As Veterans Day approaches, McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii has shown its support for the troops by joining the Employer Support of the Guard (ESGR) Hawaii Hires Heroes program.

“By joining the ESGR’s Hawaii Hires Heroes (H3) program, McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii is acting as an advocate of employee participation in the military, opening doors for our service members to civilian career opportunities,” said Robert Borek, ESGR Hawaii state chairman, in a release.

What does that entail. According to a release, “As a participant in H3, McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii pledges to recognize the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA); provide its managers and supervisors with tools to effectively manage employees; appreciate the values, leadership and unique skills service members bring to the workforce; and continually recognize and support our country’s service members and their families.”

In an April 2011 Hawaii Business magazine story, “Employing the Military,” I explained that there are upsides to hiring Guard members and Reservists, but many employers are concerned about deployments. Guard and Reserve members could be deployed for weeks or months at a time, and, by law, employers would need to hire them back at the same position when they returned. This could cause tension and workforce issues, so ESGR, a Department of Defense agency, is there to improve relations between employers and Guard and Reserve members.

In the Islands, McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii has 75 restaurants and more than 4,600 employees.

Guard member and Reservists can learn more about Hawaii Hires Heroes can call 808-672-1246 or email hawaiihiresheroes@gmail.com.

Photo above: Present at the signing included Robert Borek, ESGR Hawaii state chairman; Veronica Kaneko, managing director of McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii; and Brig. Gen. Ann Greenlee, state vice chairman employer outreach director of ESGR Hawaii.

Photo: Courtesy McDonald’s Restaurants of Hawaii