Problems With Civilian Employment To Do Military Training

[FGH_Recce_DJ]

Does any one else have a real problem getting time off of work to do military training, those of you who are reservists anyways, and does any one have a plausible solution for making it easier to get time off, any comment would be appreciated, Cheers

 

[Pte. Bloggins]

Contact the CFLC (Canadian Forces Liason Council) they're supposed to help you out with that sort of thing.

Good luck

 

[c_canuk]

since it's not legislated that they have to give you time off you are completely at your Civy jobs mercy,I'm resigning my Civy job the end of april so I can attend PLQ this summer. I just dropped of my applications for a componet Transfer to regs, though I'm scratching my head at the recruiter saying that they don't want my PERs I would have thought that would be a good way to judge my worth...   ???

the CFLC LO can try to guilt them into letting you go, but that didn't help me as our HR dept is based out of San Fransico and wouldn't budge. We used to be able to make HR desicions locally but we've been swallowed by Alcatel which is a big european corp. I don't feel bad about resigning because I know of other employees in the National Gaurd that they have allow time off, but their response to that is you are voluntary they aren't, they don't seem to understand National Gaurds volunteered to sign up.

*shrug*

hope you get any time you need.

 

[Korus]

Here's the CFLC website.
http://www.cflc.forces.gc.ca/

Since I'm graduating soon, this is becoming more and more of a concern for me. If I don't get on a tour, I'll be looking for an electrical engineering job. I really don't want to give up the reserves for the sake of civilian employment.

 

[BDTyre]

Its too bad I'm not in yet, because my work is entering a slow period and would really appreciated/encourage any time off I were to take....

 

[mainerjohnthomas]

    If you want to make a difference, forward a copy of you letter of reqest to your employer, and their reply to your local MP.  The US has strong legislation protecting the jobs and seniority of its National Guardsmen called to active duty.  The Canadian gov has done SFA, and thats about the cooperation we get.  If you have a Conservative MP, then maybe starting this issue into the debate in parliament can make an actual change; minority governments are easier to move that way.

 

[FGH_Recce_DJ]

Yeah i have done alot of what you said, and i even work for a civic department, but they say they can't spare the man power and that reserves is my hobby and this is my job and i should think about whats more important. I have 12 years in and i'm not about to give it all up because of a civy job. I work around it as best i can, but unless i can get away on course, i'll be a Cpl forever (hence the 12 years and still a corporal). My Regiment has pushed the issue, but like you said until they make it a government legislation, my civy job says we don't have to do nothing, i love the armed forces and i love being a soldier, i always have but unless things change i feel sometimes like i'm just a wasted member of my Regiment. :

 

[McGowan]

make sure you attend 70% of all training or you could get charged, I've seen in first hand

 

[FGH_Recce_DJ]

I've been in 12 years they won't carge me we have discussed that, my experience is to valuable to them for them to try to charge me, or so i've been told  :dontpanic:

 

[pbi]

I've been in 12 years they won't carge me we have discussed that, my experience is to valuable to them for them to try to charge me, or so i've been told   :dontpanic:

Really? Dream on.

Cheers.

 

[badpup]

It is unfortunate that quitting ones civilian employment is really the only way Canadian Reservists have to obtain the training required. I myself quit 1 job and was "asked" to leave another in the past to perform my duties.
Even the employer that "asked" me to leave had been informed when I started that I was a reservist, and would from time to time require time off for training. I also volunteered (civvy) as a spotter/navigator in local Search and Rescue. They were all for it until the first time I needed that time off. I certainly didn't do it for the pay, spotting was voluntary, and my per diem while dressed in green, was 1/3 of my civvy wages.
Government does need to legislate employment/ Military service laws similar to the USA to protect the jobs and seniority of our citizen soldiers.write your MP, even if it is a Liberal/NDP or Bloc MP, while you may not get a sympathetic ear from them, it gets the issue in the forefront.
Employers, and the general public also need to be educated in the value of the reservist and the value of the military training to the company, and society.
The country needs to be educated in the value of the military as a whole to our national security and identity.

 

[FGH_Recce_DJ]

Well thanks for all the responses guys, I'll just keep soldiering on like i always do, but in the end they are going to do whatever they are going to do. I've got my gong for 12 years of undetected crime lol, so i guess that in itself is an accomplishment, well to me it is anyways. Cheers!

 

[WO2 Gubbels]

  Just curious badpup,

  The spotter/navigator in local Search and Rescue you mentioned, how did you get involved in that.  If I was interested in volunteering in something of this capacity where would I call or start asking around??  I know my friend does it in BC but I have no idea if there is such a thing here in S Ont.

        Thanks
  Gubbels

 

[the 48th regulator]

Well thanks for all the responses guys, I'll just keep soldiering on like i always do, but in the end they are going to do whatever they are going to do. I've got my gong for 12 years of undetected crime lol, so i guess that in itself is an accomplishment, well to me it is anyways. Cheers!

Good on ya,

But after all these years, don't you think that you could have figured out a way of answering your own question??

I am sure you would have been able to present your case to your employer, maybe by explaining to him the fact that your valuable experience is not only and asset to your unit, but to his company.....

just a thought from a guy who also has a gong for 12 years......

tess

 

[I_Drive_Planes]

Just curious badpup,

The spotter/navigator in local Search and Rescue you mentioned, how did you get involved in that. If I was interested in volunteering in something of this capacity where would I call or start asking around?? I know my friend does it in BC but I have no idea if there is such a thing here in S Ont.

Thanks
Gubbels

Gubbels

I am a spotter/nav (among other things) with thie Civil Air Search and Rescue Associtiation (CASARA) in B.C. we are a national organization, and the person you want to be in contact with in Ontario is  Mike Daniels machl@iaw.on.ca he's the provincial director there.  If you contact him he can point you in the right direction.

Planes.

 

[FGH_Recce_DJ]

Good on ya,

But after all these years, don't you think that you could have figured out a way of answering your own question??

I am sure you would have been able to present your case to your employer, maybe by explaining to him the fact that your valuable experience is not only and asset to your unit, but to his company.....

just a thought from a guy who also has a gong for 12 years......

tess

Trust me i have tried, but my employer does not realise the signifigance of military training i have even tried to work with CFLC and our

battle captain to try to get them to give me time, but anything we have done has fallen on deaf ears. I've been fighting with my civy job for 9

years now since i started and i think in the 9 years they gave me time off once.I can't just quit to do Reserve training, i have a good job that pays

very well and gives my family all we need, so quitting is not an option. But as i progress higher up the food chain at work i will eventually get all my

weekends off which will make training alot easier that way, but as far as going away on summer courses, i've just about given up on that unless

there is a disaster, such as the flood of 97 or the wild fires in BC those were the only times i was able to get time off, and when they did they used

it in the media to show hey look at us look at us, we support the military, which was total B******T!!!! so like i said i just keep soldiering on,

hopefull something will be done but if not hey i make due with what i have, but i will never quit, i love my Regiment too much!!!!

Cheers!!! :warstory:

 

[badpup]

Gubbels

I am a spotter/nav (among other things) with thie Civil Air Search and Rescue Associtiation (CASARA) in B.C. we are a national organization, and the person you want to be in contact with in Ontario is  Mike Daniels machl@iaw.on.ca he's the provincial director there.  If you contact him he can point you in the right direction.

Planes.

Question answered by one who currently does this  but remember as a Civvy volunteer, you may not appear in uniform, and are not covered by DND insurance for participating in a search conducted by the Military.