A decision last year to extend health benefits to temporary firefighters but not to all temporary workers proved frustrating to many employees. “It just makes no sense to limit it to firefighters,” Davis said. The Forest Service hires thousands of employees who work a few months out of the year maintaining trails, clearing brush, running recreational programs and maintaining facility grounds.
www.facebook.com/LarryHarrellFotoware
Another failing grade. To which the Chief will no doubt respond with a vast new “Cultural Transformation” effort, or similar flailing about with a catchy title that has nothing to do with the real issues so clearly stated by F.S. retirees on this blog and elsewhere.
Instead of a vast “cultural transformation” I would suggest a small change that would allow many employees to feel their voices have been heard when it comes to their leaders’ work and performance – the 360 degree evaluation.
http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/performance-management/performance-management-cycle/rating/360assessment.pdf
I feel many leaders in the Forest Service manage up and really don’t deal with issues or problems identified by the employees they ‘lead’. I’ve done it myself and found it really helpful (although definitely less comfortable than the current FS performance evaluation process).
I always have worked more than just “a few months” each year. The truth is that I, and many others, are just one hour short of having full benefits. Instead, we are now third class employees, who just don’t matter. I do know that permanent timber employees see our plight but, are powerless to do anything about it. Some of us timber temps are much older than today’s firefighters, and need health plans we can barely afford. Truly, we are “disposable” employees.
I’m seeing that OPM is proposing to offer the Federal Health Plan to “some” temporary employees, now. It might be just another way for OPM to punish the Forest Service for “abusing their temporay hiring authority”, in the past. Apparently, only full time temporaries (oxymoron?) would be eligible. Of course, temps would have to pay their portion of the plan and I really doubt that this will result in hiring “better” temporary employees. With the ACA in place, right now, this benefit has much less value than it would have had in the past.
There are also rumors about temporaries getting other benefits that permanent employees get. Yeah, I’d REALLY like to see OPM continue to stick it to the Forest Service, regarding temporary employee’s benefits. I’m hoping that OPM makes it too difficult to continue the Forest Service’s abuse of temps. It’s very clear that the Forest Service will continue to use excuses to justify their social injustice.