Military Employment Rights Lawsuit

United States Department of Justice (DOJ) lawyers announced in a February 4, 2010 Press Release at http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2010/February/10-crt-126.html that a settlement has been reached in the DOJ’s lawsuit against MasTec Advanced Technologies on behalf of a U. S. Army Reserve member.  According to the DOJ Press Release, DOJ lawyers alleged that the company willfully violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).  More specifically, the DOJ USERRA complaint charged that the plaintiff was called to active duty in the U. S. Army and notified his company supervisor of his upcoming military service.  As stated in the Press Release, his supervisor had previously informed him that the site manager position at the office would be vacant soon and offered him the position when it became available.  This offer was accepted but the position went to another person while the employee was engaged in military service.  The settlement in this USERRA lawsuit calls for the company to pay $5,760 in baclpay and interest.