military leave policy

QUESTION:

"Where would I find information on developing a military leave policy to accommodate reservists on our staff, and are there any benefits to our company to doing this?"

ANSWER:

Well first, let's speak to the benefits. There are several. To begin with, good HR systems benefit an organization. A system, by definition, leaves nothing open-ended, yet some companies and organizations still have no formalized method of dealing with leave requests from employees who are also military reservists. Creating a military leave policy (MLP) closes that HR loop. But there are also other, more tangible benefits when your organization develops a MLP.

Most of Canada's largest corporations and organizations have used a standard MLP section or clause in their HR policies for decades. In older established companies, these policies went back to the Second World War where corporate support for reservists was considered an integral part of the war effort. More recently, some MLPs may have been created because the company was a division of an American parent and Canadian HR practices reflected the U.S. policy, which is dictated there by federal legislation. In other cases, progressive HR managers have acted on the tangible benefits acquired by the organization when reservist employees bring back their military skills to the civilian workplace at no direct cost.

Since the terrorist attacks on North America in September of 2001, public awareness of the Canadian Forces is higher than it has been in years. Under our Total Force structure, Canada's Reserve Force plays a key role in both domestic and international military operations. As Reserve Force service here is voluntary, there is no legislation in Canada that compels employers to provide time off for reservists, but because of this increased awareness of our military, many HR managers of small and mid-size Canadian companies are now searching for a military leave HR model that will meet their organizational requirements. It makes good business sense.

It is both a management and HR axiom that people are the most important resource in any organization, and that investing in the training and overall well being of personnel is an investment in the future. When you employ military reservists, you have a low-cost solution to personnel training and development under your control.

Most reservists are people who have civilian jobs but serve in the military on a part-time basis. Companies and organizations that give their reservist employees time off to attend military training benefit directly when that training is brought back to their civilian jobs. Reservists receive both leadership and technical training as continuous learning. Military training includes communication skills, the ability to manage information, problem solving, working with others and demonstrating positive attitudes and behaviours. Reservist-employees tend to be very loyal to a supportive organization.

Most formal MLPs designed for reservist-employees are structured using the same criteria used to evaluate any other request for time-off. A basic clause provides a reservist-employee two weeks off without pay.
Some policies provide for an annual two-week period of paid military leave that is set apart from the employee's regular vacation time. Some MLPs address the gap that often exists between civilian and military salaries. This avoids a loss of income to the reservist during those two weeks. Some employers "top-up" the military pay to make it the same as the reservist-employee's civilian salary. In other instances, an employer and employee may arrive at an agreement to leave the employee on salary, and arrange to have the military pay paid back to the company. Some policies also provide for a long-term special leave of absence without pay for overseas military operations. For HR managers who are considering developing a MLP, a pro-forma created by an HR specialist is available at: www.cflc.forces.gc.ca
Employers that put a MLP in place for their reservist employees are gaining a competitive edge as well as investing in the future. As in all HR matters, it is a matter of striking a policy that accommodates the employee without creating hardship for the organization.

Captain Richard E. Gower is the Outreach Officer for the Canadian Forces Liaison Council (CFLC) in Ottawa. The CFLC is the employer support arm of the Canadian Forces. For more information on CFLC's employer support programs call 1-800-567-9908 or click on www.cflc.forces.gc.ca. Employers who develop a military leave policy for reservists are encouraged to let the CFLC know, so their contribution to the Reserve Force can be recognized.

Guest Author - Captain Richard E. Gower
Outreach Officer
Canadian Forces Liaison Council (CFLC) in Ottawa