fedupbusdriver

Chuck, read my lips, There is no approval or disapproval, only acknowledgement. Kind of like when I am assigned a trip on reserve. I don't approve it, I acknowledge it.

pipe

The "process of trip removal". Managerial gobbledygook. It need only involve one button push from the pilot, followed by CRS action. The rest is manufactured bull.

PIPE

Chuck Turpen

I highly recommend that all you military types become familiar with this web site:
http://esgr.org The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve.
I found a nice tutorial under the Service Member Resources link called USSERA 101.
There is an interesting example of withholding notification from your employer. Here is a quote from the end of the scenario:
When should Randy inform his employer of his upcoming two-week military training commitment?

Option One: Wait until the last minute.
If Randy waits until the last minute to inform his employer of when his military training will be starting, he may be taking a risk.

"Although USERRA does not require a certain amount of notice of upcoming duty to an employer, if a service member does deliberately withhold information until the last minute and it causes serious disruption to the employer, it is conceivable that a court could find an employer to be within his or her rights to terminate the service member’s employment."

There is also a Power Point available at the same link that gives an overview of USSER with references to the law.

I also found an interesting article from the GAO dated Aug 15, 2008. It seems the government is interested in strengthening the relationship between reservists and employers. It also says that the government strongly recommends notification be in writing and as far in advance as possible. (http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d08981r.pdf?source=ra)
Before you bet the farm on calling in late and not using written notification I would recommend checking with your command to see what their recommended policy is.
During my tenure in management I came across an Air Force directive to reservists that they make timely notifications to their employers.
Alas that data is on my company provided computer that I left behind when I returned to the line.
If I find it again I’ll pass it on.

Chuck Turpen

That is true. But I'll bet your Commanding Officer would agree that if your company designates someone to receive your notification that that channel should be used. I think that is your ACP and his absence the Duty Officer, but don't take my word for it.

see my other post about the USSER website.

pipe

Why did you quote me in your response above? My post had zero to do with delaying a military leave notification. I was just pointing out that the notification of the DO thing serves no functional purpose. If anything, it delays the ability of CRS to deal with the manning issue, further exacerbating the fallout from a late notification. When you were the DO, what exactly did you do when you received a late MLA call to help alleviate the resultant fallout?

Let's live in reality for just two seconds and acknowledge that it's there to make it more difficult, intimidate, discourage, etc..

What exactly is your agenda anyway? A lot of us are curious.

PIPE

MaydayMark

Before this thread gets out of hand and becomes a "whipping wall" to discredit Chuck and all of management (which I think technically the DO's are?), I want to say 2 things:

- Chuck's a good sh*t and a great guy to fly with

... and

- I've had REALLY good experiences dealing with our Duty Officers. They appear to be a bunch of smart level-headed guys. I'm glad they're there.


Regards ... Mark

pipe

I agree. I dealt with Chuck a couple of times as a DO. He did the right and reasonable thing each time. That's exactly why his tone here is so perplexing.

PIPE

Jetjok

Pipe,

I've just reread this entire thread, looking for Chuck's "perplexing tone". After the second rereading I just couldn't find it. Seems to me that he, from the get-go was trying to be of help, offering what I frankly believe is how guys should act. That is to say, give as much advance notice as you can, so that the Company can fill those trips that you will be removed from. He never disagreed with the premise that you don't have to ask permission to go on Mil Leave, but was just suggesting that guys: 1) become familiar with information that would help them in the long run; and 2) just do the right thing. He said "Having said that I do feel it is the Reservist's responsibility to give the company as much notice as possible. It is the responsible thing to do. Calling the Duty Officer at 6pm on Friday night to get off of a trip for Saturday drill weekend while within your legal rights is irresponsible. (Yes it happened and I was the DO and I took him off his trip)". How can anyone find fault with Chuck's statement?

However, I do agree that simply pressing a button in VIPS should accomplish notification, but at the same time, it doesn't hurt to notify your ACP, or in lieu thereof, the Duty Officer. Hopefully they've come to understand that they're (the ACP or DO) not entitled to question you on your Military Leave, but if they do, as Chuck suggested, pass them along to a legal individual who will explain your rights to them.

I don't believe I know Chuck at all, but each of his comments seem both very correct as well as well researched and informative, something that frankly, seems lacking in yours. Sorry, but that's exactly how I see it. Of the 18 years I did at FedEx, 11 were done while still in the Guard, and never, not once, did I have a problem with taking Mil. Leave, or for that matter, getting off, almost on the spur of the moment, for either drill weekends or really good deals that came up at the last moment.

JJ

Chuck Turpen

What exactly is your agenda anyway? A lot of us are curious.

PIPE[/quote]

Pipe,

My agenda is the same as yours. To express my opinion, which I try to back up with facts.

I don't think that any squadron CO will have a problem with you following your employers request to notify your superior (ACP) of your military obligation. Especially when the ACP has a 24/7 assistant to take care of you..... MY OPINION.

Would it be nice if it were just a button push in VIPS? Yes. Is that required by the law? No.

I thank the previous posters for acknowledging that I am not taking sides, merely pointing out that if your rights are being denied there is recourse.

But it goes both ways. USSERA protects the individual AND the employer.


How about this:

The next time you are harrassed or asked to do something onerous ask the person you are speeking to if you could kindly have their phone number. Then politely excuse yourself from the conversation and hang up.

Now dial your CO's phone number and explain to him what happened. Give him the offending person's phone number and let him handle it.

OR use the VETS system.

Either way what I am advocating is standing up for your rights and not just venting about how you are being abuse in a pubic forum.


Has anyone reading this forum ever done anything to improve these situations being discussed here? It would be refresshing to hear.

Now if you will excuse me I'll be signing off for a while. I have a considerable amout of time off that I will be spending with my family (not a schedule hider), but I guess this is thread creep.

Chuck Turpen

One last thing. I got a PM from a guy at another airline who suggested this link:

Reserve Officers Association: Law Review Index

The Reserve Officers Association.

Pulled it up looks like a lot of useful info bu no time to dig into it.

Enjoy