The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994 is a federal statute that protects veterans and servicemembers from being discriminated against due to their military status in the civilian employment arena. This statute typically protects two groups of people: (1) reservists who have military responsibilities and a civilian job and (2) veterans who have entered or are trying to enter the civilian workforce after their military service is complete. While the law itself is long and complicated, these are four things servicemembers and veterans should be aware of regarding their rights.
(Photo Credit: Simon Howden/freedigitalphotos.net)
1. Your civilian job must be held for you for a certain time period.
Under the USERRA, the cumulative amount of time that you may be absent for work for military service and still retain your employment rights is usually five years. There are some exceptions to this five-year limit, however. An initial enlistment period that is longer than five years can lead to an extension. Periodic National Guard and reserve training duty is also granted an exception, as are involuntary active duty extensions and recalls, particularly in the case of a national emergency.
2. Disabled veterans may have their jobs held longer.
While disabled veterans may also be eligible for certain protections under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), the USERRA provides them with specific protections designed for veterans’ unique circumstances. While the law, like the ADA, requires employers to make reasonable accommodations regarding the disability, it also provides additional protections for newly injured veterans. Specifically it allows servicemembers who received their injuries during service or training a window of up to two years for them to convalesce and recover from their injuries during which their civilian job must be held for them.
3. You may continue to accrue seniority at your civilian job while you are fulfilling your military duties.
Under something called the “escalator principle,” when you return to your civilian job after military duty you must return with the same seniority, status, and pay you would have attained had you not been absent for military service. This does not mean that you are automatically entitled to discretionary promotions based on performance that you may or may not have achieved had you been in your civilian employment. However, your employer must make reasonable efforts such as training or retraining in order to refresh or upgrade your skills so that you will be qualified for an “escalator” position.
4. You cannot be discriminated against because of your past, future, or intended service.
If you are a past or present member of the armed services, have applied for membership in the armed services, or are obligated to service, you cannot be discriminated against by an employer because of this status. This means that an employer cannot deny you a job, deny you reemployment, or deny you a promotion or employment benefit because of your service.
Tell Us What You Think
Do you know someone who has lost or been denied a job due to his or her military service? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.
I was drafted in 1969 and served in Vietnam. The company that I was working for was sold while I was serving however when I finished my service I went to work for the company that bought my old company. I was laid off just shy of my 10 years of being vested however if you added the time I worked before being drafted I had over 10 years. I was told by the VA years ago that there is… Read more »
Raquel, If your employer offers FMLA it also covers Family Military leave. We have less than 50 employees where I work so I do not qualify, YET. As to the article, my husband re-enlisted in the Air National Guard in 2013 (having previously served 6 years in the Air Force Reserves (2006-2012). He left 10/2013 for training and returned to his civilian job on 12/06/14. Since his return they denied him his previous position, a raise, and consideration for a… Read more »
Thanks, this is s great read. I am a civilian campus police officer that has been on the job for more than a decade but I’m currently on administrative suspension pending termination all because I chose to attend my scheduled drill weekend and not stay at work for a U.S. Presidential security detail. My boss knew well in advance that I had drill weekend but wouldn’t accommodate me the time off so I could try and work things out.
The spouse is not mentioned in this act wondering what rights they have when facing PCS ???