Employers help those called to active duty

By Stephanie Armour
USA Today

Despite the economic downturn, dozens of major employers are providing more generous military leave policies to affected employees.

Employers generally are required to provide certain benefits. They must give those who serve in the reserves the right to request re-employment for up to five years and, depending on health plan policies, allow employees to continue purchasing healthcare coverage for at least 18 months.

In addition, federal laws allow those who are called to active duty to qualify for temporary interest rate caps on mortgages and credit card loans and protection from eviction.

However, at least 70 major employers are offering benefits that go beyond the minimum requirements, accord-ing to the Reserve Officers Association, including Safeway, Honeywell, IBM, Intel, Verizon, Wal-Mart and FleetBoston Financial.

Here's what some are doing:

• AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical firm based in Wilmington, Del., will continue to pay workers at their full salary, minus their military pay, for up to six months. It also is continuing to provide medical benefits when possible. More than 30 of the firm's workers are in the reserves and three have been called to duty.
• The St. Paul Cos. insurance firm in Minnesota has decided to give regular salary for up to a year to those on active duty, excluding military pay, and to extend benefits such as health insurance.
• Sun Microsystems in Palo Alto, Calif., increased its benefits for those who serve to provide 60 percent of salary for up to a year and provide health insurance at the regular rate for two years. The firm has an estimated 40 workers in the Reserves or National Guard.
• United Parcel Service, which has up to 5,000 reservists, is providing healthcare coverage to employees' dependents and making up the difference between workers' military and regular pay. In addition, UPS employees at the local levels are contacting family members of those called to active service on a weekly basis to inquire about special needs.