Opinion ID: 2977005
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: reemployment claims

Text: As it pertains to this case, USERRA’s right to reemployment encompasses two guarantees that are embodied in §§ 4312 and 4313. Section 4312 sets forth the basic right of a returning veteran to be rehired by his past employer and the basic prerequisites that the veteran must meet in order to enjoy that right. Section 4313 sets forth the position of employment to which the returning veteran must be rehired and requires that the veteran be “promptly reemployed” in that position. As briefly discussed above, Petty alleges that Metro violated his reemployment rights by: (1) impermissibly delaying his rehiring due to the department’s return-to-work process; (2) failing to rehire him in the position to which he was entitled; and (3) impermissibly denying him permission to work off-duty security jobs. We find that Petty is entitled to summary judgment with respect to his first two claims; the third, which we will analyze separately, is not properly asserted as a reemployment claim under §§ 4312 and 4313. 3 Due to the close relationship of § 4312 and §4313, throughout this opinion we often refer to them collectively as USERRA’s reemployment provisions. 4 The actual language of § 4311 may not limit its application to returning veterans. See, e.g., Coffman v. Chugach Support Servs., 411 F.3d 1231, 1234 (11th Cir. 2005) (“Section 4311 prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of military service and retaliating against individuals, whether service members or not, who testify or give statements on behalf of a USERRA claimant.”). Such differences, however, do not affect the current case. No. 07-5649 Petty v. Metro. Gov’t of Nashville-Davidson County Page 8 A. Petty’s First Two Claims - Delay in Rehiring and Failure to Hire at Proper Position: Congress has clearly prescribed the prerequisites Petty was required to satisfy to qualify for USERRA’s reemployment protection. First, he was required to notify his employer in advance of his departure that he would be leaving for military service. 38 U.S.C. § 4312(a)(1). Second, the cumulative length of such military service must be less than 5 years. 38 U.S.C. § 4312(a)(3). Third, upon his return, he was required to request reemployment from Metro within the time frame outlined in § 4312(e) and with the documentation specified by § 4312(f). Fourth, his separation from service must have been under “honorable conditions.” 38 U.S.C. § 4304(2). Metro contends only that Petty failed to provide the documentation requirements of § 4312(f)(1), which provides that upon the request of the employer, the returning veteran shall provide documentation establishing that he has satisfied these four prerequisites. In 20 C.F.R. § 1002.123, the Department of Labor lists documents that satisfy the documentation requirements of 38 U.S.C. § 4312. Among those listed is a form DD-214, which Metro concedes Petty provided. But Metro argues that Petty’s DD-214 is not sufficient, because the copy of the form that Petty sent Metro did not include three fields at the bottom of the form — most notably one including the statement “Narrative Reason for Separation: In lieu of trial by courtmartial.” Furthermore, Metro argues, the DD-214 was “void” because the failure to include all fields constituted an alteration voiding the form. Petty counters that his DD-214 included all the information necessary under the documentation requirements of § 4312(f)(1). We conclude that it would be inconsistent with the goals of USERRA to prevent Petty from exercising his right to reemployment because he failed to provide forthrightly information that is statutorily unnecessary to his establishing the right in the first place. First, 20 C.F.R. § 1002.123(a)(2) expressly recognizes that the types of documentation necessary to establish eligibility for reemployment may vary from case to case. The focus of USERRA is on securing rights to returning veterans, not on ensuring that any particular documentation is produced. Second, in compliance with Metro’s return-to-work process, Petty signed an authorization granting Metro5 unfettered access to all of his medical and military records, including a complete DD-214. Accordingly, we find that Petty satisfied USERRA’s documentation requirement, and, inasmuch as Metro does not dispute his having satisfied the other statutory prerequisites, it is apparent that he established his right to reemployment as guaranteed by §§ 4312 and 4313. Metro, therefore, was not permitted to delay or otherwise limit Petty’s reemployment rights in any way; in particular, Metro was not permitted to limit or delay Petty’s reemployment by requiring him to comply with its return-to-work process. Section 4302(b) expressly states that USERRA “supersedes any . . . contract, agreement, policy, plan, practice, or other matter that reduces, limits, or eliminates in any manner any right or benefit provided by this chapter, including the establishment of additional prerequisites to the exercise of any such right or the receipt of any such benefit.” By applying its return-to-work process to Petty, Metro not only delayed his reemployment, but as we shall explain, it also limited and withheld benefits to which Petty was entitled under USERRA. It is of no consequence here that Metro believes it is obligated to “ensure that each and every individual entrusted with the responsibility of being a Metropolitan Police Officer is still physically, emotionally, and temperamentally qualified to be a police officer after having been absent from the Department.” In USERRA, Congress clearly expressed its view that a returning veteran’s reemployment rights take precedence over such concerns. Metro does not question Petty’s physical 5 We express no opinion as to whether the employer may, consistent with USERRA’s provisions, request such a waiver. No. 07-5649 Petty v. Metro. Gov’t of Nashville-Davidson County Page 9 qualifications; instead, it questions only whether his conduct during his military service would disqualify him from returning to service in the police department. But Petty’s separation from military service is classified as “under honorable conditions,” which Congress has made clear suffices to qualify him for USERRA benefits, 38 U.S.C. § 4304(2). To the extent that his military service may have in fact left Petty unfit to carry out his duties as a police officer but is not reflected in the classification of his separation from service, USERRA would allow, after his reemployment, a “for cause” termination of that employment. 38 U.S.C. § 4316. Furthermore, Congress recognized USERRA would limit the ability of employers to rescreen returning veterans, but still chose to make this the general rule under USERRA. This is evident because, in certain circumstances, Congress altered this general rule to allow vetting of returning veterans before full rehiring. Section 4315 allows the heads of agencies listed under 5 U.S.C. § 2302(a)(2)(C)(ii) – e.g., FBI, CIA, NSA – to “prescribe procedures for ensuring that the rights under [USERRA] apply to employees of such agency.” 38 U.S.C. § 4315(a). Congress did not grant similar discretion to local police departments; therefore, Metro’s return-to-work process as applied to Petty was in violation of USERRA’s reemployment provisions. The district court determined that Metro’s return-to-work procedures could be applied to Petty, finding that because they are applicable to all individuals regardless of military service, these procedures did not constitute “additional prerequisites.” In this, the district court erred. First, § 4302(b) does not limit its superseding effect only to “additional prerequisites.” It supersedes any “policy, plan, [or] practice” that “reduces, limits, or eliminates in any manner any right or benefit” provided by USERRA, “including,” but not necessarily limited to, “the establishment of additional prerequisites.” Second, Metro’s return-to-work procedures do constitute “additional prerequisites” for returning veterans, because the procedures are in addition to the requirements Congress specified for the exercise of USERRA’s reemployment rights. The district court apparently viewed the term “additional prerequisites” as meaning “additional to the employer’s existing prerequisites,” and concluded that Metro’s procedures are not discriminatory because they apply to all individuals returning to the department. But this analysis is not appropriate for a claim brought under § 4312, and the superseding effect of § 4302(b) is not so limited; Metro’s return-to-work procedures are indeed superseded by USERRA’s reemployment provisions. It is important to note that Petty was not required to make any showing of discrimination in order to sustain either of his reemployment claims. The district court incorrectly characterized part of Petty’s reemployment claim — that part dealing with the position to which he was reinstated — as being part of his discrimination claims and therefore held that it required a showing of discrimination. The district court did not state its authority for this, but Metro finds support for the court’s view in the following language from this Circuit’s decision in Curby v. Archon: “a person seeking relief under § 4312 must also meet the discrimination requirement contained in § 4311.” 216 F.3d at 557. However, this language from Curby was merely dicta and is therefore not binding precedent. See Wrigglesworth, 121 F. Supp. 2d at 1137 (characterizing this part of Curby as dicta); Jordan v. Air Prods. & Chems., Inc., 225 F. Supp. 2d 1206, 1208 (C.D. Cal. 2002) (same). Furthermore, subsequent to Curby, the Department of Labor specified that “[t]he employee is not required to prove that the employer discriminated against him or her because of the employee’s uniformed service in order to be eligible for reemployment.” 20 C.F.R. § 1002.33; accord Francis, 452 F.3d at 303 (“[T]he procedural requirements of the two provisions differ. An employee proceeding under § 4311 has the burden of proving that the employer discriminated against him or her based on a status or activity protected by USERRA. 20 C.F.R. § 1002.22 (2006). Section 4312 imposes no such burden. 20 C.F.R. § 1002.33 (2006).”). Finally, the imposition of § 4311’s discrimination requirement on a reemployment claim is not consistent with the plain language of §§ 4312 and 4313. Section 4313 states that any “person entitled to reemployment under section 4312” — which we have found Petty to be — “shall be promptly reemployed in a position of employment in accordance with the” order of priority outlined in § 4313(a)(2). Thus, the express No. 07-5649 Petty v. Metro. Gov’t of Nashville-Davidson County Page 10 terms of § 4313 make its application contingent only on the prerequisites of § 4312, none of which include a showing of discrimination. Because we have found that Petty met § 4312’s prerequisites, and that § 4313 is applicable here notwithstanding any discrimination considerations, we must now determine whether Metro violated § 4313 in failing to rehire Petty at the appropriate level of employment. Section 4313 provides the order of priority for the placement of returning veterans: (2) Except as provided in paragraphs (3) and (4), in the case of a person whose period of service in the uniformed services was for more than 90 days-- (A) in the position of employment in which the person would have been employed if the continuous employment of such person with the employer had not been interrupted by such service, or a position of like seniority, status and pay, the duties of which the person is qualified to perform; or (B) in the position of employment in which the person was employed on the date of the commencement of the service in the uniformed services, or a position of like seniority, status and pay, the duties of which the person is qualified to perform, only if the person is not qualified to perform the duties of a position referred to in subparagraph (A) after reasonable efforts by the employer to qualify the person. .... (4) In the case of a person who (A) is not qualified to be employed in (i) the position of employment in which the person would have been employed if the continuous employment of such person with the employer had not been interrupted by such service, or (ii) in the position of employment in which such person was employed on the date of the commencement of the service in the uniformed services for any reason (other than disability incurred in, or aggravated during, service in the uniformed services), and (B) cannot become qualified with reasonable efforts by the employer, in any other position which is the nearest approximation to a position referred to first in clause (A)(i) and then in clause (A)(ii) which such person is qualified to perform, with full seniority. 38 U.S.C. § 4313(a). Metro does not dispute that Petty was not placed in any of the positions apparently mandated by § 4313 (e.g., his former position as patrol sergeant). Rather, Metro argues only that it did not violate § 4313 because, having perhaps been dishonest in the return-to-work process, Petty may not be qualified to hold these positions. This argument is without merit. At the point at which Petty was entitled to reemployment under §§ 4312 and 4313, Metro had no basis on which to question his qualifications. Petty had satisfied the only prerequisites to § 4313 — those specified in § 4312 — and Metro’s attempt to impose additional prerequisites through its return-to-work process was, as we have already explained, wholly impermissible. See 38 U.S.C. § 4302(b) (USERRA supersedes local policies). The process, then, including Petty’s No. 07-5649 Petty v. Metro. Gov’t of Nashville-Davidson County Page 11 alleged “dishonesty” therein, cannot serve as a basis for delaying or otherwise limiting Petty’s right to reemployment.6 Furthermore, Metro cannot avoid this conclusion by arguing that its second investigation into Petty’s conduct during the return-to-work process had not been completed at the time of Petty’s filing of this action, and Metro therefore had not been able to determine whether Petty was qualified for reemployment in his original position with the police department. First, investigations spawned by the improper application to Petty of the return-to-work process cannot serve to delay Petty’s statutory right to reemployment if the prerequisites for reemployment have been met. Second, § 4313 includes a promptness requirement that Metro clearly violated notwithstanding any concerns that it may have harbored regarding Petty’s truthfulness. “Prompt reemployment” required by § 4313(a) means reemployment as soon as practicable under the circumstances of each case. Absent unusual circumstances, reemployment must occur within two weeks of the employee’s application for reemployment. For example, prompt reinstatement after a weekend National Guard duty generally means the next regularly scheduled working day. On the other hand, prompt reinstatement following several years of active duty may require more time, because the employer may have to reassign or give notice to another employee who occupied the returning employee’s position. 20 C.F.R. § 1002.181 (emphasis added). Because of its return-to-work process, Metro took three weeks to “rehire” Petty, and even then it did not place Petty in the correct position as outlined in § 4313. Metro cannot justify these delays; neither a return-to-work process that has been superseded by statute nor any investigations resulting from that process constitute the “unusual circumstances” that the Department of Labor has specified may justify a less timely reinstatement. 20 C.F.R. § 1002.181. Third, in any event, the burden of proving that a returning veteran is not qualified under § 4313 falls on the employer, not on the employee. McCoy v. Olin Mathieson Chem. Corp., 360 F. Supp. 1336, 1339 (S.D. Ill. 1973). Metro cannot defeat the “prompt reemployment” guarantee of § 4313 by engaging in never-ending investigations into Petty’s qualifications. Indeed, courts have recognized that: It is presumed under the law that a veteran, who was qualified for his employment status upon its termination by his entry into the active military service of the United States, remains qualified to claim reemployment upon his discharge from such active military service. . . . An employer who refuses to reemploy a discharged veteran who has timely applied for reemployment has the burden of proving the veteran's disqualification for reemployment. Id. Metro has never proved Petty’s disqualification for reemployment. Indeed, even today, approximately three years after Petty originally sought reemployment, Metro simply argues that, pending the outcome of its second investigation, it believes that Petty may be unqualified. Metro has wholly failed7 to carry its burden of proving Petty’s disqualification and has therefore clearly violated § 4313. 6 It may be that dishonesty regarding military service and discharge on the part of a returning veteran would suffice to establish cause for termination under § 4316. However, such a conclusion is not obvious and it is not necessary for disposition of this case; we therefore express no opinion on this matter. 7 At oral argument the parties indicated that Petty is no longer employed at Metro. This may limit the type of relief available to Petty on remand(e.g., placing Petty in the position of patrol sergeant may not be possible at this time); however, we leave these issues for the district court to determine. No. 07-5649 Petty v. Metro. Gov’t of Nashville-Davidson County Page 12 B. Petty’s Third Claim – Denial of his Request for Off-Duty Work: On appeal, Petty also argues that Metro denied him reemployment rights when it refused to approve his request for off-duty security work. Although it is not clear whether Petty made this argument to the district court, we will briefly explain why this claim is not properly asserted under §§ 4312 and 4313. Section 4312 “only entitles a service person to immediate reemployment and does not prevent the employer from terminating him the next day or even later the same day.” Francis, 452 F.3d at 304. Likewise, once the returning veteran is rehired, § 4312 does not prevent the employer from discriminating against him. “The apparent harshness of this result is addressed by the fact that §§ 4311 and 4316 operate to protect the employee as soon as []he is reemployed.” Id. Petty did not request permission to engage in off-duty work — and was thus not denied such permission — until approximately ten months after he was reemployed. Section 4312, therefore, is not implicated by Metro’s denial of this request. Furthermore, notwithstanding the timing problem, Petty’s ability to engage in off-duty security work is not the type of benefit protected by USERRA’s right to reemployment. Section 4312 protects only a service person’s right to reemployment, which in turn triggers § 4313’s guarantee of the appropriate position of employment. Section 4313 protects only the service person’s “seniority, status and pay.” See §§ 4313(a)(2)(A), 4313(a)(2)(B). While the ability to perform off-duty work may well have been an added benefit of Petty’s position at Metro, it is not part of Petty’s “seniority, status and pay.” Because §§ 4312 and 4313 do not protect the type of general “benefits” that would include Petty’s off-duty work, this claim may not be brought under these provisions.8 However, as we explain in the following section, the antidiscrimination provision of § 4311 is applicable.