§ 550.1303 - Hourly rates of basic pay.

§ 550.1303 Hourly rates of basic pay.

(a) For firefighters with a regular tour of duty that does not include a basic 40-hour workweek (e.g., firefighters whose schedules generally consist of 24-hour shifts with a significant amount of designated standby and sleep time), the hourly rate of basic pay is computed by dividing the applicable annual rate of basic pay by 2756 hours. The resulting firefighter hourly rate of basic pay is multiplied by all nonovertime hours to determine the pay for those hours.

(b) For firefighters with a regular tour of duty that includes a basic 40-hour workweek, the hourly rate of basic pay is computed by dividing the applicable annual rate of basic pay by -

(1) 2087 hours, for hours within the basic 40-hour workweek (or 80-hour biweekly pay period); and

(2) 2756 hours, for any additional nonovertime hours.

(c) A firefighter's daily, weekly, or biweekly rate of basic pay must be computed using the applicable rates, as derived under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.

(d) If a firefighter takes leave without pay during his or her regular tour of duty, the agency shall substitute any irregular hours worked in the same biweekly pay period for those hours of leave without pay. (If a firefighter's overtime pay is computed on a weekly basis, the irregular hours must be worked in the same administrative workweek.) For firefighters whose regular tour of duty includes a basic 40-hour workweek, the agency shall first substitute irregular hours for hours of leave without pay in the basic 40-hour workweek, which are paid at an hourly rate based on the 2087 divisor. All other substituted hours are paid at an hourly rate based on the 2756 divisor, using the applicable overtime rate for overtime hours. The annual rate used to compute any such hourly rate is the annual rate in effect at the time the hour was actually worked.

[63 FR 64593, Nov. 23, 1998, as amended at 67 FR 15467, Apr. 2, 2002]