TULSA, Okla. - Active duty and reserve military servicemembers honorably protect our nation. Congress has recognized these sacrifices and has enacted laws to protect the civil rights of servicemembers and veterans. The Department of Justice, in partnerships with other federal agencies, offers programs that protect servicemembers which include: Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA) and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).
United States Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma Danny C. Williams Sr. said, “The U.S. Attorney’s Office will protect the rights of our servicemembers, and hold those accountable who discriminate and violate the rights of those who serve our nation."
The Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 protects service members’ and veterans’ civilian employment rights and prohibits discrimination in hiring, promotion, retention, reemployment, and other employment benefits on the basis of a person’s prior service, current obligations, or intent to join a uniformed service. The civil rights law also requires employers to reemploy a servicemember from military service in a position he/or she would have attained had they not been called away for military service.
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act provides financial security and protection to active duty servicemembers in areas of: rental agreements, security deposits, prepaid rent, evictions, installment contracts, credit card and mortgage interest rates, foreclosure, civil judicial proceedings, automobile leases, life insurance, health insurance and income tax payments. The law is designed to ease financial burdens on service members and their families during times of military service.
Servicemembers and veterans who believe they may have been a victim of employment discrimination or financial fraud based on their military service may report these violations to the Department of Justice. More information can be found at www.justice.gov. Please visit www.servicemembers.gov to learn about how the Department of Justice is protecting the rights of servicemembers.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
