Why Employers Discriminate Against The Guard And Reserve

Cory Schuyler was out on a National Guard training day when he says he received an ultimatum from his boss. Schuyler, who spent 13 years on active duty, mostly in the Army Special Forces, was told that he had to choose: The National Guard or his job.

His employer, NEK Advanced Securities Group Inc., a government contractor that trains Special Operation forces, had hired Schuyler because of his military experience. And by law, employers are not allowed to discriminate against workers for their military service. So Schuyler balked, and contacted NEK's human resources department.

A couple of months later the company fired him -- citing performance issues -- but Schuyler believes that the real reason was his Guard duty. "My supervisor had animus towards anyone in the National Guard while holding a civilian job," says Shuyler, who has filed suit against NEK. The company didn't respond to AOL Jobs' requests for comment.

It's well known that some companies are wary of hiring veterans, but employer resistance to hiring National Guard and Reserves has been notoriously fierce -- with good reason, many say.