Tim’s Act

Key Points

• The bill creates a new pay scale for federal wildland firefighters with base pay increases ranging from 1.5% at GS-15 up to 42% at GS-1, with the biggest raises going to the lowest-paid workers. These special base rates replace the standard General Schedule rates and are adjusted alongside regular GS pay increases.
• Firefighters deployed to active wildfires or high-risk areas would earn incident response premium pay at a daily rate of 450% of their hourly base pay, though this extra pay is capped at $9,000 per calendar year. The premium applies to wildfires, prescribed burns, and severity incidents where crews are pre-positioned in dangerous areas.
• The bill requires a new mental health program by January 2026, including peer support networks, unlimited counseling sessions, and 7 days of paid mental health leave per year. It also creates a public database to track cancer and heart disease caused by on-the-job smoke and chemical exposure over firefighters' lifetimes.
• Overtime pay would count toward retirement pension calculations for wildland firefighters, and those who worked without full benefits can buy into the retirement system for service dating back to 1989. Firefighters with job-related diseases from smoke or toxic exposure would qualify for disability benefits on a faster timeline.
• The bill provides housing allowances for firefighters deployed more than 50 miles from home, a tuition assistance program worth at least $4,000 per year, and annual recruitment or retention bonuses of at least $1,000. Pay is also required to keep pace with inflation through annual Consumer Price Index adjustments.