NewsBytes May 7, 2021
In this issue:
Bold New Plan for Veterans Toxic Exposure
FRA Supports Improvements to USERRA
SAC Subcommittee Hearing on Telehealth
DoD Civilian Employees Can Go to Exchanges
SVAC Wants “Bold New Plan” for Veterans Toxic Exposure
At a recent Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee (SVAC) legislative hearing, Chairman Jon Tester (Mont.) announced the committee’s “bold” plans to take up comprehensive legislation to provide generations of veterans suffering from military toxic exposure their earned benefits and care. The SVAC Chairman claimed the process is “broken” and “disjointed” for ensuring coverage for veterans who are experiencing adverse health effects of toxic exposures. He wants comprehensive legislation to provide health care for all veterans suffering from the consequences of toxic exposure, from the past, present, and into the future. “It is a cost of war,” he said, “and the country must take care of these veterans.”
This issue was included in FRA’s testimony by National President Mick Fulton during the March 18, 2021 joint hearing of the House and Senate Veterans Affairs Committee. In addition, FRA provided a statement for the record of the April 28, 2021, SVAC toxic exposure hearing. The FRA is a member of the Toxic Exposures in the American Military (TEAM) Coalition and wants to ensure that no veteran who had exposure to burn pits or other environmental toxins goes without access to VA health care benefits. This issue is listed on the FRA Action Center and members are urged to weigh in on this issue by going to the Action Center.
FRA Supports Improvements to USERRA
The FRA has signed onto a letter of support for the “Protecting the Employment Rights of Service Members Act” (PERSA), (H.R.2195) sponsored by Rep. David Cicilline (R.I.). This important, bipartisan bill ensures our service members can enforce their rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
USERRA prohibits discrimination based on Reserve and National Guard military service and states they are entitled to the reemployment rights and benefits of their civilian job after serving in the military. Returning service members must be promptly reemployed as if they had they not been absent for military service. If an employer does not offer the same pay, benefits, or status when a service member returns from duty, USERRA allows the service member to hold the employer accountable for these violations in court.
However, some service members have been unable to exercise their USERRA rights due to increased use of forced arbitration clauses hidden in the fine print of employment contracts and personnel policies. Usually presented on a take-it-or-leave-it basis, these clauses preclude access to the judicial system. Instead of an unbiased review of their case, service members are forced into private arbitration systems set up by the very employer they are bringing charges against. PERSA gives service members the ability to pursue USERRA claims in court while preserving the option to enter into an arbitration agreement after a dispute arises. FRA wants to eliminate discrimination against uniformed service members in employment by ensuring enforcement of USERRA.
Members are urged to ask their Representatives to support this bill by going to the Action Center.
SAC Subcommittee Holds Hearing on VA Telehealth
The Senate Appropriations Committee, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee (Milcon/VA) held their first meeting of the year to discuss the use of telehealth to care for veterans.
Prior to the pandemic, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) used telehealth to reach veterans in rural communities. In addition to care going directly to veterans in their homes, the ATLAS Project, started placing self-contained rooms in veteran service organization (VSO) facilities and Walmart stores to provide a secure location where a wide array of health care services could be provided to one veteran at a time. ATLAS is a unique capability for rural areas. Right now, there are 11 of them and the VA expects to expand to 15 by the end of this year. The VA is seeking more locations to help rural veterans.
Demand for telehealth skyrocketed during the pandemic across all settings, including urban areas. The VA responded by providing internet-enabled tablets to veterans without technology. They also set up a help line to aid veterans in using the devices and also teach them how to access a telehealth visit. For more information on VA telehealth, go online.
DoD Civilian Employees Can Go to Exchanges
The Defense Department (DoD), effective May 1, 2021, has expanded military exchange shopping privileges to nearly 600,000 civilian DoD and civilian Coast Guard employees for at least a year, according to DoD directive 21-003. “Shopping the Exchange brings convenience to civilians working on installations,” said Exchange Director and CEO Tom Shull. “They can stop by the Exchange for essentials on breaks or to and from work instead of shopping outside of the gate — and 100% of Exchange earnings go right back to the military community.”
Tax-free shopping is authorized for active DoD and Coast Guard appropriated fund and non-appropriated civilian employees in the United States and the U.S. territories. Retired DoD and Coast Guard civilian employees will have access to online exchange shopping later this year. The Exchange, the DoD’s largest retailer and the 61st largest retailer in the United States, has served Warfighters since 1895. The Exchange offers tax-free shopping and military-exclusive pricing. Exchange earnings support service members and their families. Approximately 60 percent of earnings support Quality-of-Life programs on military installations worldwide. In the past 10 years, the Exchange has contributed $2.2 billion to Child, Youth and School Services; Armed Forces Recreation Centers; and other programs to support troops and their families. All remaining earnings are reinvested in enhancing the customer shopping experience.
The privilege expansion marks the third time since 2017 that the Exchange’s shopping base has grown. In January 2020, all veterans with service-connected disabilities were welcomed back to the installation to shop in person. On Veterans Day 2017, all honorably discharged veterans were welcomed home, to shop tax free.
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