On May 1, 2012, President Barack Obama made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan during which he and Afghan President Hamid Karzai signed the Strategic Partnership Agreement. The Agreement spells out the plan for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan over the coming years.

While this is terrific news for our military members and their families, as our military’s mission shifts and our troops return home, employers may find themselves navigating the complexities of the Uniform Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (“USERRA” or the “Act”), which requires employers to provide certain benefits and rights to employees who serve in our country’s military.