U.S. Office of Personnel Management

 

April 30,1999

MEMORANDUM FOR HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

FROM: JANICE R. LACHANCE
DIRECTOR
SUBJECT: Operation Allied Force

Pursuant to section 12304 of title 10, United States Code, and Executive Order 13129 of April 27, 1999, the Secretary of Defense has delegated to the Secretaries of the Military Departments the authority to order to active duty Selected Reserve units and individual members not assigned to units for a period of up to 270 days to assist in the international efforts in former Yugoslavia related to the conflict in Kosovo. This mobilization is called "Operation Allied Force."

The Federal Government is by far the largest single employer of members of the Armed Forces Reserves, and we as Federal employees are proud of the dedication and commitment of these fellow workers in a time of international crisis. Our first obligation as an employer is to make sure that those friends and colleagues who perform active military duty are able to leave their employment temporarily with the knowledge that their affairs are in order and their rights protected. Federal law provides many important rights and benefits for Federal employees who perform active military duty. An overview of these rights and benefits, as required by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), is provided in attachment 1. I urge agencies to share this information with all affected employees as soon as possible.

Attachment 2 reminds agencies of their authority and obligation to provide certain premium pay benefits to civilian employees who perform emergency work in support of Operation Allied Force.

Attachments

 


Web page created 30 April 1999