Page 4 - The Leadership Line: November 2022

Skillbridge Spotlight

The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) is a federal
law, passed in 1994, that protects military service members and veterans from employment
discrimination on the basis of their service, and allows them to regain their civilian jobs
following a period of uniformed service.
USERRA applies to members of the Armed Forces, Reserves, National Guard, and
other “Uniformed Services” (including the National Disaster Medical System and the
Commissioned Corps of the Public Health Service). The law ensures that service members:
» Are not disadvantaged in their civilian careers because of their military service.

» Are promptly re-employed in their civilian jobs upon return from duty.
» Are not discriminated against by employers because of past, present, or future military
service.
What can you do to support your team member who is being activated?

Prior to Military Leave:
» Anticipate potential mobilizations and deployments. It may be easier to create a plan of action in advance
for what will occur if your employee is mobilized or deployed.

» When a team member receives notification, make sure they contact their sector’s HR Business Partner
to start the leave process. This information can also be found on the MILtranet. (MAR-124 MIL Military
Transition One Sheet)
» Be realistic about the timeframe to expect; your employee may not be given much notice (e.g.,
mobilization to aid after a natural disaster).
During Military Leave:
» Keep your activated employees in the loop with what is going on at work. Information to share might
include positive changes in the workplace (e.g., new projects or hires) and social information (e.g., a
coworker had a baby, a new walking group started). You will want to wait until an employee returns to
work to update him or her on new practices or rules. Keep coworkers up to date by posting emails from
Reserve and National Guard employees who report how they are faring during deployment. You may
want to ask your employee’s permission before sharing correspondence with coworkers.
» If you choose to engage in other supportive efforts (e.g., letters, care packages), include coworkers.
» Acknowledge and give recognition to coworkers who have assumed added responsibilities in the absence
of the Reserve or National Guard employee.
After Military Leave
» Have the employee meet with managers or supervisors and Human Resource staff before returning to
work.
* Discuss what the employee can expect. For example, what tasks have been delegated to others, if he or
she will be working in the same or a different role, and if and how procedures have changed.
* Discuss what the employee would like or find helpful in returning to work. For example, written
instructions for new procedures, and additional meetings with management to get caught up on what
he or she has missed).
* Discuss how the employee would like to be treated regarding their deployment. For example, would
they prefer not to discuss it, or would they like to share what they did while they were away?
* Determine what training, re-training, or accommodations need to be put into place.
» Develop individualized reintegration plans as appropriate.

» If your employee appears to be having difficulty readjusting to work, consider referring them to the MIL
EAP.

If you have any questions concerning USERRA, please reach out to a member of the HR team.