For those veterans who transitioned from active duty to the Reserves or Guard, did that affect employer's decisions to hire you?

2016-07-03T09:36:00-04:00

How many of the RP Members experienced rejection from employment (not specifically stated by the potential employer) when they left active duty and joined the Reserves or Army/Air National Guard?

How many of you haven't mentioned it during the employment interview to ensure that you were given a fair chance of being hired?

Are the employment laws specific enough to protect those veterans transitioning from active duty wervice into the reserves or guard? What do you think?

Is this still a problem today?

Response by SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL made Jul 3 at 2016 9:38 AM

2016-07-03T09:38:10-04:00

COL Mikel J. Burroughs thanks for the great share and read. Very informative and needed for Veterans. Thanks, will be sharing with the active duty members I know.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2016 11:08 AM

2016-07-03T11:08:39-04:00

I have always listed my service in my resume and it has never been a problem for me.

Response by TSgt Alex Benningfield made Jul 3 at 2016 11:24 AM

2016-07-03T11:24:42-04:00

Officially no it wasn't a negative factor, unofficially I believe it was. Whether because of the one weekend I would not be able to work, or because of any of the misconceptions about military members. However in the end I may never know for sure.

Response by SFC Kenneth Hunnell made Jul 3 at 2016 11:28 AM

2016-07-03T11:28:52-04:00

When I was on active duty, I was a material control and accounting specialist.
I did this job for 5 yrs.

I thought doing that would give me experience. The civilian side says no experience.
I took the first job, not much choice.
The first job I had lasted Less than one month.
I informed the employer that I had drill, they was fine with that. That following Monday I was told no longer needed.

So, when I see these flag waving people, I say that most of them do it thanking God that they didn't have to serve.

As far as private employer's go, if out wasn't for the laws they have, a lot more reservist and guard soldier's would not hold the jobs that they have. It would be a choice of serving our country or the potential employer not both.

It is the same, the veteran always pays

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2016 11:57 AM

2016-07-03T11:57:15-04:00

i interviewed for a job which i was well qualified for and know once i said i was reserves the interview went south, went next door to another business same interview been with them ten years, and also had deployment to iraq, title 10 is good but hr is better, if you dont make it known that your reserves or guard then you can be terminated for lying on application, my company has been great, they knew i was reserves and dealt with it, when i deployed 08-09, they welcomed me back with open arms

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2016 12:44 PM

2016-07-03T12:44:58-04:00

I know for some jobs that I interviewed for it was a factor. You could see it in their eyes when you told them about being in the reserves. Of course they would never admit that but we know it happens.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jul 3 at 2016 1:28 PM

2016-07-03T13:28:40-04:00

I was welcomed to the not-for-profit consulting firm when I was forced off active duty in October 1992 after serving since November 1974 COL Mikel J. Burroughs. I served as an active reservist a for points only IMA position while I was employed and my company supported my decision to accept mobilization after 9-11-2001. They welcomed me back when I demobilized and allowed me to use a month to use of my active duty for training for that year so that I returned to my company in July 2004. I went to a drilling IMA status for pay after I demobilized because the law had changed until I was too disabled in 2007. MY company kept using me, generally working in the Pentagon or another Federal agency until my health got worse when I worked from home until I was terminated in June 2013 when the affordable care act was about to be implemented.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2016 2:03 PM

2016-07-03T14:03:54-04:00

Yes it does when I was in the Guard at first I told my employers that I was in the Guard and they wouldn't hire me. I caught on and didn't tell them I was in the military then I would get the job.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2016 3:59 PM

2016-07-03T15:59:26-04:00

yup!

Response by CW3 Dylan E. Raymond, PHR made Jul 3 at 2016 4:18 PM

2016-07-03T16:18:43-04:00

I am going to play devils advocate. I have seen reservist abuse the system where they work for a company and went on continuous 12301 or 12302 orders during the more than 10 years Optempo of deployments. In some cases they volunteered to stay on beyond the initial deployment. There was a loop hole that people got around the 1095 days of continuous active duty. Perhaps the active duty pay was more than they earned at their civilian employer/ i cant confirm or deny. So they had a job that the company did not see them for 5+ years, They would be in a reserve unit holding a slot deployed some where else get promoted blocking others from getting a slot. So it is two ways. And some of those Servicemembers hit sanctuary and retired on active duty with active duty pension. Then during that time period they do not have experience at their civilian employee nor do they have solid transferrable skills for other civilian employers.

So the employee/employer relations has to be fixed so the perception and execution of the business is to get supported by their employer.

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jul 3 at 2016 7:26 PM

2016-07-03T19:26:56-04:00

Given that I did my entire 20 years active duty, no. My first job post Navy I did have to get a letter from my last command saying that I would not be recalled, but that was because I was on Terminal and House Hunting Leave and therefor technically still in the Navy.

On the OTHER end of the spectrum however... Two jobs ago I was hired to fill the position of a Navy reservist who was on active duty orders. I was told this information. What I was not told was that it was a temporary position that I would only be filling until the reservist's AD obligation was over. But that was not the company's fault. We were subcontractors on a government contract, and they (my company) were hoping to get authorized another position on the contract and keep me on after the reservist returned to work. There was some last minute stuff and I did have to take a week's unpaid time off, but I did end up keeping the job.

Response by TSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2016 7:46 PM

2016-07-03T19:46:42-04:00

I think the laws are not specific enough, but they are very hard to prove. The ESGR is a great program that supports the current USERRA laws.

To go off tangent, I feel there are many reasons for Active Service Members to join the Army Reserves.

Pros:
- Possibility for dual service (Reservist and DoD Civilian) which will gain 2 retirements at a better rate than Active Duty, then going into Federal Service.
- Continued Service under pressure from new AC Retention Control Point enforcement.
- Flexibility in Home Station location, to include overseas units.
- Flexibility in choice of MOS. (Higher rate of Warrant Officer selection as well)
- Higher rate of promotion. (Lower points requirements or no points requirements).
- Possibility of returning to Active Service in the AGR program.
- Direct commission. (Your choice of branch if approved by unit)
- Technician positions. (Reserve/Federal dual position with both jobs in same unit or same command)
- Active Duty retirement offered when mobilized and you hit 18 years of Active Federal Service. (Called the Sanctuary Program)
- Protected by US Re-employment/Employment Rights Act (USGR offers ombudsman support of your rights)

Cons:
- No BAH unless on Active Duty orders greater than 30 days.
- No free year-round Medical and Dental Health Insurance ( Tricare Reserve available at low rates. I believe $70 per month for a single service member and around $300 for a family)
- Retirement pay does not begin immediately. (Unless you have many years of Active Duty to reduce the benefit start date)
-

Response by COL Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 3 at 2016 8:10 PM

2016-07-03T20:10:43-04:00

It depends on the employer. CW3 Raymond alluded to the fact that many reservists jump from deployment to deployments and look for loops to staf on AD for longer than 5 years. In those cases the employer will feel that they got burnt by the Reservist. Accordingly, the employer will be leery when considering a reservist, especially if it is a small to medium sized business.

Larger employers may not mind having a reservist and prefer that the reservist goes on a deployment, especially during a recession. Many of my reserve colleagues volunteered for deployments because their employers were facing bad financial times. It was a win-win for the employer because they did not have to pay the salary for the deployed soldier, and the soldier had a 'steady' job through consecutive mobilizations/tours.

Response by LCpl Cody Collins made Jul 4 at 2016 6:49 PM

2016-07-04T18:49:48-04:00

That's what I like about Manufacturer, they welcome Military experience . My military history was always front and center on my Resume. To this day, I still get asked a lot of questions about my time in the Marine Corps.

Response by CPT Pedro Meza made Jul 7 at 2016 5:59 PM

2016-07-07T17:59:24-04:00

I went into law enforcement as I was joining the ARMY Reserves, and in Los Angeles during the 90's I was accused by police officers and supervisors of spying on them and working for the Feds/CIA. When I got injured on the job my supervisor went out of his way to get rid of me for not being able to work. My union rep told me that my nick name was Serpico, I was glad to leave after that.

Response by SGT Robert George made Jul 10 at 2016 3:41 PM

2016-07-10T15:41:58-04:00

I think mentioning my service to my interviewer is what landed me my job , I've always had the feeling that I dont make good first impressions but after you know me , Im approachable by everybody ... every veterans day at work they give all the people who have served a bag of candy , fruit and letter of appreciation for our service !!! have no more thumbs sir !!!!

Response by SA Tony Minton made Jul 11 at 2016 6:26 PM

2016-07-11T18:26:25-04:00

When I hand a prospective employer a resume or an application i also include my miltary service, albeit short service, and when i go for an interview i always bring a copy of my DD-214 with me. I have yet to be turned down for employment necause of my military service.