u/smokejumperbro

You will lose all your leverage if you opt in to the new job series.

First of all, there is no benefit to opting in to the 0456 series. Pay doesn't increase, retirement, nothing.

The PDs are a disgrace. DOI has fixed many PDs by making Handcrew captains 9s, AFMOs are 10s, etc... everyone below the 11 is FLSA non-exempt and there is a legal reasoning behind this.

The USFS continues to improperly claim captains and AFMOs are exempt employees, capping their pay on Rx and making their fire overtime non-deductible. This costs our employees thousands of dollars per year for the same position the DOI has.

Also, the PDs violate several OPM regulations. Angeles NF firefighters in full SCBA hitting car fires and not a bit of it in the PD. Engine assistants acting as SFEO 40% of the time yet not supervisory in title. IHC squad bosses are 7s when OPM says they should be 8s.

EMT is another qual that is grade controlling at the GS7 level, yet we have no PD and many GS4s hired and required to work as EMTs.

If you opt-in, you are telling the USFS and Congress that you are happy. That the USFS did a good job with the new series. Please educate yourself.

Your only leverage is to NOT opt-in and make Congress ask the USFS why their firefighters largely decided not to opt in to the new series.

The Republicans and Democrats want to treat WFF better than the FS does, and they are very interested in the numbers that opt-in.

Please do not opt in and please spread the word!

Thanks!!

Edit: some corrections, DOI GW10s are still exempt.