What is a Disaster Assistance Employee?
A Disaster Assistance Employee (DAE, also known as ‘Reservist’) is a Federal employee who
works on an on-call, intermittent basis forming the major workforce for the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) in times of emergency or disaster. DAEs play significant roles in
helping FEMA accomplish critical goals and objectives. DAEs help complete FEMA’s mission
by staffing Joint Field Offices (JFOs) and Disaster Recovery Center (DRCs), interviewing
disaster victims, conducting and verifying damage assessments, providing administrative,
financial and logistical support and performing a wide variety of other tasks as identified by
staffing needs and operational requirements.
DAEs are highly motivated individuals who are capable of producing quality work with minimal
supervision in a pressure-filled environment. The life of a DAE can be exhausting, frustrating,
challenging and rewarding. The hours can be long and the conditions are sometimes difficult, but
the payoff is the satisfaction of knowing you have brought aid, relief and comfort to those
individuals affected by a disaster or an emergency.
For more information, click one of the following links:






Employee Qualities
Compensation
Travel Reimbursement
Unemployment Compensation
Workers' Compensation
Types of Jobs
Disaster Assistance Employee Qualities











United States citizen or national
Highly motivated
A self-starter who can work with minimal supervision
Able to pick up and leave home with sometimes a 24-48 hour notice
Able to be away from home for 30 days or more
Able to travel to any state or territory at a moment’s notice.
Computer literate / ability to prioritizing tasks / customer service oriented
Financially able to work only part of the year and have an unpredictable level of income
Able to work long hours - seven days a week in some circumstances
Able to effectively perform work under physical and mental stress
Able to pass a background investigation
Compensation
A Disaster Assistance Employee (DAE) is a nonpermanent, excepted service employee
appointed under the authority of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency
Assistance Act, P.L. 93-288, as amended. DAE pay is governed by a schedule separate and apart
from regular compensation limits for permanent full-time staff. Pay levels relate to experience,
skill set and job classification ranging from $11.29 to $42.03 per hour.
An appointment as a FEMA Disaster Assistance Employee (DAE) does carry a guarantee of
employment or of a renewal of employment. Opportunities for work are limited because of the
sporadic nature of disasters. Hence, DAEs must consider the Reservist Program as an
intermittent source of income.
Reservists are paid only for hours actually worked on a ‘when-actually-employed’ basis.
Overtime compensation is in accordance with FEMA Instructions 3200.1 for any hours worked
over 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week. In addition, overtime pay rates are subject to the Fair
Labor Standards Act (FLSA), with positions designated as exempt or non-exempt in accordance
with FLSA provisions.
When deployed, Reservists may have the opportunity to earn holiday pay, administrative leave,
and accrue sick leave based on policies and procedures consistent with FEMA’s competitive
service employees on a regularly scheduled tour of duty.
DAEs are appointed for a two-year period, receive no health or retirement benefits, earn no
annual leave, and receive compensation only when deployed. DAEs are paid by direct deposit,
required by Federal regulation, to a bank account of their choosing every two weeks.
If you are a retired federal civil servant, your pay from FEMA may be subject to an offset. A
copy of your annuity statement must be submitted to Personnel yearly to be eligible for an
annuity waiver during the first 120 days from the date of a Presidential Disaster Declaration. The
annuity waiver does not apply when deployed to conduct Preliminary Damage Assessments or
for an Emergency Presidential Declaration.
Offsets may or may not apply to career military retirees, depending on the policy of each military
branch/each individual. It is suggested that an annuity waiver form be completed when deployed
to a JFO (Joint Field Office).
Travel Reimbursement
DAEs receive the total number of hours traveling to a disaster site, including overtime during
preliminary damage assessment (PDA) phase of the disaster event, an Emergency Declaration or
a Presidential Disaster Declaration. A DAE will receive actual travel time when traveling home
using the most advantageous transportation method to the government. Pay status commences at
the time of departure from and return to their residence.
A DAE is entitled to reimbursement of travel costs and per diem (lodging, meals, and
incidentals) when on approved duty away from their residence.
Travel and lodging costs are charged through use of a Government charge card issued to all
DAEs when hired. In order to be employed as a DAE, you must be approved for a Travel Card.
Unemployment Compensation
Upon release from a deployed assignment, DAEs may be eligible for unemployment
compensation. Unemployment claims are subject to state law. Each DAE should seek specific
guidance from his/her state unemployment office regarding eligibility criteria.
Workers' Compensation
DAEs are covered by federal workers’ compensation laws regarding job-related accidents that
occur while employed by the federal government.
Types of Jobs
Currently FEMA's disaster workforce uses the cadre structure to identify employees who
perform a specific operational program or function in support of agency-wide disaster
operations.
National
Cadres:
Responsible for developing policies and procedures specific to their cadre, aligned
with agency and program plans and goals. National cadre managers develop and
implement strategies for recruitment, hiring, training and development of cadre
members. National Cadre Managers monitor the readiness of their cadre and make
recommendations as needed concerning potential deployments of cadre members in
order to determine the optimal use of available resources.
Regional Support the National Cadre Managers in implementing policies and procedures at the
Cadres: regional level consistent with agency, program and cadre guidelines. Regional cadre
managers play a key role in ensuring that accurate records for individual cadre
members are maintained. Regional cadre managers take an active role in
communicating issues and concerns raised by cadre members to the National Cadre
managers as appropriate.
Cadres focus on the following functionality:
Administration
Alternate Dispute Resolution
Attorney
Community Relations
Comptroller
Congressional
Contracting/Acquisitions
Environmental/Historic Preservation
Equal Rights
Federal Coordinating Officer
Finance
Human Capital
Individual Assistance
Information Technology
Logistics
Long Term Community Recovery
Mitigation
Operation
Planning
Public Affairs
Public Assistance
Safety
Security
Training
Disaster Generalist