In light of the current military build-up situation and a possible massive call-up of reservists Express Personnel Services offers advice.

The Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act governs all types of military service and all employers? The law:

• Prohibits discrimination based on military service.
• Requires employers to reinstate employees for up to five years upon return from the service.
• Must reinstate employees to the position they would occupy had they not been mobilized.
• Employees gone one to six months must reapply within 14 days of completing service. Employers must rehire.
• Employees gone longer than six months must reapply within 90 days of completing service. Employers must rehire in the same or a similar position. The returning employee may be given any seniority based pay increases or job status as if they had not been on military leave.
• Employers must provide benefits if the employee is gone less than 30 days.
• Employers can collect the benefit cost from employees gone for up to 18 months and can discontinue the benefit after that.
• Military leave time counts toward FMLA eligibility (1 year + 1,250 hours).

For more information call Express Personnel Services at (360) 479-4756 or (800) 809-4285.