WHEELING, W.Va. — A settlement has been reached between the U.S. Department of Justice and a Wheeling labor union to resolve claims that the union violated a federal law.
A complaint filed by the DOJ said Laborers Local No. 1149, based in Wheeling, violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act when it didn’t let a member of the National Guard get jobs through the union hall after he returned from basic training.
U.S. Army National Guardsman Elliot Ferrell should not have been taken off the list, the DOJ said.
The complaint alleges that Ferrell notified the union of his impending military duty and was told that his obligation to pay dues would be suspended for the duration of his duty.
According to a news release, the USSERRA gives service members the right to be reemployed after being absent for military service.
“The civilian careers of the men and women in the National Guard should never be adversely affected because they volunteer to serve our country,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Bill Baer in the release.
The settlement was reached Wednesday.