Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-azd-4_09-cv-00392/USCOURTS-azd-4_09-cv-00392-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 442
Nature of Suit: Civil Rights Employment
Cause of Action: 28:1331 Fed. Question: Employment Discrimination

---

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

WO

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

Chase W. Drake, 

Plaintiff,

v.

Tucsan, Inc., 

Defendants. 

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

)

CV 09-392 TUC DCB

ORDER

The Court grants the Motion to Dismiss the Complaint because reemployment rights

under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act, 38 U.C.S. § 4312,

(USERRA) for active members of the armed services hinge on completing the uniformed

service obligation.

Introduction

Plaintiff, Chase W. Drake, was an active member of the United States Air Force

(USAF), when he began “moonlighting” on March 1, 2008, as a doorman at the Tens

Nightclub owned by Defendant. He worked as a doorman at Tens until June 15, 2008, when

USAF changed his active duty assignment and deployed him to Qatar for 179 days. It is

undisputed that he was not a member of the National Guard or Reserves, nor discharged or

released from active duty. Plaintiff believes that Defendant had a legal obligation to

reemploy him under USERRA, 38 U.S.C. § 4312, when he returned from Qatar on February

4, 2009. Tens refused him reemployment.

/////

/////

Case 4:09-cv-00392-DCB Document 20 Filed 01/12/10 Page 1 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 2

Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Act

“Any individual whose absence from a position of employment is necessitated by

reason of service in the uniformed services is entitled to the reemployment rights and benefits

“ (Response at 3 (citing Vander Wal v. Sykes Enterprises, Inc., 377 F. Supp. 2d 738 (N.D.

2005) (reservist case). Plaintiff correctly argues that USERRA coverage terminates if a

person is separated or discharged from service with a dishonorable or bad conduct discharge,

38 U.S.C. 4304; 20 C.F.R. 1002.32, but this does not mean USERRA coverage is limited to

individuals who have been discharged from duty. Id. at 3.

Section 4312 in USERRA pertains to the reemployment rights of members of the

armed services, in relevant part as follows: 

(a) Subject to subsections (b), (c), and (d) and to section 4304, any

person whose absence from a position of employment is necessitated by

reason of service in the uniformed services shall be entitled to the

reemployment rights and benefits and other employment benefits of this

chapter if--

(1) the person . . . has given advance written or verbal notice of

such service to such person's employer; 

(2) the cumulative length of the absence and of all previous

absences from a position of employment with that employer by

reason of service in the uniformed services does not exceed five

years; and 

(3) except as provided in subsection (f), the person reports to, or

submits an application for reemployment to, such employer in

accordance with the provisions of subsection (e). 

(b) No notice is required under subsection (a)(1) if the giving of such

notice is precluded by military necessity . . .

(c) Subsection (a) shall apply to a person who is absent from a position

of employment by reason of service in the uniformed services if such

person's cumulative period of service in the uniformed services, with

respect to the employer relationship for which a person seeks

reemployment, does not exceed five years, . . .

Case 4:09-cv-00392-DCB Document 20 Filed 01/12/10 Page 2 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 3

 * * * 

(e)(1) Subject to paragraph (2), a person referred to in subsection (a)

shall, upon the completion of a period of service in the uniformed

services, notify the employer referred to in such subsection of the

person's intent to return to a position of employment with such employer

as follows:

* * *

(C) In the case of a person whose period of service in the

uniformed services was for more than 30 days but less than 181

days, by submitting an application for reemployment with the

employer not later than 14 days after the completion of the period

of service or if submitting such application within such period is

impossible or unreasonable through no fault of the person, the next

first full calendar day when submission of such application

becomes possible. 

(D) In the case of a person whose period of service in the

uniformed services was for more than 180 days, by submitting an

application for reemployment with the employer not later than 90

days after the completion of the period of service. 

* * *

(f)(1) A person who submits an application for reemployment in

accordance with subparagraph (C) or (D) of subsection (e)(1) or

subsection (e)(2) shall provide to the person's employer (upon the request

of such employer) documentation to establish that--

(A) the person's application is timely; 

(B) the person has not exceeded the service limitations set forth in

subsection (a)(2) . . . ; and 

(C) the person's entitlement to the benefits under this chapter has

not been terminated pursuant to section 4304. 

38 U.S.C.§ 4312 (emphasis added). 

It is undisputed that the Plaintiff gave Defendant notice that he was being

deployed to Qatar, he applied for reemployment with Tens within 14 days, his absence

did not exceed 5-years, and his service has not been terminated with a dishonorable or

bad conduct discharge. Plaintiff’s service has not been terminated at all.

Case 4:09-cv-00392-DCB Document 20 Filed 01/12/10 Page 3 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 4

The Court finds that the Plaintiff is unequivocally entitled to USERRA benefits. 

38 U.S.C. § 4304, but USERRA benefits do not include reemployment rights prior to the

completion of the period of service being served by a full-time active member of the

armed services. Completion of active duty is expressly required by the statute. 

Additionally, the right to reemployment is limited to a total time in absentia of 5 years,

therefore, it is critical to count the beginning and ending of each period of service with

uniform specificity.

USERRA provides such specificity. The definition for “service in the uniformed

services” means: the performance of duty on a voluntary or involuntary basis in a

uniformed service under competent authority and includes active duty, active duty for

training, initial active duty for training, inactive duty training, full-time National Guard

duty, . . .” 38 U.S.C. § 4302(13). “The term ‘uniformed services’ means the Armed

Forces, the Army National Guard and the Air National Guard when engaged in active

duty for training, inactive duty training, or full-time National Guard duty, . . ..” Id. at

(16).

Under military law, the following definitions describe duty status. “The term

‘active duty’ means full-time duty in the active military service of the United States. Such

term includes full-time training duty, annual training duty, and attendance, while in the

active military service, at a school designated as a service school by law or by the

Secretary of the military department concerned. Such term does not include full-time

National Guard duty.” 10 U.S.C. § 101(d)(1). “The term ‘active service’ means reserve

service on active duty or full-time National Guard duty.” Id. at (3).

Because the Plaintiff was a full-time enlisted member of the armed services, the

relevant inquiry for determining his active duty status is the period of time he is obligated

to serve in the United States Air Force. Active duty is a formal status within the military

establishment, which is not dependent on a service member’s activities while on such

Case 4:09-cv-00392-DCB Document 20 Filed 01/12/10 Page 4 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 5

duty, as long as the definition encompasses him. Bell v. United States, 366 U.S. 393,

410-411 (1960) (considering the definition for determining military pay, which is a

statutory right). “The legal relationship created by active duty service is not set aside

simply because the ‘nature’ of the servicemember’s military involvement seems

inconsistent with the performance of actual military duties.” Archie Allison v. United

States, 426 F.2d 1324, 1013 (6th Cir. 1970) (citing Lampitt v. United States, 753 F.2d 702

(8th Cir. )).

Plaintiff is correct that “‘[a]lthough most often understood as applying to

National Guard and reserve military personnel, USERRA also applies to persons serving

in the active components of the Armed Forces.’” (Response at 3-4 (citing 20 C.F.R. §

1002.6)) (emphasis added). The purpose of USERRA is “to encourage noncareer service

in the uniformed services by eliminating or minimizing the disadvantages to civilian

careers and employment which can result from such service.” 38 U.S.C. 4301(a)(1). 

USERRA’s definition for “noncareer service” is as follows: “The period of active

uniformed service required to complete the initial uniformed service obligation; a period

of active duty or full-time National Guard duty that is for a specified purpose and

duration with no expressed or implied commitment for continued active duty; or

participation in the Reserve component as a member of the Ready Reserve performing

annual training, active duty for training or inactive duty training. Continuous or repeated

active uniformed service or full-time National Guard duty that results in eligibility for

regular retirement for the Armed Forces is not considered non-career service.” Barker

v. Office of Adjutant General, 907 N.R. 2d 574, 580 (Ind. App. 2009). 

This distinction is important because there are no reemployment rights where a

service member abandons his civil career for a career in the military. Id. Only noncareer

service members must be reemployed by their pre-service employer when their period of

active service or duty is completed. 38 U.S.C. § 4312.

Case 4:09-cv-00392-DCB Document 20 Filed 01/12/10 Page 5 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 6

Members of the reserves are deployed to active military duty for a specified

purpose and duration, and given formal release orders upon completion of the

deployment. See 32 C.F.R. § 104.3; Vander Wal v. Sykes, 377 F. Supp.2d 738 (N. Dak.

2005) (discussing promptness requirement for reemployment of reserve members of

National Guard unit); Dominguez v. Miami-Dade County, 2009 WL 3756365 * 1 (S.D.

Flor. 2009) (USERRA anti-discrimination provision required employer to allow fire

fighter reservist to take lieutenant exam given during his deployment to active duty);

Haight v. Katch, LLC., 2005 WL 2464643 * 2 (Neb. 2005) (describing reservist as being

mobilized to active duty and sent back due to medical reasons as being on active duty

because he remained under military orders and had not been officially released from

mobilization).

In contrast, Plaintiff, was/is a full-time enlisted member in the air force, with a

specified period of active uniformed service required to complete his initial uniformed

service obligation. See 32 C.F.R. § 104.3; Garcia v. United States, 57 Fed. Cl. 398

(2003) (describing entitlement to military pay from date of enlistment until enlistment

expires); McClain v. Somerville, 424 F. Supp. 2d 329, (Mass. 2006) (describing plaintiff

as enlisting for a term of service that was to last until January 4, 2002). Plaintiff’s

deployment to Qatar did not change his active duty status. He was on active duty while

moonlighting at Tens, on active duty in Qatar, on active duty when he returned, and

remains on active duty. When this duty obligation is complete, he will be entitled to the

reemployment protection afforded by USERRA, 38 U.S.C. § 4312. See Haight v. Katch,

LLC., 2005 WL 2464643 at *3 n. 2 (in dicta, concluding that plaintiff did not have the

right under USERRA to demand reinstatement of his civilian employment while still,

albeit only technically, mobilized).

Plaintiff does not allege a claim of discrimination under USERRA, 38 U.S.C. §

4311, which prohibits discrimination in hiring based on active service in the military. 

Case 4:09-cv-00392-DCB Document 20 Filed 01/12/10 Page 6 of 7
1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28 7

Both full-time service members and reservists are protected against discrimination on the

basis of unavailability due to active service in the military, and there is no difference in

requiring an employer to hold a permanent job open for an existing employee who may

leave for military service or requiring an employer to delay permanent hiring for an

employee who is not available due to military service. McLain v. Somerville, 424 F.

Supp. 2d 329, 334-335 (Mass. 2006).

To state a prima facie case of discrimination under USERRA, a plaintiff must

make an initial showing that military status was at least a motivating or substantial factor

in the employer’s action. If the employee makes such a showing, the employer must

prove, by a preponderance of evidence, that the action would have been taken despite the

protected status. Hogan v. United Parcel Service, 648 F. Supp. 2d 1128, 1138 (Missouri

2009). Here, “[t]he Complaint includes information as to Drake’s status as an active

member of Armed Forces, dates of employment by Tens, period of deployment, date of

re-application for employment and Tens continued refusal to reemploy Drake.” 

(Response at 5.) This states a claim under USERRA, 38 U.S.C. § 3412, which fails as a

matter of law; it does not state a claim of discrimination under USERRA, 38 U.S.C. §

3411.

Accordingly,

IT IS ORDERED that the Motion to Dismiss (document 13) is GRANTED.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that the Clerk of the Court shall enter Judgment

accordingly.

DATED this 11th day of January, 2010.

Case 4:09-cv-00392-DCB Document 20 Filed 01/12/10 Page 7 of 7