• Operate a proactive program directed at employers, employees, and communities that ensures understanding and appreciation of the role of the National Guard and Reserve in the Department of Defense (DoD) Total Force Policy.
• Encourage and assist employee participation in National Guard and Reserve training programs and on military duty without civilian job impediments of any kind, to include encouraging voluntary compliance with federal and state statutes governing employment and reemployment rights of Reserve component members.
• Encourage interaction between National Guard and Reserve units and their communities to promote public understanding of the National Guard and Reserve and encourage partnerships between civilian organizations and military units in the community.
• Assist in preventing, resolving, or reducing employer and/or employee problems and misunderstandings that result from National Guard or Reserve membership, training, or duty requirements through information services and informal mediation. Assist in educating National Guard and Reserve members regarding their obligations and responsibilities to employers.
• Use the military chain of command to promote better understanding of the importance of maintaining positive working relations between employers and their Reserve component employees, in order to sustain National Guard and Reserve participation.
• Solicit the assistance of military agencies, military training schools, and military and civilian associations in educating the Reserve forces about their rights and responsibilities regarding terms and conditions of civilian employment, as stipulated in the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).
• Recruit and develop volunteer leaders at the national and local levels to promote the development of employer personnel policies and practices that accommodate and facilitate employee participation in National Guard and Reserve activities.

The primary emphasis for a comprehensive employer outreach program is directed towards known employers of the Guard and Reserve.

Since 9-11 our service members and families have made great sacrifices and played a tremendous role in fighting terrorism and keeping our country secure. The readiness of the Guard and Reserve components is at an all-time high and we can take great pride in that achievement. However, we are now seeing unemployment and underemployment levels among members of the Guard and Reserve that are cause for concern. A secure job provides service members and their families with peace of mind, which is increasingly important as up to 22% of Guard and Reserve members face unemployment.

In this time of economic uncertainty, ESGR is focusing on connecting employers with the talented pool of service members and spouses, with the intent of facilitating meaningful employment opportunities.

The Employment Initiative Program (EIP) is a collaborative effort with federal agencies - including the Department of Labor (Veterans Affairs), the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Small Business Administration and the Office of Personnel Management - to create efficiencies, enhance the employment process and serve as an effective resource for service members and employers.

Hero2Hired (H2H), a Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, is a comprehensive employment program. The web-based portion of H2H - H2H.jobs - features a job search site and online community that is free for Veterans, service members and employers. H2H also conducts employment-related events throughout the nation as well as state-specific job events hosted by ESGR across the country. The focus of both components of H2H is to connect employers with the talented pool of Guard and Reserve service members and spouses who are looking for work. Employment tools on H2H.jobs include:

• Military skills translator - converts military experience to civilian career paths
• Job seeker profile builders
• Social networking
• Hiring events
• Virtual career fairs
• Mobile phone apps
• A Facebook application