27,025 National Guard and reservists have been called to active duty since September 11th, and more calls are expected. Employers are trying to deal with the holes left by these workers absences, while being supportive of their need to serve the country. Employers are obliged to abide by the 1994 Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act, which is designed to protect reservists and other military personnel from discrimination related to fulfillment of their military duties. Employers are concerned about the legal issues related to current absences and those related to when reservists return to work.
See "Contingency Plans to Fill Reservists’ Shoes", Maggie Jackson, The New York Times, October 9, 2001