In fact, those who answered the call in the nation's most recent wars have been hit harder by the staggering economy than the rest of America: Their unemployment rate is two points higher than the rate for the general population. Among vets younger than 24 the gap is even wider: They're 40 percent more likely to be unemployed than everybody else in their age group.
New Jersey's Army National Guard members have been especially affected as the statewide unit that was called up to active duty in Iraq, and away from their jobs, just as the recession took hold in September 2008.
Among one element of the state's nearly 3,000 troops who deployed to Iraq last year, 18 percent are out of work, according to a poll of the 2nd Battalion, 113th Infantry, conducted by the unit's Command Sgt. Maj. Tom Clark. Now, the New Jersey Guard is conducting a more formal survey to determine how hard its members have been hit by the recession.
Even guardsmen and reservists who had jobs when they left are finding they can't always get them back when they return, despite a federal law that requires employers to hold their positions for them. In the federal fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the Department of Labor opened a record number of cases -- 1,437 -- based on veterans' complaints about violations of the law.
During the same period, the Justice Department filed a record number of lawsuits against employers for failing to give returning guardsmen and reservists their jobs back.
Complaints filed by New Jersey Guard members with the ombudsmen who help resolve disputes with employers reflect the same trend.
More Here..
I employ 10 people and I would never be able to hold open a position for one of them. Unfortunately when you have just as many employees as you need, no more and no less, you must fill that position immediately. If you fire that new person when the vet returns, then you start paying higher UE premiums. If the Vet made a decision to get the extra benefits by being a weekend warrior then he must live with the consequenses of his actions by making himself available to the whims of the US Gov and the war machine. It's not like were in a real war that threatens the US itself, this is a money war and one that is needed to allow borrowing that can only occur during war time.
ReplyDelete8:19: I totally agree. Biz is biz, and these guys made a choice. If they wanted full time work, they needed to join the full time military anyway, or work for a contractor overseas like many are doing. A biz owner wants/needs reliable people.
ReplyDeleteWhat about all those that joined after September 11th out of a sense of duty to their country? I have never served but I have a great deal of respect for those that do. Your attitude seems to suggest you want to punish soldiers for following orders of their government. You also say that these soldiers are to blame for taking a part time job in the service like being a "weekend warrior" is some high paying game. Perhaps if you paid better they wouldn't have to be a " weekend warrior". In short sir, you are a big asshole.
ReplyDeleteGovernment should pay their original salary upon return until they can find work.
ReplyDeleteHEH
Why not? Money like confetti yawl.
Print it on up!
Print print print print.
Print the worthless paper but don't mention that barbaric relic gold. Hmmph. Gold. How
preposterious. We're all far to evolved intellectually to regard Gold as anything but a pretty metal with little intrinsic value.
Government pretty dreams for the sheeple.
So you had a big dream. It's ok we told you what to dream.
T
ReplyDeletethe girly men should give them there jobs back.
Om my !~ 10:49 is quoting Henry Kissinger ! ?
ReplyDeleteNow there's someone we can all look up to.
And I totally agree; Henry is Sooooo much smarter
on all levels than such Military idiots like - Grant, Lee, Sherman, Napolean, Ike, Patton, Montgomery, Alexander , Caesar , Jackson ( Stonewall)
Yeah - I would definitly choose Henry
NOT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Give them their jobs back. If I had a small business and I needed a person, I would do it myself. At least hire family to temporarily cover them. Give them a bonus.
ReplyDeleteWe the people gave the banksters everything they have - any person who every took out a loan with interest is to blame - no one else. I always practically beg everyone in my family tree to either use family or save for it - whatever it may be. I also buy everybody over 15 Ben frankilns " Guide to wealth" as revelant now as it was 250 years ago.
ReplyDeleteBe careful about what you wish for regarding our military - it wasn't that long ago when they were the only thing standing between us and the likes of Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini and Hirohito.
I know it's far from perfect; but I've seen real war and trust me you don't even want to go there.
And before long we will have another knocking on our doorstep.
The new technology would absolutly blow your mind
and as such a conventionally armed populace will only take us so far
Way to go 3:15
ReplyDeleteI am also a vet, seen combat. And I can't believe how far our country has fallen, from some of the above comments. I was so pissed, I copied and pasted the article and the comments to an email to a lot of my military friends. It is sad that people can be so ungrateful.
I have nothing against (or for) people in the military. But I would feel like a chump to serve this country seeing where it went in the past 4 years alone (since being 18). The military guys are not bad, but I can't understand how anyone would still be proud to serve this country, it isn't even America anymore. Well, hasn't been thoroughly since the 1920s... each few decades the deterioration exponentially increases until now it is rock bottom. We are going to end up exactly like Mexico (on the horizon; forget "2 to 5 years" away - it is right now); decent people scared for their lives 24/7 struggling to survive, police divided against each other, and druggies, criminals, and killers running wild in a country that has no justice.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't you bring someone in from a temp agency and have their contract end when the soldier returns? If the soldier dies you can find someone full time.
ReplyDelete