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Weekly newsletter of the Fleet Reserve Association
June 22, 2018
In
this issue:
NDAA Passes with TRICARE
Increase
DOJ Settles on USERRA
Case
VA Opens another
Veterans Crisis Line
NDAA Passes Senate
without any Floor Amendments & with TRICARE Fee Increase
The Senate approved its version of the FY2019 National Defense Authorization
Act (NDAA) without debating or approving any floor amendments. No amendments
could be considered since three senators objected to every proposed amendment,
including FRA-supported amendments for concurrent receipt expansion and SBP/DIC
offset repeal. The names of the three senators are listed in last week's
Newsbytes. The House passed its NDAA in May. Now that both bills have passed
their chamber of origin a conference committee will be appointed to resolve the
differences between the two bills. As noted in last week's Newsbytes, the
Senate version of the NDAA provides for a significant TRICARE fee
increase.
The Senate NDAA also has
provisions, provided at FRA's request, to cap rent increases at the Armed
Forces Retirement Home (AFRH) and to prohibit removing residents solely on the
basis of inability to pay. Members are strongly urged to use the FRA Action Center to ask their Representatives to oppose
the Senate TRICARE fee increase provision and to support the cap on rent
increases at the AFRH in the final NDAA (H.R.5515).
DOJ Settles on USERRA
Case
The Department of Justice recently reached an out-of-court settlement with Syncom
Space Services, LLC (S3) that resolves allegations that S3 violated the
employment rights of Louisiana Air National Guardsman, Jason Cooper, under the
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). USERRA
safeguards the rights of uniformed service members, including Reservists and
National Guardsmen, to all benefits of employment following periods of absence
due to military service obligations. The benefits of employment protected by
USERRA include promotional opportunities.
Cooper worked as a Predictive
Testing and Inspection (PT&I) Specialist for S3 at Stennis Space Center in
Hancock County, Mississippi. On June 13, 2016, he was deployed on active duty
with the Air National Guard. During his deployment, Cooper applied for a vacant
PT&I Shop Lead position. Although Cooper had the most PT&I experience
of all applicants, S3 failed to promote him to the position upon his return
from deployment. As a result of the employer's failure to promote him to a
position that he was qualified for, because of his military service, Cooper
lost promotional income and benefits.
Under the terms of the
settlement agreement, S3 has agreed to pay Cooper for lost wages and to make
his promotion effective as of the date on which he returned to work from active
duty. The settlement agreement did not determine liability. Cooper initially
filed a complaint with the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and
Training Service, which investigated this matter and then referred it to the
Justice Department after resolution attempts failed.
FRA supports the enforcement
of USERRA and urges continued attention to veteran's employment issues to
ensure that veterans returning home are not penalized for their military
service.
Additional information about
USERRA may be found on the Justice Department's website or the Labor Department's website.
VA Opens another
Veterans Crisis Line
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has opened its third Veterans Crisis
Line (VCL) call center in Topeka, Kansas. The Topeka-based center was opened to
support increased demand. VA has two other call centers located in Canandaigua,
New York and Atlanta, Georgia. Since VA launched the VCL in 2007, the crisis
line responders have answered more than 3.5 million calls. If you are in
crisis, or know a veteran who is, call the Veterans Crisis Line for
confidential support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Call
800-273-8255 and press 1, or chat online. You can also text to 838255.
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