| Under a federal military leave law called USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act), employers have certain obligations with regard to reemployment, salary, health benefits, accrual of vacation and sick days, pension plans and more for employees in the military. In December 2004, President Bush signed into law the Veterans Benefits Improvement Act, which requires all employers, regardless of size – public and private – to notify all employees annually of their legal rights under USERRA. Under the new law, employers are also now required to offer employer-sponsored health coverage under USERRA to employees on military leave for 24 months instead of the 18 months previously required. On December 19, 2005, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released the final rule changing the USERRA notification requirement. Employers now must include information on their notification informing National Disaster Medical System members of their rights under USERRA by January 18, 2006. Our Federal Easy Post™ labor law poster brings your company in compliance with all mandatory federal postings plus the new USERRA notification requirement. The USERRA Notification Kit was designed by our team of labor law experts to provide clear guidelines for employers. It contains all of the tools you need to meet your obilgations. Our Comprehensive USERRA Guide explains your legal obligations toward military personnel in greater detail, from reinstatement obligations to health care continuation. It also provides a summary of each state's military leave laws, and sample forms to help you administer leave and reinstatement.
The Basics of the Military Leave Law
The Military Leave Law, or USERRA, (Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act) protects the jobs and employment rights of those who leave for routine training or who are called up to serve in overseas combat, ensuring they will not face employment discrimination because of their service. These provisions apply to all employers, public or private, no matter how large or small. In addition, USERRA provides enhanced protection for disabled veterans, requiring employers to make reasonable efforts to accommodate any disability. |