? for Reservists

[sharbear]

With all the talk of people having their units called up, I have a question about which I have been curious. I understand that if you are in the Reserves your commitment is one weekend a month and 2 weeks some other time. When you serve your two weeks does your full time job make you use your vacation to serve your duty? If you get two weeks of vacation and you have to serve two weeks in the Reserve does that take all of your vacation? Also if they call your unit up will they keep your full time job for you?

Many prayers to all of those who have been deployed.

 

[Eeyoresfriend]

You do not have to use your vacation time for Reserve Training. You can and get paid for it but why waste it really? My employer tried to tell me I had to use it once, it took one call to the JAG office to straighten that out real quick

Trust me I love my vacations and I am not losing those days for anything...LOL

 

[Mark P.]

I too served in the reserves after my active duty time, and once had an employer try to convince me to use my vacation time for my 2 week thing. Didn't work, though

 

[sharbear]

Thanks I am glad that it is that way. People in the Reserves give up so much anyways, I am glad that they do not have to give up their vacations with their loved ones.

 

[Michelle]

My husband is in the naval reserves and his employer does not pay him when he does his AT (annual training). He's usually gone three weeks and goes to South Korea. He does get navy pay when he's gone.

He COULD take vacation for part of it and get paid from work too, but we prefer to save it for vacations.

 

[jsmith]

In answer to your question about keeping the full time job-a Reservist called to active duty has to be able to return to his or her full time employer in a job with equal pay and and equal responisibility ( not the same actual job) for up to two years after the orginal deployment date. After more than two years the individual is considered to have left his job for a permenant military postition. An individual who left his civilian job because he was ordered to active duty can not be penalized for senority, or vacation accural. They must be allowed to resume insurance coverage ect immediately when they return to work not after any waiting period that might be otherwise required.

One weekend a month and two weeks a year generally applies to someone who enlists in the reserves for only 4 to 6 years. My DH is a career reservist (24 years of total service) he averages about 6 weeks on active duty per year in years when there are no call ups plus one or two weekends a month

 

[dalepool]

My understanding is this--

Your employement with civilian employer is active.....you accure vacations and your seniority with the company continues to increase for as LONG as you are called into active duty and the company remains in business. You have deadline for reporting back to your employer.

You do NOT need to use vacation time for yearly training or weekend drill. As stated in a previous post call/letter from JAG will clarify guestions your employer may have.

I have two nephews that were called into active duty last Friday with Tuesday being the day they are to report. ( They are getting final paper work ready for possible weekend deployment.)
This is what they have been training for the last 5 years and 10 months----there is a hold on reservists being let out of the service even though the twins 6 years will be up in April.

We are prayer for a peaceful resoulution but if that shouldn't be the case----------

 

[jsmith]

dalepool-beyond the two years it is up to the employer-legally they only have to re-employ you for two years. Same with vacation accrual and senority-you do not have to accure vacation while on AD-only not loose what you have or if you have a stepped accrual plan (i.e 1-5 years accures 2 weeks, 5-10 3weeks) not loose your place in the plan-individual employers can make what ever policy they want within the law. My DH's employer would continue to insure my children and I for up to 2 years and he would accure vacation-Mine, unforunately has had to be reminded of the laws regarding reservists rights a number of times.
You are required to report back to your job within 30 days of release from active duty or you forfit re-employment rights.

There is also a better avenue than a JAG officer for resolving these issues-there is a very fine organization called the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. They are usually business leaders in a community and involving them in resolving issues with employers often goes a long way to getting the problem taken care of without creating aninmosity for the solider.

 

[BibbidiBobbidiBOO]

My DH, a Major in the reserves often does more than a weekend, or tags on an extra day or 2 to his weekend. His civilian job pays him for about 20 of these extra days in addition to his reserve pay. So he gets double pay for the 10 days of work he misses during his 2 weeks. If he is called up, I think his civilian job will also pay him for 30 more days. They would also make up any difference in Major pay(over $6000 a month) and his civilain job if there is a difference.
He also loses NO vacation or sick days, still earns them.
Those that are self employed are the ones to really suffer.