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Tim’s Act
3/27/2025, 3:21 PM
Summary of Bill HR 743
The key provisions of the bill include increasing the pay and benefits for federal wildland firefighters to better reflect the risks and responsibilities of their job. This includes providing hazard pay, overtime pay, and other incentives to attract and retain qualified firefighters. The bill also aims to improve the training and resources available to wildland firefighters, ensuring they have the support they need to effectively respond to wildfires.
In addition to enhancing pay and benefits, the bill also includes provisions to improve the health and safety of federal wildland firefighters. This includes providing access to mental health services and resources to address the physical and emotional toll of fighting wildfires. The bill also seeks to improve the coordination and communication between federal, state, and local agencies involved in wildfire response efforts. Overall, Bill 119 hr 743 aims to recognize the important work of federal wildland firefighters and provide them with the support they need to continue their vital mission of protecting our forests and communities from wildfires.
Congressional Summary of HR 743
Tim Hart Wildland Firefighter Classification and Pay Parity Act or Tim's Act
This bill increases compensation and establishes additional benefits and programs for federal wildland firefighters. (These individuals are employed by the Department of Agriculture, the Department of the Interior, or tribal governments.)
The bill increases the minimum rate of basic pay for wildland firefighters at General Schedule (GS) levels 1 through 15 by percentages specified in the bill, with smaller increases for higher GS levels. The bill also requires comparable increases to the hourly rates paid to prevailing rate employees who are wildland firefighters. It also establishes premium pay for wildland firefighters who respond to certain prolonged fire incidents and are deployed outside of their normal duty stations or to an area adjacent to the incident. These changes take effect after other temporary pay increases for wildland firefighters expire.
The bill also (1) establishes paid rest and recuperation leave; (2) allows certain prior service to be credited for retirement purposes; and (3) provides housing allowances, tuition assistance, and other benefits for wildland firefighters.
Further, the bill directs the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs within the Department of Labor to ensure that psychological stress-related injuries and illnesses correlated to fire response are compensated and to expedite related claims.
The bill also establishes programs to (1) assist the next-of-kin of wildland firefighters and fire support personnel who are critically injured or killed while in the line of duty, and (2) support the mental and physical health of wildland firefighters.
