Bredesen extends paid leave: To state employees called to military duty

NASHVILLE (AP) — State workers called to active military duty with the National Guard or Armed Forces Reserves will continue to get paid the same salary they make in their civilian jobs, under an executive order renewed Saturday by Gov. Phil Bredesen.

“Tennessee guardsmen and reservists sacrifice so much already,” Bredesen said. “They and their families shouldn’t be asked to sacrifice financially in order to defend our state and nation.”

Bredesen renewed the executive order at the 75th Annual Conference of the National Guard Association of Tennessee. It was the second time the governor has renewed the order, which originated as a pledge by former Gov. Don Sundquist.

It requires government agencies and departments to extend military leave and provide offsetting pay to state employees whose active-duty wages are less than their normal salary.

For example, if an employee normally earning $2,619 a month — the average government salary — is called to active duty making only $2,100 a month, the state will pay $519 a month. The benefit is capped at $1,000 a month.

An estimated 480 state employees are members of the Tennessee Army and Air National Guards, according to the Department of Personnel. An unspecified number serve in the Armed Forces Reserves.

It was unclear how many state workers have been called to duty.
———
On the Net:
Tennessee National Guard, http://www.tnmilitary.org