Wildland Firefighter Retirement and Disability Compensation Benefits Act of 2016
This bill allows wildland firefighters of the Forest Service or the Department of the Interior who sustained injuries in the performance of their duty that prevent them from performing the physical duties of a firefighter, but who commence an equivalent federal position after receiving compensation for their work injuries, to retain the same retirement benefits under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) that they would have received in their former position had they not been injured or disabled, without requiring them to complete any more years of service than they would have otherwise been required to complete.
Such a federal firefighter injured during the 20-year period before enactment of this bill may not receive such retirement benefits without a requirement to complete more years of service unless they first pay the Forest Service or Interior an amount equal to the amount that would have been deducted from their pay under CSRS or FERS had they not been injured or disabled.
The monetary compensation for disability or death of Forest Service and Interior wildland firefighters that is computed based on monthly pay must include overtime pay received for wildfire suppression activity.