ARRL Urges Employers to Be Flexible in Leave Time for Volunteers
ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP. |
At an American Red Cross marshaling center for Amateur Radio volunteers in Montgomery, Alabama, Monica Potaczala, KI4ELD (left), Alabama Section Manager Greg Sarratt, W4OZF, and John Garman, WN9J, tackle a communications challenge with Red Cross Headquarters Technology Team Manager Cecilia Ramsey. [Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, Photo] |
NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 7, 2005--The ARRL is calling on employers of Amateur Radio operators who volunteer to assist in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort to be able to take off from work without penalty. ARRL President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, says volunteers need some kind of assurance that they won't be jeopardizing their jobs if they step forward to assist along the US Gulf Coast, where they could be deployed for a week or longer. He said the League is urging employers that have not already done so to take the opportunity to recognize the significance of the emergency and the importance of what Amateur Radio volunteers are doing to help alleviate suffering in the disaster zone.
"What we're asking employers to do is to have some compassion for the people in the disaster area," he said. "If they've got an employee who has the training and skills of an Amateur Radio operator, please allow that person to take some time off to contribute to this relief effort."
Haynie further suggested that employers might contemplate offering their employees who serve as Amateur Radio volunteers in the Hurricane Katrina response either paid leave or compensatory time.
"An employer can consider this one way to make a contribution to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort--if not monetary at least by letting those workers who are Amateur Radio volunteers to contribute their time and talents in the field."
ARRL Section Managers and Section Emergency Coordinators in the areas affected by Hurricane Katrina say they're unaware of any situations where employees have had problems taking off work time to volunteer. On some occasions, SMs and SECs have vouched for workers to reassure employers. Leave time for relief volunteers--Amateur Radio and otherwise--could become a larger issue down the road, however, as the Hurricane Katrina response extends into weeks and possibly months. SECs already have expressed concern about the ability to obtain qualified relief operators.
Page last modified: 05:50 AM, 08 Sep 2005 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2005, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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