These Best Practices have been collected from employers of all sizes and types around the country. They are presented to give other employers some ideas about what they can do to support their employees who are members of the Guard and Reserve. This information is presented by EUSA as a public service.

We welcome more examples of effective support of our employees who are serving their country. Contribute your ideas for support of the troops and their families.

Childcare
Providing childcare support for temporarily single parents can make a big difference.

Send News from Home
Activated Guard and Reserve members want to know about what is happening at home. Share the hometown news.

Financial Planning Advice
The Financial Planning Association is offering advice to military families.

Foster Care for Pets
Make arrangements for long-term care of pets when their unmarried owners are activated.

Send Care Packages
Send packages with helpful items that will be appreciated by the on-duty employee.

Pay Offset for Any Active Duty
While a war situation is an unusual case, calling for extended deployment and extra challenges for all, many employers provide compensation balancing pay for any call-up.

Pre-Paid Phone Cards
Telephone calls can be expensive, particularly from overseas locations. Prepaid phone cards can make a big difference.

Partner with Military Units for Community Service
Collaborate with Reserve or National Guard units in their outreach to help make their home communities a nicer place to live.

Scholarships
Provide scholarships for children of members of the Guard and Reserve.

Family Support for Casualties
Support for the families of workers killed or injured while serving their country can be significant.

Lobby for Special Benefits
Lobby state governments—executive and legislative branches—for special benefits for military Reservists and National Guard members.

Provide Free Eye Examinations
Vision screening assures that the activated employee will have the best possible support for good vision while on military duty.

Provide Laptop Computers for Communications
Employers can give activated employees, particularly those who will remain in the United States for their term of duty, laptop computers for communication.

Keep a Journal
Keep a journal of things that happen at work—-business related and personal things (like Susan Monroe in the call center got engaged to George Kent in the telemarketing department. When your military co-worker returns, the journal will provide an enjoyable reading and catching-up experience.

Guardian Angel
A supervisor or team of people—volunteers or assigned—watch over families of employees who are serving.

Recognize the Value of Military Employees Year-Round
Don’t limit recognition of citizen-soldiers to the times they’re activated. Honor them throughout the year with respect and support.

Expressing Thanks
When the troops come home, they should be thanked for their service and the hardships they endured being separated from family, loved ones, and work.

Customer Support
If your organization is one that serves customers who have been activated for military service, you might have some opportunities to make their lives a little easier.

Family Parties
Gather together the families of activated employees for periodic social events so they feel included.

Tutoring
When your military employee was home, he or she may have helped children with homework and other school activities. Those children may need some help from others.

Proclaim Support for Military Employees
Establish some way of saluting employees who are members of the Reserve and National Guard.

Care for Veterans’ Sections of Cemeteries
Some states have veterans’ cemeteries. Other cemeteries have sections for veterans or special markers on the graves of vets. These memorials may fall into disrepair, providing a need and opportunity to improve their condition.

Celebrate Veterans Day
Recognize the meaning of Veterans Day in your facilities. Involve your employees. Make the observance meaningful.

Pray
Some companies encourage spirituality in the workplace. Consider including prayers for the safety of your co-workers and their loved ones.

Fly the Flag
Show your support for the United States and your citizen-soldiers by displaying the American Flag.

Automotive Maintenance
Vehicles driven by family members of the activated employee still require maintenance.

Legal and Accounting Support
Company provides support from lawyers and accountants—directly or indirectly—to the employee’s spouse.

Continue Stock Option Benefits
Activated employees are still able to participate in stock purchase programs.

Mental Health Counseling
Some employees and their families may need mental health counseling on a short-term or even longer-term basis.

Support the Students
College students who are activated to full-time Guard or Reserve duty face additional challenges that aren’t typically employer-related.

Keep People Informed
Information packets and briefings inform employees and families on a consistent basis. Don’t forget the employees who are not members of the Guard or Reserve.

Physical Reminders of Presence
Place some sort of physical reminder in the workplace to represent the employee who is missing.

Maintain Seniority
The employee’s seniority is maintained as if the employee were still on the job.

Maintain Salary and Benefits
The employer continues the employee’s salary and benefits so the employee is not hurt financially by the military activation.

Yard Care Support
Provide yard care support for the family of the activated employee.

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