FEMA Blog

Thanks for contacting us. We will try our best to share the new Conditions of Employment for the Reservist Program by June 15.

I thought I just read above from Mr. Fenton......"First and foremost, we are committed to making sure that you know how to apply to the new Reservist Program, are aware of how these changes may affect you, and how you can get more information. Maintaining open lines of communication will continue to be a top priority as we move forward with the Reservist Program."

We will "try our best"????? I interpret that to mean "sally forth blindly".

Hi Tom - thanks for your inquiry! The Conditions of Employment Agreement document and the new FD 010-6 "Reservist Program Management Directive" (replaces the 8600.1) are both now posted on fema.gov - find them here:
http://www.fema.gov/about/employees/reservist_program_application_process_update.shtm

Thanks for your question. Your resume, FQS Notification letter for DAEs who have been rated under FQS, and OF-306 Declaration for Federal Employment are the only required documents for the application process. A PDF writeable version of the OF-306 can be obtained at http://www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/OF306.pdf. We will also try our best to share the new Conditions of Employment for the Reservist Program by June 15.

Thanks for contacting us. Yes, you will need to apply individually for each position. It is left to the applicant’s discretion if they want to use the same resume for each application or different resumes. The resume should include any and all relevant experience to the position for which you are applying, regardless of the organization for which it was performed.

Thanks for contacting FEMA. The Homeland Security Information Network (HSIN) supports the entire DHS enterprise and has connection restrictions. While the connection restrictions are high, the volume of conference viewers and simultaneous usage of the system by other Department conferences accessing the HSIN Connect application at the time of the scheduled June 5 Reservist Program Webinar exceeded capacity. Due to the previous system issue, FEMA is going to use a proven webcast system for our scheduled Tuesday timeframe and continue using that medium until further notice.

FEMA leadership values the ability to provide responses to your comments within a 48 hour time frame. Each response is reviewed by a Senior Leadership Official to ensure accuracy and consistency. We are working to improve our turnaround time.

Thank you Elliot for your comment, your point of view is important to us. Times of change can be difficult, and we know that people are concerned about keeping their jobs - so please know that FEMA wants to retain our critical workforce. The Reservist Program will provide a more stable, consistent, and reliable process for all employees, regardless of their cadre or location. Name requests have not been eliminated; however we have clarified the deployment rules, including name requests. For specifics, see the Reservist Policy Directive at http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?&id=6091. Also, you can now view the Conditions of Employment Agreement here: http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?&id=6092.

Thank you for your comment. Each position announcement includes the rate of pay - just open the announcment to view. Keep in mind that DAEs who transition to the new Reservist Program will not have their pay reduced, unless they apply and are selected for a lower position than their current FQS position. If you apply and qualify for a position that pays higher than your current DAE pay, you will receive the higher level of pay. FEMA will exempt or “grandfather” the pay of DAEs who transition directly into the Reservist Program in their current FQS title before the end of 2012.

Joan,

Your answer ignores the fact that HQ/HR shot down grades and step increases that were submitted before NDRP even began to be implemented. This is a serious injustice and shows a complete lack of sensitivity to DAEs by full time FEMA people. Requests to correct this injustice have been met with deafening silence and complete inaction. Or am I wrong ? And please spare us the Orwellian doublespeak about being this change being "fair and equitable."

Cathy - Thank you for your comment. Until June 29, 2012, you have the opportunity to apply for any position you believe you are qualified for. When you apply, you may submit any additional information or supporting documentation that will demonstrate your qualification. Please reference the Employee Information and Resource Center for updated information and FAQs regarding the application process at http://www.fema.gov/about/employees/faq_rp.shtm.

Thanks for your inquiry. Your Present employer is DHS/FEMA. If you are currently assigned to a Regional cadre, state which Region and the address. You can find the address for your Region at www.fema.gov/about/regions. If you are assigned to FEMA Headquarters, the address is FEMA Headquarters, 500 C Street SW, Washington DC 20472.
You can upload additional training records to your USAJobs Profile, however there is no need to include records from ADD, FEKC, EMI, or TIOS – the review panels will have access to these FEMA records.
You do not need to fax your application if you are applying on line. Review the section of the CareerConnector guide on submitting your application posted here: http://www.fema.gov/about/employees/reservist_program_application_process_update.shtm
Form OF 306 (please use version dated October 2011) is required and can be found here: www.opm.gov/Forms/pdf_fill/OF306.pdf.

I have tried for years to get recognition for my 300 and 400 (NIMS:Advanced Incident Command System/NIMS: Command and General Staff) on my FEMA records, but never have I seen these courses on my record. I tried to download my Certificates on my Reservist application and only was able to download one ( which I don't even know if my downloads are retrievable by HQ because the application process was not "simple"). So when you say all our records will be reviewed in the hiring process,for me, are not complete.

Thanks for your inquiry, Paul. FQS panels evaluated records from the past 5 to 10 years, depending on the position and competencies required.
HR put a temporary freeze on DAE personnel actions – including pay increases – in order to transition all DAEs fairly and equitably to the new program.

Joan, if you go to the Reservist IdeaScale, and look up an Idea with the title C'monMan, you will see the issue of withholding earned grade payraises and step increases you will see the vote was 22-1 against what HQ did. Your answer is an insult. We earned the raises and should have received them. The people who made the decision have no shame.

It has been over 25 days since new ideas have been posted. I believe the reason is that their were so many embarrassing questions of the the present policy, the leaders could not deal with them. I asked my representative in the Region about this and he said the leaders were too busy. This means the program is so ill conceived there are not enough people to do the work.

Disaster Deployment Philosophy»
C'omOn Man !!!!!

Dear Leaders,

I just returned home after thirty days from a disaster deployment in Indiana I was honored to serve in a role as a DRC Manager which is higher than my FQS Designation. This made three disasters in a row where I worked as DRC manager and received excellent evaluations.

In February I was informed I had earned a new grade. The FQS National Reservist Cadre Program took over before my grade increase was approved by HQ. This meant I was denied $800.00 in wages during the Indiana Disaster. This is not an insignificant amount for someone living on Social Security when not deployed.

I talked to a number of DAEs in the same boat.

Is this any way to start a new program that claims to be necessitated by concern for fairness?

I listened to the Town Meeting Video last week and at least twice I heard that postions designated would involve no change in salary. But this is not entirely true considering the normal earned increases recommended by the Regions were shot down by HQ.

Could someone please take a look at this problem and rectify this injustice.

I have been active with FEMA for over 18 years. This is not the first time in my FEMA experience that the organization has moved the bar on me after years of hard work.

If leaders of FEMA are acting in good faith, the place to start is restore hard earned and deserved promotions and step increases that were sent to them in February.

If you turn a deaf ear to what you yourselves called valuable work done in past, why should anyone trust your promises for the future? Act now leaders or cut the bull.

Joan,

Do you know and if you do could you tell us how many DAEs were denied step and grade increases that were shot down by HQ after they were approved by the Regions. Was it 10, 50, 100, 300 or more. Please don't answer you do not know. You could find out. Also if you want to be "fair and equitable" why not start the DAEs at a wage inluding the last recommendation. This is an a morale issue. Before anyone can talk about benefits, they should keep in mind the first benefit is a pay check which is earned. Yes different Regions had different ways of calculatiing DAE pay but we lived with the difference for years and you should have respected the past. If you wanted to make things more uniform the HQ could have worked it out among the Regions without upsetting the DAE framework. I think the leaders feel DAEs are overpaid and have cut the wages across the board.

I found that info from the SF-50 from my eopm record.

Thanks for your inquiry. Yes, answer the USAJobs profile question #4 with the following information:

 I am currently a Federal employee

 Pay Plan: Administratively Determined (AD)

 Occupational Series: 0301

 Grade: 99

From Marcia Sanderson
Thanks for the pay scale info. Is this confirmed??

Thanks!

Corey: Please clarify the occupation series and grade. I thought you said AD 30031 00. Is this correct? What does the 00 mean?

Some one on the call indicated that an annuitant can only work up to 90 days per deployment. When I completed the annuitant waiver at the JFO,the completed form allows me to work up to 120 days per deployment as a federal annuitant. Please clarify.

Do the position announcements call for KSA's? If so are they applicable to each position category or just general KSA's?

I thought I heard Corey say that USAjobs.gov is not a system for applying for a position; that USAjobs.gov is a resume system or resume building system. I am confused. Once one builds their resume and submits with appropriate documentation, is not the submittal via USAjobs.gov in essence applying for the job to FEMA. Or did I misunderstand? Please clarify.

All, don't forget to check your version of OF306 before submitting onto USAJobs. The most current version is October 2011. Also, under your USA Jobs profile, the correct sequence for #4.3 in USA Jobs is Pay Plan: AD (Administratively Determined) Series: 0301 Grade: 00 4.5 Have you accepted a buyout from a Federal agency within the past 5 years? Answer as applicable to you (Yes or No)
4.6 Are you ICTAP Eligible? (The Career Transition Assistance Program (CTAP) and the Interagency Career Transition Assistance Program (ICTAP) are programs that grant special priority selection to current or former federal employees who have been displaced.) Answer YES or NO, if applicable.

It does matter when uploading your documents whether they are bitmap or pdf. If your documents are bitmap, USAJOBS will not allow you to upload. If you go under you profile to saved documents under my account, it will allow you to upload up to 10 documents from your computer. Each upload has a drop down box that allows you to choose what type of document. hope this helps

10 documents??? 5 is all I could do and that was one document per category, even if the document did not match the title of the category. AND doing that was not easy!! 10 documents, pray tell how did you do that? Although, it means nothing at this point (July 7th)

Are you kidding me - DAE positions were never to be considered a constant source of income for anybody - you need to provide for your family responsibilities with a job with benefits. Unemployment was a perk that I never understood, when our job was "intermittent" and if we do not continue to receive it - so be it - how many DAE's can you name that collect UC when they are not actually available due to illness, vacations etc...a real scam on my and your tax dollars. Rethink your applying to transition.

I've paid into UC since I was 13. I always thought it was an emergency fund for those that were working full time, but got laid off or fired as a full time worker. I am now retired, have a good pension, work as a DAE and never filed for UC, and don't plan to. I know many others do, and to me, this is cheating the American Taxpayer. Being a DAE was never meant to be a full time job. When I was interviewed by FEMA, it was made perfectly clear, no disasters, no work, no income. It was best suited for retirees or those with an outside income and benefits who could leave for a minimum of 30 days.

So only the rich and senior population will be fit to deploy? Interesting. So glad I fit the profile. Sorry about the rest of you middle class, educated/trained and loyal employees who have managed to put your skills to work for the benefit of the disaster victims (some for many years). I will miss you. I hope they can hire a lot of senior / rich to replace you all, otherwise, I might work myself to death trying to accomplish the FEMA mission (as a dedicated/trained and LOYAL FEMA employee.

Since the DAE has little or no control of the length of time she/he is called to work, I think they deserve UC. In my State one has to earn at least $14,000 to be eligible. I would gladly work and have worked almost year round as a DAE. I consider it my pimary job. If the law says we are eligible, why not receive it? I disagree with your comments but I respect your opinion. Nothing is clear or predictable with FEMA...just think of Florida in 2004 or Karina/Rita in 2005. We save the taxpayer a great deal of money by only working when needed. Some retirees need UC and I am one of them and I have been very honest with my UC board what I am about.

When I was in my thirties I worked for FEMA as a DAE for a few years but it became obvious I was not going to get enough work to support my family. I left the organization and came back to work in my late fifties. It is working for me now. Just pass this on for something for you to think about.

AMEN!!!

AMEN - totally agree and remember IA declarations are few and far between - so to even get a 30 day deployment will be a miracle.

Well Joan you answered two of Paul's 10 questions. Your first answer conflicts with information we received from Regions and other sources...only five years...not ten. Your second answer begs the quesion: what makes you think that denying people hard earned pay and step increases has anything to do with being "fair and equitable"...the proper word is "outrage". Want to take a shot at the other 8 questions.

One more question....why has it taken over 25 days for anyone to post and publish the Reservist Community Idea Scale ??

Hello Joan, HQ?...the previous question deserves an answer if there is one.

1)In case someone forgot, when we agree to be deployed we are committing for a minimum 30 days in most cases. So, do we have to also put in for Reserve Leave at least 30 days BEFORE we are going on a trip or have a commitment, along with the time actually spent on the trip? Therefore, the 60 days of Leave would be used up in one 30 day trip for leisure purposes.

2)I never heard an answer to what happens after you decline a deployment while not on Reservist Leave. Do you go to the bottom of the call list, or can you receive another call in a day or two, hours, etc?

3)Want to raise morale (if anyone cares) go back to the "available" or "unavailable" call system. Increase the time you must be "available" to a reasonable level. I would suggest twice what it was, if necessary, 120 days, at least 60 days continuous. I've been involved in deployments and workforce issues for a large emergency response agency in my real career. The new COE, especially regarding "availability" is already killing morale, and will cripple the Reservist work force. Stand by to start terminating people with the 3 strike rule. HR will have a lot of fun!!!

It tells us - we are not important and they are too busy saving their own job positions. Where is ADM Fugate in all of this???? Wait until Debby hits and see how many DAE's will be available to work - not many - and you know what happens when PFT's and Hqtrs try to run a disaster!!!!!!Those of us that truly care about the disaster victim will continue to do the job and suck up the negativity and frustration....

My question is why is all this aggravation necessary? Why not grandfather in current employees? Seems like a snafu to me when some people have gone through endless paperwork to get a job and then do it all over again. Is this someone's idea of a way to fix things or just a painful redo of the staff to make it look like something is being done. Waste of time and money!

Your error is that you're operating from the premise that Washington-FEMA and the White House-wanted to retain all of us in our current pay status and positions.

So what do you do now that you turn in form 306 2001 copy.I guess i will not be hired. It was bad enough i was listed a trainee after 7yrs and 9 deployments. I just want to help out when they need it. I know i am not the only one that feels this way. Some one let me know what to about form 306 thanks.

When you think of it FEMA really is a strange hybrid agency with 75 per cent of employees working intermittently. I prefer the present system because I believe that there is a better chance for fairness when things are broken up among many people on a local level instead of being part of a ten thousand to twelve thousand cadre under one roof. My Region is certainly not perfect but it did seem to have an discernible criteria for grade and step increases. I left another Region because to me it was completely unfair and abritrary they way they hired and promoted.

That is not to say that my present Region is perfect. I and many of the DAEs have never met our cadre manager face to face. Even when the manager had the opportunity to meet us when we worked a disasster in the Region's city, he ignored an invitation to come and meet us. No explanation given. I think this is terrible but I would not even bother to send an invitation to the heads of the new cadres in Washington DC.

So DAEs mostly work alone without recognition from PFTs but it is ok because their are other rewards received from the people we serve.

Does anyone wonder how these critical comments and the ones on the IDEASALE must make our leaders feel. They better not have thin skin ?

Maybe it is just me but did anyone notice how demoralized the Regions people looked as the Webnars progressed. And these are not the DAEs who are being affected. Woopie 7300 applied for jobs they already had....what choice did they have ?

The more things change the more they stay the same. You are so right. The ADD call system forces DAE to be on their toes at least once every 30 days and it is an excellent way to keep track of thise who are really serious about work because they are available on holidays. It also solves the important question you raise. FEMA and DAEs have created a fair bargain. FEMA is not a very secure job for anyone who really really needs an income but it can be a great supplemental income for a lot of trained experienced people, mostly semi-retired. I actually met a former governor of the state of Maine who worked as a DAE.

People if being a FEMA DAE works for you, good. If it does not move on and find a better job or agency. Above all limit your expectations becaue you are managed by six figure a year career government analysts who don't always have your lowly best interests at heart. It is what it is. I'm just sayin.

Good point - I understand what the HQTRs work force is trying to do, but for a lowly DAE to sit by the telephone for 365 days 24/7 for a "perhaps" deployment (I am in IA and you know how few IA declarations there are!)for 30 days is absurd. Especially since they were not sure if they would allow you to deploy from other than your home (duty station). I could be away from my home often but in cell contact and have ID etc with me to deploy if a call came. I suppose a cost comparison would have to be done - so be it! Think about this HQTRS.