44 C.F.R. § 208.11
The Assistant Administrator will appoint all Activated System Members as temporary excepted Federal volunteers. The Assistant Administrator may appoint a System Member who participates in Alert activities as such a Federal volunteer. The Assistant Administrator may also appoint each System Member who participates in DHS-sanctioned preparedness activities as a temporary excepted Federal volunteer. DHS intends these appointments to secure protection for such volunteers under the Federal Employees Compensation Act and the Federal Tort Claims Act and do not intend to interfere with any preexisting employment relationship between a System Member and a Sponsoring Agency, Cooperating Agency or Participating Agency. System Members whom DHS appoints as temporary excepted Federal volunteers will not receive any compensation or employee benefit directly from the United States of America for their service, but will be compensated through their Sponsoring Agency.
44 C.F.R. § 208.11