{"id":23419,"date":"2020-09-25T18:42:41","date_gmt":"2020-09-25T18:42:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/09\/25\/federal-firefighters-would-get-more-shift-flexibility-under-new-bill\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:01:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:01:07","slug":"federal-firefighters-would-get-more-shift-flexibility-under-new-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/management\/hr\/2020\/09\/25\/federal-firefighters-would-get-more-shift-flexibility-under-new-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Federal firefighters would get more shift flexibility under new bill"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Legislation introduced in the Senate Sept. 24 would enable federal firefighters to swap shifts without incurring penalties, a flexibility that is granted to state and local firefighters but not available on the federal level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under current operations, a federal firefighter must take some form of leave to be excused from work hours, even if another employee is willing and able to take their shift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur federal firefighters work tirelessly to help keep our communities safe. But unlike their state and local counterparts, they can\u2019t trade shifts without risking consequences \u2014 instead, they are left with the unfair choice of losing out on pay or annual leave if they need to adjust their work schedule,\u201d said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., one of the Senate bill\u2019s cosponsors, in a news release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis bill would correct a decades-long disparity and ensure that federal firefighters can continue serving our communities while balancing their home and work lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t