Thousands of UK businesses do not know if they employ one of the country’s 38,000 military Reservists, according to new research published today.

In addition, despite the mobilisation of almost 10,000 Reservists since January 2003, employers are still unaware of their rights and obligations when it comes to employing a Reservist.

On 1 April 2004 a major new MOD scheme, called ‘Employer Notification’, comes into effect to help address these problems.

Research conducted among 200 employers for the MOD campaign SaBRE (Supporting Britain’s Reservists and Employers), has revealed that:

Under ‘Employer Notification’, Reservists will now have to provide the MOD with details of their employers. The MOD will then write to the employers explaining their rights and obligations.

Employer Notification is the automatic communication to an employer of a Reservist, by the MOD, that their employee is a member of the Volunteer Reserve Forces (VRF) so that he or she is aware of their legal rights and obligations. Granting permission for an employer to be contacted will be a compulsory requirement for anyone joining the VRF or renewing their contract after 1 April 2004.

Susan Anderson, Director of Human Resources Policy, CBI, welcomed the change: “Businesses can gain a great deal from employing members of the Reserve Forces, but it is important that they make contingency plans in case any employees are mobilised.”

Tim Corry, Campaign Director, SaBRE commented: “With recent mobilisations for campaigns in Iraq, experience has shown that the more employers know about the rights and obligations that come with employing a member of the Volunteer Reserve Forces, the more supportive they are likely to be. Employer Notification is aimed at encouraging an open and honest dialogue between a Reservist and their employer, which can only be beneficial to both parties.”

More information on Employer Notification, and on other issues relating to the employment of Reservists, is available here