Federal and state laws require employers to rehire armed forces reservists completing mandatory tours of duty.
Yet nearly 3,200 returning reservists have filed job-related complaints with the U.S. Labor Dept. since 9-11.
Clearly, some American employers don’t deserve the protections weekend warriors provide with their lives, limbs, gross deprivations and absences from loved ones for months—even years.
On the plus side, however, some employers actually pay activated reservists the differences in their duty salaries and benefits to ease hardships on dependents.
Uncle Sam must enforce the law and insist that returning reservists receive the same or similar jobs at the same payscales and benefits. (4 APRIL 2004)