National Veterans' Training Institute

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
Veterans' Employment and Training Service

USERRA 101 Video Script

EMPLOYER
C'mon in Alvarez. What do you need?

G & R MEMBER
I know I should have probably come to you sooner, Ms Dorrish, but I'm in the Marine Corps reserve and I have orders to report for training week.

EMPLOYER
Training?

HOST
Everyday, employees around the country are taking leave from their place of work to serve as proud members of the United States military. Ready to bravely serve and defend their country at a moments notice.  When service members return from their military service, it's not always easy for them or their employer just to pick up where they left off.

Many times, the employers are faced with losing these valuable employees for weeks, months, or even years; sometimes making the decision to replace them in order to run their business effectively.

And when these service members return from their military commitment, what can they expect when they reenter the employment arena?
What rights do they have?
Just as important, what is the impact to the employer?

The first reemployment rights law came about with 'The Selective Training and Service Act of 1940, the nation's first peacetime draft.

This evolved into what is now known as The Uniformed Services Employment Reemployment Rights Act, or USERRA.

Enacted in 1994, this law was designed to encourage individuals to join the military, with the understanding they would receive protection from employment and reemployment violations and discrimination, on their return from military service.

The web-based training you are about to undertake has been developed as an interactive, comprehensive and informative look into the USERRA statute and the rights it provides our nations service members.

It's designed to help you achieve a basic understanding of USERRA, how it works, what to do and where to go when difficult employment and reemployment situations occur.

Our target audience includes individuals who mediate USERRA issues, uniformed service members, and employers.

Volunteers of the Employer Support of Guard and Reserve, and employees of the Veterans' Employment and Training Service should keep in mind that USERRA is complex.  There may be times service members and employers will need guidance in understanding their rights and responsibilities under the law.

This program is designed not only to help you better understand the law, but to enable you to provide basic information on USERRA.