Military Vet Wins Settlement

When Stephen Alasin returned from military service in the Iraq war, his civilian employer failed to return him to his job and violated federal law, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Ecolab Inc. will pay a $118,000 settlement to resolve a Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act complaint investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Employment and Training Service (VETS).

Ecolab violated federal law by failing or refusing to promptly reemploy Alasin upon his return from military service, according to a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice against Ecolab in federal court in Michigan.

"It is important for all employers to realize that the Labor Department is here to protect the employment and reemployment rights of American service members," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis.

"We owe these brave Americans every protection when they return from their military obligations," she added.

USERRA was enacted to protect service members from being disadvantaged in their civilian careers due to serving in the uniformed services. Subject to certain limitations, USERRA requires that individuals who leave their jobs to serve in the U.S. military be reemployed by their civilian employers in the same positions or comparable positions when they return.

Information on veterans' employment or reemployment rights is available at www.dol.gov/vets or by calling the Department of Labor's toll-free helpline at 866-4USA-DOL (487-2365).