Not once have I said he should not get paid for declining the exemption. In fact I said he absolutely should get paid if he gave the company reasonable notice he would not accept a extension. I don’t know the OP’s actual situation but here is a hypothetical one.

Pilot gets within 30 days of recency expiring and fills out form but makes no mention he will not accept a extension. Recency expires just before pilot has a trip or trips. Company extends him. Day before trip pilot says “oh by the way”. I will not accept a legal extension which forces a trip drop or drops. If pilot has now carefully placed his next round of training available days he might well get most of the month off. The company is going to push back in this type of situation