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Title 5, Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-102

§5949 Hostile Fire Pay

Title 5 › PART III — EMPLOYEES › Subpart D — Pay and Allowances › CHAPTER 59 — ALLOWANCES › SUBCHAPTER IV — MISCELLANEOUS ALLOWANCES › § 5949

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

An agency head can pay an employee $150 for any month when the worker was exposed to hostile fire or exploding hostile mines; was on duty in an area where there was imminent danger of such fire and others there were fired upon; or was killed, injured, or wounded by hostile fire, a hostile mine, or other hostile action. If the injured employee is hospitalized for the injury, they can get hostile fire pay for up to three additional months while hospitalized. The pay can be added to other pay and allowances, but not during periods when the employee is receiving payments under section 5925 or section 5928.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §5949

Government Organization and Employees, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The head of an Executive agency may pay an employee hostile fire pay at the rate of $150 for any month in which the employee was—
(1)subject to hostile fire or explosion of hostile mines;
(2)on duty in an area in which the employee was in imminent danger of being exposed to hostile fire or explosion of hostile mines and in which, during the period on duty in that area, other employees were subject to hostile fire or explosion of hostile mines; or
(3)killed, injured, or wounded by hostile fire, explosion of a hostile mine, or any other hostile action.
(b)An employee covered by subsection (a)(3) who is hospitalized for the treatment of his or her injury or wound may be paid hostile fire pay under this section for not more than three additional months during which the employee is so hospitalized.
(c)An employee may be paid hostile fire pay under this section in addition to other pay and allowances to which entitled, except that an employee may not be paid hostile fire pay under this section for periods of time during which the employee receives payment under section 5925 of this title because of exposure to political violence or payment under section 5928 of this title.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Pub. L. 107–107, div. A, title XI, § 1111(c), Dec. 28, 2001, 115 Stat. 1238, as amended by Pub. L. 108–375, div. A, title X, § 1084(h)(3), Oct. 28, 2004, 118 Stat. 2064, provided that: “Section 5949 of title 5, United States Code, as added by subsection (a), is effective as if enacted into law on September 11, 2001, and may be applied with respect to any hostile action that took place on or after that date.”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 5949

Title 5, Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102