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OPA News Release: [03/10/2005]
Contact Name: Mike Biddle or Dirk Fillpot
Phone Number: 202-693-5051 or x4676
Release Number: 05-0338-NAT

U.S. Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announces New USERRA Notice of Rights and Benefits

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao today announced that a notice in poster format explaining the rights of employees under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) is now available for employers to download from the Department of Labor (DOL) Web site.

The Veterans Benefits Improvement Act, enacted by Congress in December 2004, mandates that employers provide the notice to “all persons entitled to rights and benefits under USERRA.” Employers may meet this obligation by posting the notice in a prominent place where employees customarily check for such information.

“We are committed to ensuring that our brave men and women who are protecting our country's freedoms have the opportunities they deserve when they return to civilian life,” said Chao. “We will work tirelessly to continue to keep National Guard and Reserve service members, their families and employers informed about USERRA, the law that protects their jobs and benefits.”

USERRA protects the job rights of individuals who voluntarily or involuntarily leave employment positions to undertake military service. The law also prohibits employers from discriminating against past and present members of the uniformed services and applicants to the uniformed services.

The USERRA poster is now available at www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/poster.htm. Employers can obtain d etailed information about USERRA by calling 1-866-4-USA-DOL or by visiting www.dol.gov/vets/programs/userra/.

This is the latest in a series of compliance-assistance efforts undertaken by the Department of Labor to increase employer awareness of USERRA. Others include:

• Providing briefings and technical assistance to more than 220,000 service members and others on USERRA;
• Distributing public service announcements to increase awareness of USERRA rights, and
• Publishing proposed USERRA regulations, which explain the law in plain English.

Listen to the audio news release.

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