Wise employers provide information packets to brief employees on their benefits, rights, and available support. Employers develop a standard information packet for all human resource professionals to ensure consistency of information. These specialists make contact with individuals and families to ensure that all employees have the opportunity to be briefed on and to consider continuation of benefits for themselves and their families.

The employer ensures that all employees have the opportunity to understand benefits. During the recent wave of deployments, some active and some inactive reservists were deployed so quickly that the employer had to follow-up after deployments occurred. This was accomplished in a timely manner allowing families and employees to make informed decisions about continuation of benefits.

While most attention is understandably focused on the activated employee and family, it’s smart to include the employee’s supervisor in the briefings. Supervisors can play a very important role in support of the employee, the employee’s position in the work group, and the family, so they should have the same understanding as the employee.

To build support among non-military members of the company’s workforce, it is worthwhile to provide briefings for them on the activation of their friend and co-worker, the requirements of applicable law, and what the employer is doing over and above minimum requirements. This awareness will build a community of support, an appreciation of why certain things are done, and an opportunity for non-company support of the employee’s family.

[ Home · About · Best Practices · President's Message · Board Members · Contribute to EUSA ]