ArvinMeritor Inc has earned the highest level award in Michigan for providing exceptional support to its employees who serve in the US military and is in contention for a similar national award from the US Secretary of Defense.
The Michigan Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) presented ArvinMeritor with the Pro Patria award for providing exceptional support to its Guard and Reserve employees at the regional awards dinner in Grand Blanc MI recently. The group selected ArvinMeritor over 26 other Michigan nominees in the large-business category. It also nominated the company to represent Michigan in the national competition for the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.
ArvinMeritor's military leave program includes:
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Paying the difference between military pay and the employee's base salary so that the employee's family can maintain their current standard of living.
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Employees receiving pay differential continue to earn savings plan benefits.
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Employees on military leave can elect to maintain their company benefits package while on leave.
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Vacation accruals continue while on military leave.
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Over the past five years, 74 employees have taken one period of military leave — 41 of those employees received pay differential from the company.
Chip McClure, ArvinMeritor chairman, chief executive officer, and president, accepted the Pro Patria award on behalf of the firm along with Jim Babbitt, the employee who nominated the company for the award. Babbitt recently served in the Army National Guard deployed to Iraq, returning home in November 2008.
The final selection for the Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award will be announced in late June or early July 2009.