Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is the lead U.S. Defense Department program promoting cooperation and understanding between civilian employers and their National Guard and Reserve employees. Established in 1972, ESGR operates within the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. ESGR develops and promotes supportive work environments for service members in the Reserve Components through outreach, recognition, and educational opportunities that increase awareness of applicable laws and resolves employer conflicts between the service members and their employers. Statement of Support. The Statement of Support program is the  cornerstone of ESGR's efforts to gain and maintain employer support. The program aims to develop employers into advocates for employee participation in the military. Supportive employers are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation's Guard and Reserve units. Employers signing a statement of support pledge that: 1. To recognize, honor and enforce the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA); 2. To provide managers and supervisors with the tools they need to effectively manage those employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve; 3. Appreciate the values, leadership and unique skills service members bring  to the workforce and will encourage opportunities to employ Guardsmen, Reservists, and Veterans; 4. To continually recognize and support service members and their families in peace, crisis and war. The Chairman of the Board of General Motors signed the first Statement of Support on December 13, 1972. Since then, thousands of employers—ranging from Chrysler to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma—have followed suit, as did every cabinet secretary and federal agency in 2005. Awards. To recognize employers for policies and practices that facilitate employee participation in the Guard and Reserve, ESGR initiated the following  awards: Ombudsman Services Program. ESGR's primary means for mediating workplace conflict is its Ombudsman Services Program. This national network consists of more than 900 volunteers within 54 field committees throughout the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. While each ombudsman receives extensive training on USERRA and dispute-resolution techniques, ombudsmen do not offer legal counsel or advice. Instead, they serve as an informal, neutral and free resource. In FY2013, ESGR ombudsmen successfully mediated 78 percent of their 2,554 cases. If an ESGR ombudsman is unable to facilitate a resolution, parties have the option to seek private  counsel and/or a formal investigation through the Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service, the Office of Special Counsel, or the Department of Justice. Employers or service members who have a question can reach an ESGR ombudsmen in the ESGR National Call Center M-F, 8am-6pm ET at 1-800-336-4590.