Federal wildland firefighters have finally received a permanent pay raise after years of waiting for approval from Congress. The new pay scale includes incident-response premium pay for firefighters working on active fires, with a limit of $9,000 in a calendar year. This is the first time federal firefighters will be compensated for the hours they rest and sleep while away from home. The pay increase comes as federal firefighters are recovering from cuts to their ranks, with thousands of probationary employees reinstated after being fired in February. However, uncertainty remains as the Trump administration has set a deadline for federal agencies to submit reorganization plans that may include large-scale reductions in force, potentially affecting federal firefighters. The Forest Service has already seen resignations at the top level, with Chief Randy Moore and several top foresters stepping down, citing the burden of current political challenges. The situation has raised concerns among firefighters about potential job losses and cuts in the future. The new pay raise has been welcomed by the National Federation of Federal Employees union, which sees it as a step towards addressing critical issues such as recruitment, retention, mental health benefits, and overall well-being of federal wildland firefighters.
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