Photo by Deborah M McCormick
On Veterans Day we take time to honor and thank our living veterans – those who are serving or have served in the military. This year, Veterans Day is Sunday, November 11, 2018 and will be observed on Monday, November 12, 2018.
Veterans Day originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. Congress passed a resolution in 1926 for an annual observance, and Nov. 11 became a national holiday beginning in 1938.
Although Veterans Day is an official federal holiday, many private employers do not observe it as one of their paid holidays. There are many other ways you can you can recognize the service and sacrifice of your employee-veterans. And, as a Massachusetts private employer, you do have some obligations to your veteran employees.
All Massachusetts private employers must provide leave (paid or unpaid) to a veteran employee who wishes to participate in a Veterans Day exercise, parade or service. With reasonable notice, your veterans are entitled to leave “of sufficient time to participate” in an event that takes place in the their “community of residence”. You are not required to provide leave where an employee provides services that “are essential and critical to the public health or safety and determined to be essential to the safety and security of each such employer or property thereof.”
In addition, remember that “Veteran status” is a protected category. Employers must treat “veteran status” as a protected class, much like race, ancestry, color, religion, etc.
A veteran is any person with an honorable discharge who served in any branch of the U.S. military or who served full time in the National Guard under certain conditions. Any person who served in wartime and was awarded a service-connected disability or Purple Heart is also a qualifying veteran.
In addition to granting leave, here are some ways you can recognize your employee-veterans. A 2013 Bloomberg BNA survey revealed the following top Veterans Day employer activities:
- sending an e-mail to recognize and thank employee-veterans;
- thanking veterans in a company newsletter;
- holding a company-sponsored breakfast or lunch in honor of veterans;
- providing a small gift to employees who are veterans;
- hosting a cook-off, bake sale or other event to raise funds for veterans;
- hosting activities with speakers and memorial programs
Pfautz Consulting Group, LLC joins you in thanking our veterans for ensuring the freedoms we enjoy every day.
Happy Veterans Day!
Submitted by Deborah M. McCormick