b'Reservists Call-up: What it Means to Employers President Bush\'scall-up of reservists has raised issues that most employers have not had to face since the Vietnam era.As an employer, there are rules which you should know: Veterans\'reemployment rightsaregovernedby the Veteran\'s Reemployment Rights Act.Under this law, employees who are members of a reserve unit and either voluntarily or involuntarily enter upon active duty have specific statutory rights.The returning reservist has a right to his former position of like \'Iseniority, status and pay - as long as he/she is still qualified to perform the duties and applies for reemployment within 90 days after being discharged from the military ( or within 31 days if his/ her call-up is limited to training of 12 weeks or more); or active duty for not more than 90 days.If the employeeis not qualified to performthedutiesofhis/herformerpositionbyreasonofa ,Idisability sustained during service, but is qualified to perform the duties of any other position, he/she must be offered employment in that other position. If the reservist is called up for less than 12 weeks, to keep his/her civilian job he/she must report for work: ( a) at the beginning of the next regularly scheduled working period after the last day needed to travel from the place of training to the place of employment; or (b) within a "reasonable time" if the delay in returning is due to"factors beyond the employee\'s control."Returning reservists are to be treated as if they had been on a leave of absence during their service period.If the employer does not maintain continued health insurance coverage for employees while on leaves of absence, the employer is not required to pay for the health insurance coverage for a reservist on active duty. However, it is possible that the employeewill have difficulty reinstating company-provided health insurance if he/she drops it during his/ her active duty. Accordingly, if an employer chooses not to pay for continued health coverage during this period, it is recommended that the employer strongly suggest that the reservist arrange for continued payment of his/her health insurance premiums so it will still be available. If an employer generally does not pay employees their salary while on an extended leave of absence, the employer is not required to pay the employee while on active duty. Special Note:A returning reservist who has been on duty for 12 weeks or more cannot be dischargedexcept forcause for six months after his/her return.After that six-month period, he/she returns to the same status as is normal for the class of employee into which he/she falls. (Reprinted withpermission of NBMDALegal Counsel,Keck, Mah/in & Cate) Page5'