Hey, just doing about my options after high school. I like the thought of joining the military, but I'm concerned about what might happen to a job if I get deployed. Are there any protections in place that will ensure I still have a job upon return from a military deployment? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Yes, your concerns are definitely valid and it's good you're thinking about future scenarios! The good news is that in the United States, there are laws in place designed to protect your job if you are deployed. The primary one is the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
USERRA protects the job rights of individuals who voluntarily or involuntarily leave employment positions to undertake military service or certain types of service in the National Disaster Medical System. The Act prohibits employers from discriminating against past and present members of the uniformed services, and applicants to the uniformed services.
When you return from deployment, USERRA requires your employer to reemploy you in the job that you would have attained had you not been absent for military service (the so-called "escalator" principle), with the same seniority, status and pay, as well as other rights and benefits determined by seniority.
Remember, however, there are specific eligibility criteria to qualify for these protections, like providing advance written or verbal notice to your employer for all military duty unless it is impossible or unreasonable to do so.
So there definitely are protections in place. However, if you're still worried, I'd advise doing some more research on USERRA and perhaps even speaking to a legal professional to ensure you understand your rights fully.
Let me know if this helps, or if you have more questions!
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