Document ID: FEMA-2010-0050-0001
Agency: fema
Document Type: Notice
Title: Recovery Policy, RP9525.7, Labor Costs - Emergency Work
Posted Date: 2010-08-13T04:00Z

[Federal Register: August 13, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 156)]
[Notices]               
[Page 49508]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13au10-78]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Federal Emergency Management Agency

[Docket ID FEMA-2010-0050]

 
Recovery Policy, RP9525.7, Labor Costs--Emergency Work

AGENCY: Federal Emergency Management Agency, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is accepting 
comments on RP9525.7, Labor Costs--Emergency Work. This is an existing 
policy that is scheduled for review to ensure that Recovery Directorate 
policies are up to date, incorporate lessons learned and are consistent 
with current laws and regulations. The purpose of this policy is to 
provide guidance on eligible labor costs for an applicant's permanent, 
temporary, and contract employees who perform emergency work 
(Categories A and B).

DATES: Comments must be received by September 13, 2010.

ADDRESSES: Comments must be identified by docket ID FEMA-2010-0050 and 
may be submitted by one of the following methods:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: http://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments. Please note that this proposed 
policy is not a rulemaking and the Federal Rulemaking Portal is being 
utilized only as a mechanism for receiving comments.
    Mail: Rules Docket Manager, Office of Chief Counsel, Federal 
Emergency Management Agency, Room 835, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, 
DC 20472-3100.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Deborah Atkinson, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, 500 C Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472, 
Deborah.Atkinson@dhs.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Public Participation

    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket ID. Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or 
material, all submissions will be posted, without change, to the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov, and will 
include any personal information you provide. Therefore, submitting 
this information makes it public. You may wish to read the Privacy Act 
notice, which can be viewed by clicking on the ``Privacy Notice'' link 
in the footer of http://www.regulations.gov.
    You may submit your comments and material by the methods specified 
in the ADDRESSES section above. Please submit your comments and any 
supporting material by only one means to avoid the receipt and review 
of duplicate submissions.
    Docket: The proposed policy is available in docket ID FEMA-2010-
0050. For access to the docket to read background documents or comments 
received, go to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://
www.regulations.gov and search for the docket ID. Submitted comments 
may also be inspected at FEMA, Office of Chief Counsel, Room 835, 500 C 
Street, SW., Washington, DC 20472.

II. Background

    On October 14, 1993, FEMA published a regulation that made the 
force account labor straight-time salary for work under Sections 403 
and 407 ineligible under the Public Assistance Program. The 1993 
regulation did not include emergency work accomplished under Section 
502 (Federal Emergency Assistance) of The Robert T. Stafford Disaster 
Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. 5121 et seq. The 
ineligibility of straight-time salaries for emergency work under 
Section 502 is included as a provision of the FEMA-State Agreement.
    Labor (straight-time, overtime, and fringe benefits to the extent 
the benefits were being paid before the disaster) performed under 
Section 406 (permanent work) of the Stafford Act remains eligible for 
reimbursement.
    In the draft updated policy, FEMA proposes that labor costs for 
firefighters and other responders when activated and deployed to 
perform eligible emergency work be eligible for reimbursement. FEMA 
also proposes to provide assistance for overtime for firefighters for 
up to 24 hours per day for the first two weeks after a disaster.
    FEMA seeks comment on the proposed policy, which is available 
online at http://www.regulations.gov in docket ID FEMA-2010-0050. Based 
on the comments received, FEMA may make appropriate revisions to the 
proposed policy. Although FEMA will consider any comments received in 
the drafting of the final policy, FEMA will not provide a response to 
comments document. When or if FEMA issues a final policy, FEMA will 
publish a notice of availability in the Federal Register and make the 
final policy available at http://www.regulations.gov.

    Authority:  42 U.S.C. 5121-5207; 44 CFR part 206.

David J. Kaufman,
Director, Office of Policy and Program Analysis, Federal Emergency 
Management Agency.
[FR Doc. 2010-20072 Filed 8-12-10; 8:45 am]
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