USERRA Protections Broadened by Dole Act
On January 2, 2025, then-President Biden signed into law the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act (Dole Act) , a bipartisan bill that expands healthcare and other benefits for veterans . Among its various pro-veteran measures, the Dole Act introduced noteworthy amendments to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). USERRA, enacted in 1994, prohibits employers from discriminating and retaliating against veterans and service members because of their military status or service. USERRA also provides reemployment rights and other rights and benefits to workers whose civilian jobs are voluntarily or involuntarily interrupted by military obligations. The Dole Act is the first amendment to USERRA since the 2022 Civilian Reservist Emergency Workforce Act (CREW Act) , which extended its coverage to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reservists. The Dole Act further enhances job protections for military member...