PNNL

The Department of Defense program, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) in Washington state, presented Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) with its Above and Beyond Award at a ceremony held in Tacoma on June 11. The award honors the contributions made by employers who understand the unique talents and skill set Guard and Reserve members can bring to the civilian workforce and who create supportive work environments for service members that go beyond legal requirements.

Although employers are legally required to hold a job while the member of the Guard or Reserve serves, potential loss of wages and other challenges often limit how long and often soldiers can be deployed. PNNL was awarded the Above and Beyond Award for matching employees’ salary for up to eighteen consecutive months per deployment, reinstating project work, and continuing promotions along uninterrupted timelines. PNNL also maintains communications with deployed employees and provides support to families of deployed Soldiers.

PNNL received the award after being nominated by Master Sergeant Keithan Rogers, a National Guardsman and PNNL technical threat analyst in appreciation of their support during multiple deployments, including two during the pandemic.

“Because PNNL is so accommodating, it essentially allows me and other Service Members to work on two complementary careers simultaneously,” said Rogers. “We can continue to broaden our military experience and bring additional bonafides to PNNL work in the Department of Defense and other sectors.”

 “It’s an honor to accept this award on PNNL’s behalf,” said acting PNNL Seattle director Todd Hay, who represented PNNL at the award ceremony. “PNNL is committed to providing benefits to our deployed members, maintaining a robust veterans employee resource group, ensuring that our deployed colleagues are given full consideration for promotion, and more.”

ESGR was established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers. Its mission includes helping all employers support and value the employment of members of the National Guard and Reserve in the United States and Territories, thereby increasing the readiness of the Reserve Components.