European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 4, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Monday March 4, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 17 Money matters Large . Firms showing generosity toward reservist workers called to duty by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a corporate amen Ca proved it was concerned with a few things besides the Bottom line when it came to supporting reservist employees reservists in War and peace second in a series taking part in operation desert storm. In a recent Survey of 155 top . Companies the Reserve officers association found that most Are making up the difference Between military pay and the employees salaries for various periods of time and that almost All Are extending health benefits. \ a a in a terribly encouraged by the fact today a tip what will military family assistance and support centers have that Janis Joplin prayed for a Mercedes Benz. A hat a because the Daimler Benz co. Plans to donate 35 minibuses to the centers in Germany to help with the transportation needs of families of soldiers in the persian Gulf. The donations will take place today in a ceremony in Frankfurt that will be attended by Edzard Reuter Daimler Benz a chairman and Gen. Crosbie e. Saint commander of the . Army in rates London up fridays closing rates for the . Dollar to other currencies. Figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other local currencies in dollars Gold was quoted at $363.25 an ounce Silver at $3.76. A feb. 28 March 1 British Pound .1.9110 1.8970 German Mark. .,.j.1.5240 1.5365 French franc .5-1770 5.2380 dutch guilder.,.1.7135. 1 7315 belgian franc. ,.31.26 31.64 italian lira .1,136.50 1.149 10 Swiss franc .,.1.3235 1.3280 greek drachma. .163.42164.70 turkish lira .3.321.70 3.350.60 saudi arabian riyal.3.7504 3.7504 Spanish peseta. 94.65 a 9550 portuguese escudo.�?.,t. To .�?z.133.00 134 05 Canadian Dollar .1.1506 �?1,1495 austrian schilling.10.6860 10.7875. Norwegian Krone 1.5.8450 60020 danish Krone .5,8450�?T 5 8940 a these Are unofficial rates As reported by wire service and banking sources and they it tre listed to give some idea of daily currency fluctuations. A the Only official rate concerns the Sale of German Marks to . Personnel for personal use and this will be 1.50 through monday based on fridays noontime Price fixing. That so Many companies Are going beyond the Basic requirements of the Law and doing different kinds of things a said Stephen Duncan assistant Secretary of defense for Reserve affairs. Duncan said any initial hesitation by companies about How to handle their reservists was caused by unfamiliarity with the Laws that apply during a mobilization. A this is the first widespread Call up in decades a he said a a it a Only natural that Many employers Are becoming aware of their responsibilities in ways that they weren to a most employers seem genuinely concerned about doing the right thing a said it. Col. Phil Aigner spokesman for the rational committee for employer support of the guard and Reserve a Field Agency under Duncan a office. Aigner said the Law requires employers to give returning reservists their old jobs Back or similar positions along with any increases in pay and seniority that they would have acquired had they not been mobilized. A but we have literally hundreds and hundreds of employers going above and beyond the Call of duty a he said. A a it a very heartening to see this kind of of the companies surveyed by the association 11 said they will make up the difference Between an employees civilian and Reserve pay for a full year or More if necessary. Sixty five companies Are making up any difference in pay for three to six months. And 30 companies continued to pay full salaries from one week to 26 weeks after employees left. Exxon corp. Offered one of the most generous packages which provided two months of Lump sum salary to reservist employees and promised one year of pay differential if necessary. Of course the Odds of a Reserve deployment lasting a year have dropped considerably in recent Days with the suspension of fighting in Iraq and Kuwait. But before peace was at hand several companies including ism Philip Morris and general electric expanded their reservist Benefit packages. Be at first offered one month of full pay but later added 11 months of pay differential. A we Felt that expanding our policy would be an appropriate measure to take to ease any financial burdens our employees might have a said George Jamison a be spokesman. Ism had a Long standing policy of providing Only 30 Days of pay differential but extended that to 120 Days last August and to one year in november. A a it a part of our philosophy to protect and support our employees a said ism spokesman Jim Ruderman. A we have it any other not All companies were so generous. A total of 22 in the Survey including such Well known names As Eastman Kodak Bethlehem steel Westinghouse Alcoa and uniroyal Goodrich did not offer full pay or any differentials. But retired rear adm. Bennett Sparks the associations Deputy executive director said potential critics should pause before bashing the companies that seem to be doing relatively Little for their reservist employees. Pointing out that extending pay and health benefits is strictly voluntary. A companies Are doing what they Cun within their Means a Sparks said. A despite the generally positive picture so far military officials said the real test a will come when the reservists Start returning to their jobs. Aigner said some problems May arise but that a where the National committee for employer support of the guard an corporate policies Here a a look at Benefit packages for operation desert storm reservists at selected . Firms. Company financial benefits pay full pay differential other benefits health plan insurance Boeing 0 20 Days continues for 30 Days then self pay option. Continues for 30 Days then self pay option. Caterpillar 0 0 Only for family members of a management. Only for family members of management. Ford motor one month employee s medical dental plan stops at month s end after departure. Employees coverage stops following month released. General motors 0 30 Days continues 30 Days then 50/50 sharing of Cost. Continues 30 Days then 50/50 sharing of Cost. . Heinz 0 eight months continues six months. Continues six. Months. Mobil 0 one year dependents medical dental continues for duration. T a 7 May be continued one year. Rwjr Nabisco two weeks 0 dependents health plan continued eights months. Lite insurance continued 30 Days then conversion. Privileges. Shell Oil 0 three months continues for three months then Cost is shared. Continues for three months then Cost is shared. A a a. Union Carbide full pay through end of month employee leaves. Six months dependent gets medical dental for six months at no Cost then self pay option. Basic life continued at no Cost for six months. Us 0 0 can be continued at group rate for dependents. Stops. Source Reserve others association Reserve comes in. The Agency has a toll free Telephone number 1-800-336-4590, to help employees and businesses get More information on their respective rights and importantly the Agency has ombudsmen on 55 state committees who help advise employers and employees of their rights mediate disputes and suggest solutions. A the idea is not to resolve disputes after they arise but before they get started a Duncan said. The ombudsmen try to keep disputes from becoming lawsuits and they Are usually successful Aigner said. The 222,000 reservists and National guard members returning from the persian Gulf should be Able to get their jobs Back without too much trouble the labor department said a a Quot there is every indication that most employers Are More than willing to restore jobs with no loss of benefits a said labor Secretary Lynn Martin under Federal Law those called to Nili tary duty or who volunteered Fry it Fuu be Given their old jobs Back if they Meer certain requirements a the employee must apply for re employment within 90 Days of leaving military duty or if injured within 90 Days of a amps Susan Harris leaving the Hospital. A the employee must have left the civilian Job for the purpose of going on military duty. The veterans re employment rights Law in effect since 1940, requires employers to give reservists their jobs Back with the same seniority status and pay even if someone took overt he Job while a reservist was away. A. Reservists continue building seniority while on military duty and May be Enid a tied to a better Job when they return. Act cording to the Laws a escalator principle a they step Back into their jobs at the precise Point they would have occupied had they remained on the by the same Token this escalator principle works in reverse. If there were com Pany wide layoffs while a reservist was away and the employer can establish that the person would have lost his or her Job anyway the reservist can be placed on Laid off status upon his return. Returning reservists have some protections against being Laid off. The Law says a reservist can to be discharged without cause for one year after his or her return. Company wide layoffs though Are considered just cause. Contributing to this report the associated press tomorrow reservists who work for europeans Fate problem
