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Illinois Employer Support of Guard and
Reserve
1301 N. McArthur Blvd. Springfield, IL 62702
217-761-3642 |
IESGR Mission
Gain and maintain active support from all
public and private employers for the men and women of the National Guard
and Reserve.
Customers
- Civilian Employers
- Guard and Reserve Members
Relevance
The nation's Reserve components
(referring to the total of all National Guard members and Reserve forces
from all branches of the military) comprise approximately 46 percent of
our total available military manpower.
In this environment, civilian employers play a critical role in the
defense of the nation by complying with existing employment laws
protecting the rights of workers who serve in the Reserve component.
About IESGR
Illinois Employer Support of the Guard
and Reserve has a statewide organizational structure to support the
following functions:
- Operate a proactive program directed at employers, employees, and
communities that ensures understanding and appreciation of the role of
the National Guard and Reserve in the Department of Defense (DoD) Total
Force Policy.
- Encourage and assist employee participation in National Guard and
Reserve training programs and on military duty without civilian job
impediments of any kind, to include encouraging voluntary compliance
with federal and state statutes governing employment and reemployment
rights of Reserve component members.
- Encourage interaction between National Guard and Reserve units and
their communities to promote public understanding of the National Guard
and Reserve and encourage partnerships between civilian organizations
and military units in the community.
- Assist in preventing, resolving, or reducing employer and/or
employee problems and misunderstandings that result from National Guard
or Reserve membership, training, or duty requirements through
information services and informal mediation. Assist in educating
National Guard and Reserve members regarding their obligations and
responsibilities to employers.
- Use the military chain of command to promote better understanding of
the importance of maintaining positive working relations between
employers and their Reserve component employees, in order to sustain
National Guard and Reserve participation.
- Solicit the assistance of military agencies, military training
schools, and military and civilian associations in educating the Reserve
forces about their rights and responsibilities regarding terms and
conditions of civilian employment, as stipulated in the Uniformed
Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
- Recruit and develop volunteer leaders at the national and local
levels to promote the development of employer personnel policies and
practices that accommodate and facilitate employee participation in
National Guard and Reserve activities.
The primary emphasis for a comprehensive employer outreach program is
directed towards known employers of the Guard and Reserve.
Since 9-11 our service members and families have made great
sacrifices and played a tremendous role in fighting terrorism and
keeping our country secure. The readiness of the Guard and Reserve
components is at an all-time high and we can take great pride in that
achievement. However, we are now seeing unemployment and underemployment
levels among members of the Guard and Reserve that are cause for
concern. A secure job provides service members and their families with
peace of mind, which is increasingly important as up to 22% of Guard and
Reserve members face unemployment.
In this time of economic uncertainty, ESGR is focusing on connecting
employers with the talented pool of service members and spouses, with
the intent of facilitating meaningful employment opportunities.
The Employment Initiative Program (EIP) is a
collaborative effort with federal agencies - including the Department of
Labor (Veterans Affairs), the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Small
Business Administration and the Office of Personnel Management - to
create efficiencies, enhance the employment process and serve as an
effective resource for service members and employers.
Hero2Hired (H2H), a Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, is a comprehensive employment program. The web-based portion of H2H - H2H.jobs - features a job search site and online community that is free for Veterans, service members and employers. H2H also conducts employment-related events throughout the nation as well as state-specific job events hosted by ESGR across the country. The focus of both components of H2H is to connect employers with the talented pool of Guard and Reserve service members and spouses who are looking for work. Employment tools on H2H.jobs include:
- Military skills translator - converts military experience to civilian career paths
- Job seeker profile builders
- Social networking
- Hiring events
- Virtual career fairs
- Mobile phone apps
- A Facebook application
Hiring a service member makes good business sense. These are disciplined
and skilled workers who display pride, leadership and professionalism in
what they do. They understand the mission of their civilian jobs and
make it a priority to get results, all while displaying a strong work
ethic.
It is our goal to work leverage our partnerships and organizational
alliances to improve employment opportunities for transitioning service
members. EIP will use these partnerships and alliances and the ESGR
volunteer network to help connect employers and service members and
communicate the many employment resources available to them.
Again, the primary EIP resource for employers and veterans and Guard and
Reserve service members is the Employer Partnership Web portal at:
www.employerpartnership.org
However, the following employment resources are also available to help
veterans and Guard and Reserve members and families find employment in
the civilian sector.
Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES)
http://www.ides.state.il.us/
IDES is your direct link to Illinois workforce services: job placement
and referrals. IDES and its partner agencies have a variety of resources
that can help veterans find jobs and transition back to the civilian
work force. Veterans employment representatives are available at local
IDES offices and
Illinois WorkNet Centers to help veterans access
employment services.
Through Illinois JobLink, IDES is your direct link to Illinois workforce services, job placement and referrals. IDES and its partner agencies have a variety of resources that can help veterans find jobs and transition back to the civilian work force. Veterans employment representatives are available at local IDES offices and Illinois WorkNet Centers to help veterans access employment services.
Illinois JobLink is an Internet-based job search tool that features current job openings. Go to www.illinoisjoblink.com and log in to Illinois JobLink. Click on "Find a Job" and create a basic or plus account based on your needs.
Veterans Employment Coordination Service (VECS)
http://www.va.gov/vecs/
Provides one-on-one career assistance to Veterans interested in
employment opportunities within the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Feds Hire Vets
http://www.fedshirevets.gov/index.aspx
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management�s government-wide veterans
employment Website.
Department of Labor (VETS)
http://www.dol.gov/vets/welcome.html
DOL-VETS serves veterans and service members providing resources and
expertise to assist and prepare them to obtain meaningful careers,
maximize employment opportunities and protect their employment rights.
VetSucess
http://vetsuccess.gov/
A partnership between the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA)
Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program and the
Department of Labor's Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS)
program. The two programs work together in partnership to provide direct
job service to VR&E participants on a national as well as local level.
Troops to Teachers
http://www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes_Web/troopstoteachers/index.asp
Troops to Teachers provides counseling and referral services to military
personnel interested in beginning a second career in public education as
a teacher. The DANTES Troops to Teachers office will help applicants
identify teacher certification requirements, programs leading to
certification and employment opportunities.
Helmets to Hardhats
http://helmetstohardhats.org/
Helmets to Hardhats is a national program that connects National Guard,
Reserve and transitioning active-duty military members with quality
career training and employment opportunities within the construction
industry.
VetJobs
http://www.vetjobs.com/
VetJobs is available to assist all members of "the United States
military family". This includes officer and enlisted, active duty,
transitioning military, Reservists, veterans, retirees, of the Air
Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, Merchant Marine, National Guard,
Navy, NOAA and Public Health Service along with spouses, eligible former
spouses, widows, widowers and dependents and DoD civilians.
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