Workers On Military Leave

A recent survey has indicated that only 4% of HR executives surveyed reported a "significant impact" within their organizations when Reservists or National Guard members were deployed, while almost two in 10 (19%) said their workplaces have been impacted to "some" extent.

The survey also found that almost four out of 10 (38%) respondents said the call-ups had "little" impact and about the same number (39%) said there was no impact at all on their organization.

Fewer than 1% of respondents reported having between 11% and 15% of their employee populations deployed by the military. The majority (62%) reported having between 6% and 10% involved in active-duty military operations, while about one-third (34%) reported that none of their employees have been called up for active duty.

Of those organizations with employees on active duty, 2% indicated that their employee(s) had been killed while serving in the military, with 1 percent of respondents reporting the death of one employee and an additional 1% reporting the death of 3 employees.

One percent of HR executives polled reported having 3 employees wounded so severely while on duty that they were unable to return to work. Three percent reported having 1 employee wounded that severely.

Just over half the respondents (54%) indicated that the work of absent Guard members or Reservists was distributed among existing employees. Just over one-quarter of respondents (26%) hired temporary or permanent employees to do the work of absent military personnel.

As for pay and benefits, almost four of 10 (38%) employers offered employees additional pay to make up the difference between the employee's military compensation and his or her salary with the company, while the remainder did not.

Six of 10 (61%) employers continued to offer health benefits to employees while they were away on active duty, while 30% did not and 9% were not sure.

With the number of workers on military leave increasing, it is vital that organizations make the appropriate arrangements in order to cope with employees having to take long-term absences from employment.

To keep track of the changing circumstances of your part-time and full-time employees, you may wish to consider investing in a time and attendance system, which automates the process of recording and paying salaries to your employees.