Reserves and National Guard

[Steve Hemmie]

How does other departments deal with personell in the armed services, as to there time off on weekends and in the summer.

[CAPNJEFF1202]

Federal law requires employers to give the reservist the required time off to perform their weekend duty or annual training. The employer is not required to pay the employee while they are away but alot of companies and employers make up the monetary difference. You can also go to: <a href="http://www.esgr.org" target="_blank">www.esgr.org</a> Hope that helps you out.

[gunnyv]

My dept pays the difference in pay for up to 2 calendar weeks per year, by contract.

The other guy on my dept who is in the Guard, used to always get paid for the drill weekends too. He's been doing it for 13 years. Well, a guy who hates him made Deputy Chief and now they only give him unpaid leave. We are going to arbitration to fight that decision. There is some vague language in the contract, and it could go either way.

[CAPNJEFF1202]

Gunny, I take it you were in the Corps?

Wow, someone doesn't like one of your co-workers so they make him DC? What does someone have to do to make Chief? LOL!

It's nice that they paid him for past weekends, but when the arguement goes to arbitration, he will most likely lose. Employers are NOT required to pay the person while gone for duty, and it's covered by federal law.

Once I was told that they were going to make me use my vacation while I was gone for my two weeks active duty. They didn't believe me when I told them that was illegal, so I ended up calling the Soldier Support Group. Took care of that problem REAL quick.

Good luck with the arbitration. Please post what happens.

[gunnyv]

CAPNJEFF,<br />What someone has to do to become DC is-stick around! Straight seniority promotions. The DC has had it in for this guy since the DC was a FF, and the Guard guy hasn't made it any easier on himself-he's one of those "firehouse lawyer" types.

As far as the arbitration goes, the Union thinks we have a shot based on past practice, as well as the vague language in the contract. Sadly but fortunately, this is probably the right time to push for military benefits.

BTW, I'm still in the Corps, crash crew chief for a reserve wing support squadron.

[CAPNJEFF1202]

Thanks for the post Gunny, Semper Fi! I've been in the Army Reserve for 21ys in a Training Support Division, meaning we train the trainers for subordinate units, then they go back and train their own people.

[Tuffie226]

Sweet, this is just the thread I've been looking forward to. I was worried about being able to remain in the guard when I left active duty (160 days to go) and started on a department. My big concern would be though, does this put a lot of undue strain on the department like do they have to rearrange everybody's shifts for the one weekend a month and the AT. I really don't want to put a terrible ammount of strain on the department when I am training on the weekends and in the summer.

CPL Walthers

[ 12-22-2001: Message edited by: Tuffie226 ]</p>

[gunnyv]

A lot will depend on what you're dept has in it's policies. They are required by federal law to give you the time off. One consideration is how much trouble it will cost you with the other guys, especially if you are new and on probation. Also, will the military pay make up for the unpaid leave?<br />You're also probably better off if you are already under contract in the Guard or Reserve when you take the job. My dept's policy states that paid military leave is authorized only to members who are under obligation before they are hired.<br />As for arranging to fill your spot, it depends on the size of the dept, and whether they pay overtime.<br />Personally, I usually take the paid leave for the AT and time trade or swap with other guys for drills. It's easier for me to "stay under the radar" that way.

[TailboardJockey]

Myself and another firefighter in my department are in the CA Air National Guard. My department won't let us take military leave for UTA weekends unless we bring in some orders. We usually get trades or use comptime instead.

As far as AT's and other extended deployments and training, the city currently is allowing us 30 shifts per fiscal year of military leave (the department is trying to get it reduced), and we have to pay back the amount of our base military pay to the city (we still get our full city F.D. pay).

It has caused a lot of bad blood in the department because when we're on ML, that means someone can't take comptime or educational leave. I'm also in the process of crosstraining in the ANG, and the training for my new job will take about 3 months. A lot of my "brothers" don't think this is fair. Some have told me that I should get out of the ANG because my job is to be a firefighter. I ask them "What would happen to the military if there were no Guard or Reserve?" They think that we have enough active duty military to protect the country. No clue!

We also have a hard time getting our union reps to fight for us because they're not in the military and it doesn't benefit them.

I've found that the best thing to do is to fly below radar, only telling my BC and the chief when I have to go somewhere, but giving them as much notice as possible. Last time I went away for a month, the rumor was that I went into the Assistant Chief's office the day before I was leaving and threw my orders on his desk!