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October 9, 2007
Dominion Recognized by Department of Defense
for Support of Employees Called to Military Duty
- Company receives '5-Star Employer' recognition
- Dominion goes 'above and beyond' federal laws
relating to National Guard, Reserve members
RICHMOND, Va. – Dominion (NYSE:D) today received recognition
as a “5-Star Employer” from Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
(ESGR), an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, for going “above
and beyond” federal laws relating to employment and reemployment of workers
who volunteer in the Guard and Reserve.
The recognition came at a ceremony where Jay L. Johnson, Dominion
Virginia Power chief executive officer, signed a Statement of Support for company
employees who are called to active duty.
Dominion provides a six-month pay and benefit supplement for
those employees who have been activated for service in the Guard or Reserve
to support events such as natural disasters and border protection. For those
employees who have been voluntarily or involuntarily called to active military
service to support the War on Terror, the company provides a pay and benefit
supplement for up to 60 months. Both supplements are reviewed by the company
as appropriate to ensure continued support for our serving employees.
“Members of the Guard and Reserve are asked to do extraordinary
things for our country,” said Johnson, who served as Chief of Naval Operations
from 1996 to 2000. “As employers, we must ensure that we do right by our
employees who are called to active duty and their families who are left behind.
For the sacrifices they make on our behalf, we are proud to help these citizen-soldiers
by giving them the certainty that their families are cared for and their jobs
will be there when they return.”
“ESGR is critical to the long-term readiness and well
being of the Virginia National Guard and its soldiers and airmen,” said
Maj. Gen. Robert B. Newman Jr., Adjutant General of Virginia. “Dominion,
specifically, offered crucial support with financial and morale assistance for
mobilized members and families of deployed Virginians. Employers and Guardsmen
working hand in hand is essential to the overall performance of everyone involved,
and I’m proud to work with the ESGR, supportive groups like Dominion and
all others who support our deployed Guardsmen.”
In supporting ESGR’s mission, Dominion:
- Has signed a Statement of Support for its employees who
serve in the National Guard and Reserve;
- Has reviewed its human resources policies to ensure compliance
with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA);
- Promotes training for managers and supervisors to effectively
manage their employees who serve in the Guard and Reserve;
- Has adopted polices and programs that are “above
and beyond” what is required by the USERRA law; and
- Has reviewed its human resources policies to ensure
compliance with the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights
Act (USERRA);
“Today, supportive employers are critical to maintaining
the strength and readiness of the nation’s 1.2 million members of the
National Guard and Reserve,” said Bill Duff, Central Virginia ESGR Employer
Outreach chairman. “By signing the Statement of Support, Dominion proudly
stands with its Guard and Reserve employees.”
Dominion is one of the nation's largest producers of energy,
with a portfolio of more than 26,500 megawatts of generation and 7,800 miles
of natural gas transmission pipeline. Dominion also owns and operates the nation's
largest underground natural gas storage system with about 960 billion cubic
feet of storage capacity and serves retail energy customers in 11 states. For
more information about Dominion, visit the company's Web site at http://www.dom.com.
ESGR is a Department of Defense agency established in 1972
whose mission is to gain and maintain active support from all public and private
employers for the men and women of the National Guard and Reserve as defined
by demonstrated employer commitment to employee military service. As the 1.2
million members of the National Guard and Reserve continue to perform an increasing
number of unique missions within America’s borders and beyond, ESGR will
continue as the contact agency for questions and information regarding programs
that support the relationship between civilian employers and their employees
who serve in the Guard and Reserve. Guard and Reserve members, as well as their
employers, can learn more about ESGR by visiting www.esgr.com
or calling toll-free (800) 336-4590.
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