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View Full Version : Company Sends Termination Letter To Soldier



RitcheyRch
06-22-2007, 03:34 PM
Now this sucks.
http://www.knbc.com/money/13553575/detail.html
A company that sent a termination letter to an Indiana National Guardsman serving in Iraq has retracted it and apologized to his family.
Misty Veerkamp opened the letter from the human resources manager at Greensburg's Delta Faucet Co. plant last week saying her husband, Sgt. 1st Class David Veerkamp, 34, was being fired because he had not returned to work from a yearlong leave of absence.
He remains deployed to Iraq, however, since being called to active duty in June 2006 -- and Misty Veerkamp said she was shocked by the letter.
"I was angry. I cried at first, but it took me about two seconds and I was angry," she said. "If you know that person's in Iraq, you know, you're drinking your cup of coffee, they're carrying a grenade, whatever, you know they're not here."
Maj. Rob Palmer of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve agency said managers at Delta's corporate office in Indianapolis overrode the termination letter after he talked with them.
Federal law allows those called to active military duty to return to their previous jobs within 90 days of when their activation ends, Palmer said.
Delta officials apologized and said they would welcome Veerkamp's return to the factory in the city about 40 miles southeast of Indianapolis.
"We did not mean to cause any additional anxiety for the family of those serving in the military," the company said in a statement. "Our policy has been, and will continue to be, to welcome back the men and women of Delta serving in the armed forces."
Employers frequently don't understand the law, Palmer said.
Misty Veerkamp said her husband enjoyed his job at Delta, where he has worked for 15 years and is a group leader. The couple has three children, ages 9, 5, and 2.
"The employees love David," she said. "They've sent him care packages and offered their support. Then something like this comes along and spoils their morale."

C-2
06-22-2007, 03:40 PM
Oh my, blatant violation of SCRA (Servicemembers Civil Relief Act). I bet somebody else will be getting a termination letter real soon. Violating that law carries both civil and CRIMINAL penalties.:jawdrop:

MADDOG355
06-22-2007, 03:56 PM
Yea that is a BIG no no, I worked for a companey that tried that a few years ago with someone in the guard. They never sent a letter but when he returned to work was told he was fired, He was also retired military. The best part was the company is contracted to do work for the army!!! When the dust settled, he got his job back, several people were replaced in the office and we all got a $2.00hr raise (that was retroactive for about 6 months!!). becouse the investigation uncovered we were not being paid acording to contract.