guidance, the pay plan, and the Interagency Incident Business Management Handbook (IIBMH) prior to hiring under the AD Pay Plan authority.

Proper Application of the AD Pay Plan

The AD Pay Plan only applies when it becomes necessary to hire persons:

  1. To cope with a sudden and unexpected emergency caused by a fire, or extreme fire potential, flood, storm, or any other emergency that threatens damage to federally protected property, unless brought under immediate control.
  2. Tribal firefighters are not covered under the AD Pay Plan. Once an AD is hired, they become federal employees under the Agency that sponsors them.
  3. To provide emergency assistance to states under formalized agreements.
  4. To meet mission assignments issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
    • To be reimbursed, an employee assigned to an all-hazard incident must show documentation recorded by the Mission Assignment, be supplied through established dispatch systems and have subsequent Resource Order Status System (ROSS) documentation.
    • For local all-hazard incidents, program funds from a Region or the Local Agency must be used to pay for resources and ADs.
    • For incidents, other than wildland fire, fire suppression funds cannot be used to hire ADs and other resources.
  5. To supplement regular personnel assigned to prescribed fire projects (this authority does not include mechanical or chemical hazardous fuels reduction projects).
  6. To attend emergency incident training.
    • Units may hire casuals to attend training in preparation for emergency incidents (i.e. Incident Command System (ICS) courses and refresher training). The training course number should be noted on the Emergency Firefighter Time Report (OF-288) when submitted to the Casual Payment Center (CPC) for processing.
    • In most cases, training hours, excluding travel time, should not exceed a total of 80 hours per calendar year, regardless of the hiring agency. Please identify
      Attachment 1-2 travel time, so the CPC can properly input time and keep travel separate from actual training hours.
    • It is the responsibility of the hiring unit to monitor training hours through the use of the Casual Pay Datamart system.
  7. To instruct emergency incident training.
    • Units may hire casuals to instruct emergency incident training only when all other methods of hiring and contracting instructors have been exhausted. The training course number should be notated on the Emergency Firefighter Time Report (OF-288) when submitted to the CPC for processing.
    • Length of employment is not to exceed a total of 120 hours, excluding travel, per calendar year, regardless of hiring agency. Please identify travel time, so the CPC can properly input time and keep travel separate from actual training hours.
    • It is the responsibility of the hiring unit to monitor instructor hours through the use of the Casual Pay Datamart system.
    • The pay plan does not authorize the hiring of casuals to fill support roles during fire training (i.e., Rookie School, Fire Academy, etc.).
  8. To carry out emergency stabilization (ES) work during or directly following an incident, or during a transition period (not to exceed 90 days), to develop plans and manage an emergency stabilization effort until regular government employees can handle the situation.
  9. To assist with prescribed fire projects due to the unpredictable nature of prescribed fire activities. This does not include mechanical or chemical hazardous fuels reduction projects.
    • The term of hire may not begin until 24 hours before planned ignition, and must be completed 24 hours after the perimeter is secured.
    • Work on prescribed fires is limited to 300 hours per calendar year, per person, regardless of agency. The hiring unit holds the responsibility to monitor prescribed fire hours, through use of the Casual Pay Datamart system.
    • Casuals should not be hired for prescribed fire projects conducted by other agencies. It is the benefitting agency’s responsibility to hire casuals.

Hiring Unit Responsibilities

It is the responsibility of the hiring unit to:

  1. Designate hiring/approving officials.
    • Review the Emergency Firefighter Time Report (OF-288) and hiring forms for accuracy and completeness, prior to submission to the CPC for payment.
    • Maintain casual hiring documents in accordance with the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a).
  2. Process workers compensation claims. Casuals are covered under the Federal Employee’s Compensation Act (5 U.S.C. 81), which authorizes medical care and compensation for periods of disability for casuals who sustain traumatic injuries and occupational diseases in the performance of duties. Casuals are entitled to payment of Continuation of Pay (COP) for traumatic injuries for eight hours per day, seven days a week, for a maximum of 45 calendar days.
  3. Process personal property loss/property damage claims.
  4. Issue authorization to travel and process claims for travel expense reimbursement. 

Hiring Forms

Hiring units are required to complete the necessary hiring forms when hiring a casual. The following forms are to be completed and maintained at the hiring unit in accordance with the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. 552a). In states that require income taxes, withholdings will be assessed for the state in which the casual is hired, unless a reciprocal agreement is in place. The casual pay Federal Personnel Payroll System (FPPS) system also allows for a voluntary state tax record to be added when a casual needs to pay state taxes for the state they reside in, as well as the “hired at” state.  Casuals are encouraged to consult with a tax expert for guidance or questions on federal and state taxes.

The following forms are to be completed, and forwarded to the DOI Casual Payment Center:

  • Form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate
  • SF-1199A, Direct Deposit Sign-Up Form (optional)
  • Applicable State Tax Forms

Download Hiring Forms:

  • Single Resource Casual Hire Information Form (SRCHIF);
  • Incident Behavior Form;
  • Form I-9

Travel

Casuals who travel will need to complete a GovTrip User Profile, and Financial and Business Management System (FBMS) Vendor Master Setup Form. The assigned Federal Agency Travel Administrator (FATA) will use this form to create or update the casual’s individual GovTrip profile.

Exception Positions

If the need arises, an exception position may be established to meet a local need (for use within the local/geographic area). The Pay Plan provides classification guidelines for determining what level an exception position may be established. A brief description of duties must accompany the Emergency Firefighter Time Report (OF-288) when sent for processing. The State Incident Business Lead must review and approve any exception positions established. The BIA Fire Administation Officer, who represent the BIA on the Incident Buisness Management Committee, must also approve the position.

Hiring of Relatives

The BIA policy regarding the employment of relatives is applicable to the AD Pay Plan. The policy prohibits a BIA public official from appointing, employing, promoting, advancing, or advocating the employment or advancement of a relative in their organization where they have jurisdiction.

Incident Business Reviews

States are responsible for conducting casual reviews as part of the Incident Business Review process. The intent of the review is to demonstrate offices are following the DOI standard and BIA policies and guidance in the application of the AD Pay Plan for Emergency Workers (casuals).  

Payment Procedures for Casuals Hired Under the AD Pay Plan

The processing of emergency firefighter payroll for casuals hired by the BIA will be done out of the DOI Casual Payment Center (CPC), located at 1249 Vinnell Way, Suite 108, Boise, Idaho 83709. Payment procedures can be found at: http://www.nifc.gov/programs/programs_PaymentCenter.html.

Who Do I Call?

Any questions regarding the AD pay plan authority should be directed to a local subject matter expert. Local subject matter experts include the Fire Management Officer (FMO), the Assistant Fire Management Officer (AFMO), hiring officials, etc. If the local subject matter expert is unable to answer questions regarding the AD pay plan authority, contact the Regional Incident Business Lead or National Incident Business Lead when there is not one available. Any questions regarding the actual payment of a casual(s) or the payment process would be directed to the CPC. 

For BIA related questions, call: 208-387-5696