# Plain Language Summary: Federal Firefighter Flexibility and Fairness Act

This bill changes how overtime pay is calculated for federal firefighters who swap shifts with each other. Right now, when two firefighters trade shifts—meaning one works the other's scheduled hours while the second works a different shift—those swapped hours count toward overtime calculations. This can push firefighters into overtime pay territory even though they're just trading time with a coworker rather than actually working extra hours. The bill says those traded hours should no longer count when figuring out if someone qualifies for overtime pay or how much overtime they should receive.

Here's a practical example: Say Firefighter A is scheduled to work Monday and Tuesday, while Firefighter B is scheduled to work Wednesday and Thursday. If they agree to swap so Firefighter A works Wednesday and Thursday instead, those swapped hours currently get counted as extra hours worked. Under this bill, those hours would be ignored for overtime purposes, since both firefighters are just working their normal total hours—they're just doing it on different days. The bill only applies when two firefighters voluntarily agree to the swap and their agency approves it, so it requires everyone involved to consent.

The practical impact is that federal firefighters would have more flexibility to adjust their schedules without accidentally triggering overtime pay complications. This could make it easier for firefighters to manage personal schedules, pick up shifts they prefer, or help cover staffing gaps—all without the overtime calculation penalty. The bill essentially treats shift-swapping as a scheduling convenience rather than as extra work, which is more aligned with how firefighters and their agencies actually view these arrangements.

Federal Firefighter Flexibility and Fairness Act

Sarbanes, John P.

Federal Firefighter Flexibility and Fairness Act This bill provides that any hours worked by a firefighter under a qualified trade-of-time arrangement shall be disregarded&nbsp;for purposes of determining eligibility for, or the amount of, any overtime pay. The bill defines qualified trade-of-time arrangement as an arrangement under which two firefighters who are employed by the same agency agree, solely at their option and with the approval of their employing agency, to substitute for one another during scheduled work hours in the performance of work in the same capacity.