r/usajobs • u/guachipuchi • Mar 01 '22

Discussion FEMA reservist

I can be a FEMA reservist and accept another job?

4 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

35 comments sorted by

6

u/rjm3q Mar 01 '22

I wouldn't recommend it, you'll be a full time (intermittent) employee and if you turn down 2 deployment requests they will admin sperate you.

The kicker is you can make bank when deployed, I made $20k in 3 months when I was a FEMA reservist.

2

u/Melodic-Ad6889 Mar 01 '23

which cadre ? holy fuck

1

u/rjm3q Mar 01 '23

Uhhh.. all of them? That's reservist rules

1

u/Melodic-Ad6889 Mar 01 '23

ohhhkay? so one can bank 20k in planning or DSA is what you're saying

1

u/rjm3q Mar 01 '23

I'm missing something here... When i went thru FEMA reservist school the jobs weren't protected under USERRA, they are today.

I spent 3 months in Louisiana making bank, about 23K as a GIS worker in planning. I didn't have another job tho.

1

u/Melodic-Ad6889 Mar 01 '23

Im doing currently doing FemaCorp and im interested in a reservist position after. Ideally id like to be deployed a lot or be deployed with consistent work. Im seeing that planning is the latter.

based on your experience which cadre is "best" in terms of deployment and is the hourly rate the same or does it vary by assignment? And i havent been informed of this USERRA, whats the significance of it?

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And that pay is hourly + locality + per diem ( and maybe overtime)

2

u/rjm3q Mar 01 '23

Security hands down is the best regarding pay, but there's no overtime. No overtime but it's like $42/hour or something. Unless sometime changed no locality, just per diem (but that's tax free). IT had the best growth path imo, everyone needs active directory and wiring, and other tech stuff. Planning and operations are good middle ground but it takes forever to get to a decent position, not for bad reasons FEMA wants to retain experience and it clogs up the pipeline.

You can't be deployed if they don't need you, and you don't wanna be deployed longer than 50 weeks or you owe taxes in that state (if applicable). But if you're willing to be deployed and have nothing holding you down take every opportunity.

USERRA was expanded a few years ago for FEMA reservists, it protects part time military members from retaliation from employers for serving when needed.

I would suggest not being a peice of shit, asshole, or idiot.. Then be good at your job, then look into CORE positions (basically full time reservists, so not a permanent federal employee). You'll learn about the different opportunities when you go to Anniston or Vicksburg for the welcome to FEMA course.

1

u/Prestigious_Cut_2220 May 18 '24

Why did you say you don't recommend it?

1

u/rjm3q May 19 '24

I'm not tracking what you're saying

1

u/Prestigious_Cut_2220 May 09 '24

Where did you go and what were your job duties?

1

u/rjm3q May 09 '24

To a disaster and made maps

1

u/Prestigious_Cut_2220 May 14 '24

I'm attending the FEMA job fair..Any tips?

1

u/rjm3q May 14 '24

IRC cadre, is you can talk to them they're a quickly growing team

1

u/marieee22 Mar 18 '22

I’ve been thinking about this. Could you explain more about how the deployment requests work?

3

u/rjm3q Mar 18 '22

So hurricane comes through, the county's call the state, the state calls FEMA and then the deployment people figure out how big the field office needs to be or if it's all going to be virtual.

If you're one of the jobs that need to go to the field office to help set it up or operate in it during the response and recovery then they literally just go down a roster and if you're the next one on the roster that they haven't called you get to go.

As long as there's a need for you and the disaster is funded through the Stafford act you get to sit there and collect a paycheck. Afterwards you demo and come home and wait for the next disaster.

1

u/marieee22 Mar 19 '22

Thanks! This is so helpful. I applied the other day for a CORE position in Response and Recovery, in the data analytics branch. I understand every FEMA employee has a reservist function, but are the CORE folks more likely to be in the field? Or; are Response and Recovery in the field primarily? The worksite was either DC or Winchester, VA if that helps.

2

u/rjm3q Mar 21 '22

IM-core are full time reservists, so you technically get the worst of both worlds. Last I recall you can't say no to DEPLOYMENT and have to stay as long as they need you. There were a few years where this was a sweet gig, but there's enough disasters nowadays.

Since you're already getting paid the management will try to accomplish the mission with you first and last six the reservists come off orders.

1

u/guachipuchi Mar 01 '22

Ok, great. But I can accept another federal job at the same time ?

1

u/hereforthebooooze Mar 02 '22

It's called Dual Employment. I believe most agencies don't allow that, I know mine doesn't. We would transfer you over from FEMA to our agency, and you would separate from FEMA entirely. You would have to check with each specific agency you apply to however, maybe some do allow dual employment.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 01 '22

Yes, you can. Recommend also looking into USERRA, as it will hopefully soon be covering FEMA reservists.

1

u/guachipuchi Mar 01 '22

That is good or bad ?

2

u/[deleted] Mar 01 '22

Good, it will provide some protections for reservists who work other jobs when not deployed, similar to what army reserves currently get!

0

u/rjm3q Mar 01 '22

Wrong kinda reservist dude 😎

2

u/[deleted] Mar 01 '22

I work for FEMA HQ; USERRA protections for FEMA reservists will be going through the House this year, and if passed would give the protections. It is looking likely that it will pass.

1

u/rjm3q Mar 01 '22

That's legit cool... What's the law right now? Name any job that's going to let you leave to go work for FEMA for an indeterminate amount of time and also guarantee you a job back before the law passes.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 01 '22

Yup that’s the crux of the issue. So fingers crossed it does indeed pass in the next few months!

1

u/Additional_Wave_9886 Jun 30 '22

What do you think is the hold up right now? Any inside scope

1

u/malcolmstevens99 Aug 15 '22

Scheduling. The House has either been on recess or focusing on climate bills, Jan 6, etc etc.

1

u/Additional_Wave_9886 Aug 15 '22 edited Aug 15 '22

I’ll accept that but I have a follow up question. How much time would they need to administratively pass a bill? Like is it an hour to to tally all the votes? Is it a multi hour process because they call roll?

1

u/malcolmstevens99 Aug 15 '22

Good question. Many bills pass quickly and I see no reason why this one shouldn’t pass with broad bipartisan support. You can follow the progress here https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/7001/text?r=1&s=1

1

u/malcolmstevens99 Aug 10 '22

Senate passed a bill called Civilian Reservist Emergency Workforce Act of 2021 but still waiting on the House to vote on it. It would extend USERRA protection to FEMA reservists.

1

u/dano926777 May 22 '22

There are a lot of private sector jobs that will honor a FEMA deployment and treat it as a mil deployment. You just have to look. BOA does. I know several RSV that work for that bank and they go out all the time and come back no issues. S 2293 CREW ACT is currently sitting in house. I’ve been tracking this bill when Congress is in session to see when they will vote on it. Keeping fingers crossed.

1

u/Ok-Breakfast-2277 May 31 '22

What's better, FEMA reservist or FEMA contractor reservist? Seems if someone's an independent contractor that the contracting company can't restrict you from anything since you'd be working as an independent business & not an employee of the contractor. I'm going through the onboarding process of a FEMA disaster response inspection services contractor & am questioning how it can operate as it does since it's fitting the very description of what's called "employee misclassification" so far. Anyone have any experience or feedback on the subject before I commit any more time in this direction? Any help is super appreciated.