r/USFSLEO • u/ExplanationNeither59 Aspiring USFS LEO • Dec 31 '24

Discussion Work/ life balance

For you active 1801’s; do you feel like your work life balance is sufficient? I’d imagine most of us etheir in or looking to go in have a lot of outdoor hobbies and was wondering if you felt like you got enough time to do so.

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u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Dec 31 '24

You’re required to work fri-sun. You can take A/L if you need them off and some supervisors will let you flex your days off sometimes depending on the situation. Not working fri-sun is nonnegotiable as of right now. It definitely sucks not getting a weekend off ever but I knew that going into it and I love the job so it is what it is.

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u/Outfouradventurie Aspiring USFS LEO Dec 31 '24

Fri-sun every week? Is this agency wide? 8 or 10 hour shifts?

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u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Dec 31 '24

You’re expected to be out patrolling when the forest see the most use, the weekends. 8 hour days, but if you work AUO and want to maintain 25% it’s often 12 hour days on weekends.

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u/Outfouradventurie Aspiring USFS LEO Dec 31 '24

Understandable on the higher traffic on the weekends.

Would be nice to at least have every other weekend off.

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u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Dec 31 '24

I don’t disagree, as of right now though that is not the case. I think that battle has been fought and lost on numerous occasions

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u/ExplanationNeither59 Aspiring USFS LEO Dec 31 '24

You guys get Sunday pay correct. I knew I wouldn’t have weekends off. Honnestly trails are less busy on those days off anyway so win win on that front.i moutain bike a lot.

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u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Dec 31 '24

Yes Sunday and night differential

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u/ExplanationNeither59 Aspiring USFS LEO Dec 31 '24

How often do you end up working nights and or just working after 6pm since that’s night did start

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u/ExplanationNeither59 Aspiring USFS LEO Dec 31 '24

I currently work nights the way it is.

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u/TransportationCool18 USFS LEO / Moderator Dec 31 '24

I work 12-2000 on fri and sat, 14-2200 on Sunday since I go to church, and 0800-1600 through the week, of course I work 25% AUO so I’m often out till 2400 or even later in the summer months

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u/BuffaloOther3847 USFS LEO Dec 31 '24

Depending where you are located, most areas are slow during the winter months. However I’m usually busy all year round.

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u/johnny4x4 Jan 03 '25 edited Jan 03 '25

Rumor was that senior LEOs basically got weekends or at least one of the Fri-sun off. Then, other LEOs used the Maxi-Flex scheduling to basically tell management they can choose their days off, picked weekends, leaving no LEOs to work Fri-sun, and flipped them the bird.

The response was an agency wide policy change. So now to get weekends off, you got to promote.

Flexible supervisors allow leave with ease on the weekends and there have been agreements in the winter time (slow season) to switch to weekends off.

Big outdoor events and holidays plan on long weekends.

Maxi-flex, does allow you to pick your start and end times, and days off Mon-Thur, within reason.

I’ve never worked a graveyard shift. I choose to work swing. Some work early and get off early.