Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Ensuring Equity for Firefighters Act”.
Ensuring Equity for Firefighters Act
A BILL
To amend section 8143b of title 5, United States Code, to include in the time as a firefighter employed by a State when that firefighter is later reclassified as a Federal employee, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Certain State service applicable for Federal Firefighters worker’s compensation
Section 8143b(b) of title 5, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:
“(4) Reclassified firefighters
“(A) In general—For the purposes of determining the aggregate number of years an individual has been employed as an employee in fire protection activities under paragraph (1), all periods in which such individual is or was employed in a reclassified State position are deemed to be periods in which such individual was employed as an employee in fire protection activities if such individual is or was appointed to a position as an employee in fire protection activities established by the Federal Government to perform the duties and responsibilities performed for the Federal Government by a reclassified State position.
“(B) Definitions—In this paragraph:
“(i) Covered State employee position—The term covered State employee position means a position in which the individual holding such position is employed as a covered State employee.
“(ii) Employed as a covered State employee—The term employed as a covered State employee means an individual employed by a State or political subdivision thereof as a firefighter (including a wildland firefighter), paramedic, emergency medical technician, rescue worker, ambulance personnel, or hazardous material worker who—
“(I) is trained in fire suppression;
“(II) has the legal authority and responsibility to engage in fire suppression;
“(III) is engaged in the prevention, control, or extinguishment of fires or response to emergency situations in which life, property, or the environment is at risk, including the prevention, control, suppression, or management of wildland fires; and
“(IV) performs the activities described in subclause (III) as a primary responsibility of the job of the employee.
“(iii) Reclassified State position—The term reclassified State position means a covered State employee position for which the Federal Government establishes or established a position as an employee in fire protection activities to perform the duties and responsibilities performed for the Federal Government by such covered State employee position.”