GovernmentExecutive.com

Return to Article: Special counsel says first veterans case will set employment precedent

• 6891
  

  OK, I guess that I am Mystery Person. I thought that I had read the article. A government office ran an official action on a Saturday. There are some religions that do not allow their adherents to work on Saturday. Therefore, the federal government cannot require this for the job. IF the office wants the training, hold it on government time. That way the reservist would only have an issue when he/she is deployed. I find the fault with the government rules, and laws, not the reservist. Was the office paying overtime for the training? Did the job requirements state that Saturday and Sunday work were required? I don't know, but if it were not explicit, and covered with rationale then it is not a requirement.

  More to the point, what we had here was the government fighting to violate its own laws and rules. Where is the outrage for the fraud waste and abuse in this? Instead all I read is folks who do not like the special benefits of being a reservist while a federal employee.

  GovExec.com reader Posted November 2, 2004 3:31 PM
• 6852
  

  Dear Mystery Person.....evidently you didn't take the time to read and understand the issue. The reservest signed up for a supervisory training program knowing full well that as a supervisory trainee he would be required to attend Saturday training. The Saturday work was a requirement both during training and after he bacame a new supervisor. The issue, as I understand it, is that if he can't devote the Saturday training time to the job, then he shouldn't have applied for the job. And, if they did make an exception in his case for training, he then would not be able to carry out his responsibilities as a new supervisor by working the Saturday shift as required.....I fail to see where his employer did anything wrong.

  Mike Page Posted October 28, 2004 10:07 AM
• 6837
  

  Dear Queen of the Flunkies, Mike Page, and Toni; You may not like it, I may not like it, but it is the law that you cannot take adverse action against someone for their participation in the Reserves/Guard. When I was on active duty (now retired) it griped me that the reservist civil servants got leave, and military leave, while I only got leave. But those are the rules. Supposedly the Feds want to be the poster child for how to be a good employer. If you do not like the present system, try working through your Congressional representative to change the law, but... If you are a Federal Worker, please note that insuring that the management inforces all of the laws and rules are in the worker's best interests. Here where they evidently flaunted Federal law, you have to wonder, what other violations did they do? Were merit systems principles upheld in other actions? I sort of doubt it.

  The comment was made that "We all make choices in our careers". Well the career that both the veteran and we made has specific allowances and rules to encourage this type of action. Don't blame the veteran for a rule/law that you do not like, get the rule/law changed.

  GovExec.com reader Posted October 27, 2004 10:46 AM
• 6824
  

  BINGO!!!!!

  GovExec.com reader Posted October 26, 2004 5:08 PM
• 6821
  

  Toni is right on the money....the Reservist knew going in that his supervisory position was going to conflict with his reserve commitment. (I use the term commitment in jest, after 33 years in the reserves, his commitment has been over for a long time) Shame on him for making a federal case out of his wish to get over on his employer. A lot of time and money is going to be spent on this and the outcome is clear.

  Mike Page Posted October 26, 2004 2:32 PM
• 6814
  

  I was on the veteran's side until I read down to the part where he would not be able to attend the Saturday training sessions....nor be able to work his Saturdays as required by junior supervisors. He knew this going in to the program. We all make choices in our careers. He's chosen to be a reservist knowing full well that his one weekend a month is spoken for. I've made conscious decisions about NOT applying for jobs knowing a fair amount of travel would be involved...becaause I had 3 kids and a husband who worked 2nd or 3rd shift hours. You can't have it both ways without something suffering. When my kids are grown, then I'll perhaps apply for the higher end jobs that might require the travel, etc. As in this veteran's decision to perhaps apply for the junior supervisory position when his reservist duties no longer conflict. I see no reason why the USPS should make special arrangements to work around this person's conflicting schedule as it is his choice.

  Toni Posted October 26, 2004 10:11 AM
• 6806
  

  When this exercise in sheer stupidity is over with, exactly who at the post office management is going to be FIRED for pursuing the issue to this point?! Exactly what part of "you can't win" don't you folks understand? What a waste of time and effort!

  Art Doss Posted October 25, 2004 7:09 PM