How can you manage employee leave requests under USERRA?

2 How to approve leave requests under USERRA?

As an employer, you have the obligation to grant leave requests from your employees who are covered by USERRA, as long as they meet certain conditions. These include giving you advance notice of their military service or training, having a cumulative period of service of less than five years with your company, returning to work or applying for reemployment within a specified time frame after completing their service or training, and having a satisfactory performance and conduct during their service or training. It's important to note that you cannot deny, delay, or reduce the leave entitlement of your employees under USERRA; nor can you require them to use their vacation, sick, or personal days for their military leave. Additionally, you cannot impose any additional conditions or restrictions on their leave that are not required by USERRA.

3 How to maintain communication during leave?

One of the challenges of managing employee leave requests under USERRA is maintaining communication with your employees during their absence. To ensure your employees are aware of any changes in your company's policies, procedures, or operations that may affect their rights or responsibilities upon their return, you should establish a contact person or team. Additionally, create a communication plan that outlines the frequency, mode, and content of your communication with your employees while respecting their privacy and security needs. Moreover, you should send updates on your company's news, events, achievements, and opportunities to your employees and invite them to participate in any relevant activities or trainings that are available online or remotely. Finally, ask for feedback on their service or training experience and acknowledge their contributions and achievements.

4 How to prepare for reemployment?

Managing employee leave requests under USERRA comes with the challenge of preparing for the reemployment of your employees after their service or training. To ensure that they can resume their jobs with the same or equivalent position, pay, benefits, and seniority as before, you need to review their records and documents to verify eligibility and entitlement for reemployment. Additionally, you should develop a reintegration plan that outlines the steps, timelines, and resources for reemploying your employees. It is also important to provide orientation, training, mentoring, or coaching to refresh skills and knowledge. Lastly, you should evaluate performance and progress and give feedback, recognition, and support to help them achieve their potential and goals.

5 How to avoid common pitfalls?

Managing employee leave requests under USERRA can be a complex and challenging process, and there are several pitfalls that may jeopardize your compliance or effectiveness. These include ignoring or violating employee rights, neglecting communication during leave, and failing to prepare for reemployment. To avoid these issues, you must be aware of USERRA's legal requirements and best practices, and seek guidance from experts or resources to understand and apply it correctly. With the right approach, managing employee leave requests under USERRA can be a rewarding experience for both you and your employees, as it fosters a positive and supportive work environment that values the service and contribution of uniformed service members.