FEMA Reimbursement for Reassigned Employees During Disasters

After a disaster strikes, government agencies and organizations may need to reassign staff to handle critical tasks outside their usual roles. FEMA's Public Assistance (PA) program recognizes this and provides reimbursement for the labor costs of these reassigned employees.

What are Reassigned Employees?

Reassigned employees are those temporarily shifted to duties outside their typical job descriptions. For example, a police officer might be reassigned to debris removal during disaster response.

How Does Reimbursement Work?

FEMA reimburses applicants based on the reassigned employee's normal pay rate, not the pay associated with the temporary assignment. This means you'll be reimbursed for the cost you would have incurred if the employee continued their regular duties.

Why This Approach?

FEMA considers the normal pay rate the actual cost incurred because that's what you would have paid regardless of the reassigned duties.

Securing Reimbursement for Reassigned Employees

To ensure you receive reimbursement for reassigned employees, you'll need to provide FEMA with documentation that verifies the reassignment, including:

• Employee's Normal Job Title and Function: Clearly outline the employee's typical role within the organization.
• Employee Type: Specify the employee's classification (full-time exempt, full-time non-exempt, part-time, temporary).
• Description of Performed Work: Detail the specific tasks the employee undertook during the reassignment.

This documentation allows FEMA to verify the eligibility of the labor costs associated with reassigned employees.

Key Takeaway:

Reassigning staff during disasters is crucial. FEMA's reimbursement program acknowledges this by providing funding based on the employee's normal pay rate. By maintaining proper documentation, you can ensure you receive reimbursement for these essential personnel costs.

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