[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 35 (Wednesday, March 9, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          THE FEDERAL FIREFIGHTER FLEXIBILITY AND FAIRNESS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN P. SARBANES

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, March 9, 2011

  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to re-introduce the Federal 
Firefighter Flexibility and Fairness Act which passed the House of 
Representatives by voice vote in the 111th Congress. This legislation 
would correct a longstanding disparity between professional 
firefighters who are employed by States, counties, or municipalities 
and Federal firefighters.
  In 1985, Congress amended the Fair Labor Standards Act so that 
firefighters around the country could engage in a practice called 
``trade time.'' Trade time allows two firefighters, solely at their 
option and with the approval of their supervisor, to trade shifts 
without affecting the pay of either firefighter. The Congress made this 
change because firefighters work uncommon schedules involving 24-hour 
shifts and 72-hour workweeks, followed by a period of time away from 
the firehouse. Trade time enables firefighters to meet personal 
obligations such as attending a child's birthday or assisting a sick 
family member without exhausting their annual leave. It also ensures 
that firehouses across the country can maintain staffing requirements 
and keep our communities safe.
  Federal firefighters are not covered under the Fair Labor Standards 
Act and therefore have been ineligible for trade time. I am 
reintroducing this legislation to amend Federal employee labor law to 
fix this problem.
  Federal firefighters work side-by-side with their non-federal 
colleagues, so this is an issue of equity. Correcting this inequity 
will help Federal agencies recruit and retain firefighters. Just like 
other firefighters, Federal firefighters risk their lives on a daily 
basis. They also accept the irregular hours that their jobs require. 
This legislation merely gives them some modest flexibility to balance 
that irregularity and meet their family obligations.
  I hope my colleagues will support this bipartisan commonsense 
legislation.

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