Guidelines for Reserve employers



EMPLOYERS have been urged to consider new leave guidelines for members of the ADF Reserves.

Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence, Mal Brough, announced the guidelines at Fort Denison in Sydney to a gathering of senior business people from around Australia.

Mr Brough said Reserves account for more than 42 per cent of the ADF.

"They are increasingly being utilised to support the high tempo of operational deployments seen over the past few years," he said.

The guidelines have been introduced to help employers show their support for their employee's military training and to reassure Reserves that their civil employment is secure.

Mr Brough said the guidelines were not compulsory, but the Federal Government encouraged employers to adopt them.

The guidelines follow-on from the Employer Support Payment Scheme, which financially compensates employers while their employees are undertaking Defence service.

"More than 2400 employers have claimed about $28 million since the scheme was introduced in 2001," he said.

The guidelines, developed by the Defence Reserves Support Council, will be distributed in the coming months, along with a booklet featuring examples of successful arrangements between employers and Reserves.

Employers can access the private sector leave guidelines for Defence Reserves at www.defence.gov.au/drsc or by calling 1800 803 485.