Author Topic: Another Guardsman prevented from returning to work at the US Postal Service  (Read 241 times)

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Offline Elderberry

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Navy Times by Dylan Gresik 1/15/2020

 John D. Patrie, a letter carrier from Auburn, Maine, was denied reemployment with the U.S. Postal Service in 2016 following the conclusion of his military service.

Four years later, Patrie, who served with the Maine Air National Guard’s 101st Air Refueling Wing out of Bangor Air National Guard Base, is still waiting to get his job back.

Patrie, who turns 56 on Thursday, was activated in the immediate aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He “served almost continuously” from September 2001 until Dec. 31, 2015, flying combat air patrols in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. During this period, the U.S. military increasingly relied on part-timers — guardsmen and reservists — on orders to run operations in support of active duty personnel.

All the while, Patrie worked at the Postal Service in Maine since 1997.

More: https://www.navytimes.com/news/your-army/2020/01/15/another-guardsman-unable-to-return-to-work-at-us-postal-service/

Offline Hoodat

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Quote
In February 2016, he filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans Employment and Training Service (VETS), citing a violation of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Passed in 1994, USERRA protects service members from facing workplace discrimination based on their military service, including mandated reemployment after a period of service. VETS “is authorized to investigate and resolve complaints of USERRA violations,” according to the Labor Department.

His case was referred to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC) for representation before the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). In April 2019, an administrative judge ruled that the Postal Service must reinstate Patrie and grant him “appropriate back pay” with interest and benefits “retroactive to 2016.”

“We are very pleased to have won this victory not just for Mr. Patrie but for service members everywhere,” Special Counsel Henry J. Kerner said in an OSC release at the time. “Our country must honor its commitments to those who serve in uniform and defend our freedoms.”

But the Postal Service appealed the ruling, and despite the judge’s decision, the service has still not provided “interim relief” to Patrie. “Interim relief” refers to the reinstatement of employment during the appeals process, a decision the Postal Service is also appealing. It will be four years this month since Patrie’s struggle to return to his job as a letter carrier began.

Reason #784 of why I hate liberals.   It is a clear violation of law.  A judge has already ordered the post office to reinstate him with back pay.  Yet these lawless leftists still refuse.
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