Returning troops lose benefits

[Justice]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2004/08/16/returning_troops_lose_benefits/

WASHINGTON -- 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 have been 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.

But some soldiers find that the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act can't protect them.

[depakid]

1. Guess they're gonna need a few good trial lawyers

who are willing to take their cases....

[Kierkegaard]

4. Let's see if super-patriot

O'Neil is willing to help these boys out. He's an attorney and certainly claims to be incredibly interested in justice.

[Citizen Daryl]

2. Elaine Chao

Wasn't she the one that sent out the memo to employers, giving them tips on how to screw over employees?

[Gman]

3. That was on overtime

if there's a memo on how to screw guardsmen, Kerry needs a copy of it.

[slor]

5. Yes, it did pertain to overtime but...

it is reasonable to speculate that such a memo would encourage employers to accept a culture where cheneying over employees, any employee, is ok.

[searchingforlight]

6. These jobs do need to be protected.

There is a reality here that must be considered.

When these people were in their job, seen every day, contributing to the overall success they were perceived as valuable to the continuity of the company.

My father once told me, "If you want to know how much you'll be missed when you leave a place, put your hand down in a bucket of water and then pull it out. The hole in the water will reflect the hole you are leaving behind."

Nature abhors a vacuum. I can see holding a place for these soldiers but to expect them to be a valued as they were when they were present every day is idealistic.

Life goes on. The work gets done. Others who weren't given the opportunity to shine step up and fill the void. You can never really go back.

[Raven]

7. No one ever anticipated that Reservists and National Guard

would be gone for so long. Bush has perverted the process by sending these "weekend warriors" to Iraq for months and months. Life does not go on for these guys without employers stepping up to the plate. It might be a sacrifice for employers but not as great a sacrifice and these soldiers have made. Maybe Bush should take some of the $ he's detoured to the wealthy and help these people out.

If employers don't like the situation they should lay the blame where it belongs and vote Bush out!

[atreides1]

9. Don't Count on the Employers

The employers like the situation, they can eliminate jobs based on downsizing, and we all know how much BushCo loves the idea of American jobs going overseas.

As far as promised promotions, well unless it's in writing, don't count on it happening.

But most importantly to the employers is their bottom line, what they can put into their pockets. And to them the less money they make the bigger the sacrifice, in other words the employers will tell you that the sacrifice they are making is just as important.

[gatlingforme]

8. Well, if that is not pathetic than I do not know what is. When Bush

states, "I support the troops" there should be subtitles that state what he really means -"I screw the troops whenever I can".