Leave of absense?

[milehi62]

I have a ? about takeing a non military leave of absense. I'm going to Iraq soon and I'm just wondering how others have been given leave from their current departments. I'm the first in my dept to do this. It is causing a stir. Just wondering how others have faired. Thanks for the reply's.

[DeputyChiefGonzo]

It would depend on the town/city's leave of absence policy. My community allows for a 1 year leave of absence, renewed in six month increments for up to another year. There has to be a very good reason for the request.

In the mid 1980's, we had a firefighter with just a year on the job who requested a 6 month LOA to go home to Jamaica to help rebuild his family's home after a hurricane; it was granted He requested a 6 month extension for personal reasons related to the first request and got it. He requested a third extension, as he "started a new business" there and wanted to run it. The City refused, he made a choice and he lost his slot on the FD.

If you are a career firefighter now and want to go to Iraq as a firefighter to get paid a lot more money, I beleive your Chief and personnel department is going to force you into making a choice.

[HM604OH]

Each employer handles leaves of absence in a different way. They can be very costly for the employer and there is no guarantee that the employee will return at the end of the LOA. In a fire department, the postition must still be covered which means that overtime may need to be paid.

LOAs work well for employees who need some time off to handle personal affairs, or even take advantage of educational opportunities that can not be managed while working full time. I would think that most employers whould be reluctant to grant a LOA for someone to take time off to work another job. The department also needs to look at the precedent that is being set. What would happen if half of the department decided to request LOA for the reason you stated?

I'm with CaptGonzo on this one.

[CaptOldTimer]

My City allows members that are called up for active military duty to leave and will give them their job back when they return. The pay stops But they have a job when they return. We will hire to fill vacancies if any and usually will have several vacanies when some one comes back from active duty so they have a job.

[Rescue2947]

Our policy says that any type of military service can be gone for however long needed to perform our country dutyies. If its a non military leave of absence we give up to a year. Depending on circumstances it to also can be extended.