Reservists Say War Makes Them Lose Jobs

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ^ | Aug 15, 2004 | LARRY MARGASAK -- Associated Press Writer

[Willie Green]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Increasing numbers of National Guard and Reserve troops who have returned from war in Iraq and Afghanistan are encountering new battles with their civilian employers at home. Jobs were eliminated, benefits reduced and promotions forgotten.

Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Labor Department reports receiving greater numbers of complaints under a 1994 law designed to give Guard and Reserve troops their old jobs back, or provide them with equivalent positions. Benefits and raises must be protected, as if the serviceman or servicewoman had never left.

Some soldiers, however, are finding the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act can't protect them.

[pop-aye]

I don't belive that anyone is suggesting that a business reopen for an employee, or any other suggestion like that.

There are a number of employees/reservists that have returned to a job that had disappeared. A plant closure, business going under, etc.

What is in contention here is the employer, who has not suffered a catastrophic event, not re-employing the reservist when they return from their recall.

As was said, normally this is just a matter of education. Every recall I have been involved with has included a letter or series of letters to the employer giving them information on the law, the rights of the employer and the employee.

[TADSLOS]

Some soldiers, however, are finding the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act can't protect them.

Seems like upholding the law is just not politically correct these days. Immigration laws, election laws, marriage etc...why should Reservists expect their protections under the law to be enforced??? Who do they think they are, someone special or something? Get in line, take a number.../sarc/

[Happy2BMe]

Would you hire a Reservist?

[guitfiddlist]

They should sue. They can claim that since the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act guarantees their jobs upon return, the factories and service centers MUST return from China and India respectively.

Convoluted, yeah. But what the hey? A backdoor back...to longstanding protectionist policies we threw out for global socialism via wage equalization.

Good, bad? Who cares anymore? The globalist train is gathering steam, and it ain't coming back. I say...go with the flow.

[Happy2BMe]

Criminal Number 18F wrote:

"My own business folded without me. We lost a couple of our best guys on return because their businesses couldn't survive another deployment, and another deployment is a certainty."

__________________

"The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive veterans of early wars were treated and appreciated by our nation." - George Washington

__________________

IT'S THE SOLDIER

It's the soldier, not the reporter
Who has given us freedom of the
PRESS.

It's the soldier, not the poet,
Who has given us freedom of
SPEECH.

It's the soldier, not the campus
ORGANIZER,
Who has given us the freedom to
DEMONSTRATE

It's the soldier, not the lawyer,
Who has given us the right to a
FAIR TRIAL.
It's the soldier who salutes the flag,
Serves under the flag
And whose coffin is draped by the flag,
Who gives the protester the right to burn the flag.

-Father D. E. O'Brien

 

We Must NEVER Forget!

Iraqi Coalition Casualty Report

[aragorn]

The guys in my office did the same for me, and it was very much appreciated.

On behalf of your buddy, and all Reserve-component service members who are so fortunate as to have such thoughtful folks taking up the slack and looking out for them back home, let me offer a humble word of thanks.

[meadsjn]

Be patient. This fight will eventually be right here on our doorsteps and the anti-military people will then wish it had been stopped "over there", at any price.

[Leatherneck_MT]

Sorry, should have been more specific about that. The Law SHOULD help those who come back wounded or maimed and cannot find continue in their old profession. I didn't clarify and for that I apologize.

We send our young people overseas to fight a war, fine, they fight, get wounded and hopefully come back.

Those young people should be taken care of and not thrown on the ashheap of history.

This has been a habit of this country for eons and it has GOT to stop.

[Leatherneck_MT]

oops hit the enter key to fast.

"Would you hire a Reservist?"

In a heartbeat

[Leatherneck_MT]

Amen

[Leatherneck_MT]

"Be patient. This fight will eventually be right here on our doorsteps and the anti-military people will then wish it had been stopped "over there", at any price."

I'm afraid you're right

[KC_Conspirator]

We have gone from Chesty Puller to bong puller in one genration.

[jaykay]

How can we expect companies to rehire employees who were disabled at war and are no longer able to do their former jobs? If the company has suffered setbacks while they were deployed and their jobs would have been gone anyway, why should they have to rehire workers they no longer have any need for?

The burden should not be on the private industry, but on the Army. If the Army calls up a reservist and they cannot later return to their jobs, that reservist should then be the Army's permanent employee at his former civilian salary. If the reservist becomes disabled, the Army should pay him disablity equivalent to what he was earning before he was called.

This would make it very expensive to call up reserves and maybe the DOD would return the Army to the size it was before the previous misadministration gutted it.

[McGavin999]

You don't need to thank us, we need to thank you. Don't think for a minute that we don't know that it's you guys who are out there standing between us and the terrorists.

[Leatherneck_MT]

If you go back and read my post I wasn't saying that the companies needed to rehire them. I was saying that they needed to be taken care of. I guess I really did not choose my words well on this topic lol, must have been too late at night.

The Companies should not be required to rehire them, but the boys still do need to be taken care of financially, but the unfortunate truth of the matter is, that they will in no way be adequately compensated for what they have lost or given up.

[Leatherneck_MT]

"We have gone from Chesty Puller to bong puller in one genration."

Sad but true

[PersonalLiberties]

Thanks for the post. It was very meaningful to me. Make those angels smile bro.

[Happy2BMe]

I was in Desert Storm. My youngest son was in Iraqi Freedom. My oldest son is in Baghdad.

We do it for our kids.