Geisinger named a military-friendly employer

DANVILLE — Geisinger has been recognized for its commitment to U.S. military veterans and their families by being named to VIQTORY’s 2020 list of Military Friendly Employers, according to a press release. Further strengthening this commitment, Geisinger also announced a new, two-week paid leave benefit for employees serving in the Reserves or the National Guard.

Under the new leave policy, service members employed by Geisinger will be paid for time at annual trainings, encampments and drills. Both part- and full-time employees employed by Geisinger for at least six months are eligible for the benefit.

“Geisinger recognizes the commitment and responsibility many of our employees have made to defending our country. This leave benefit and like programs further strengthens our commitment to them,” said J. Edward Hartle, MD, a U.S. Air Force veteran and Geisinger’s executive vice president and chief medical officer.

“We thank all veterans and active personnel for their service.”

Geisinger employs more than 650 veterans. In the past year, Geisinger hired more than 10 per-cent of all veteran applicants, and more than 3 percent of all new hires were veterans.

Along with the new paid leave, Geisinger developed veteran town hall events and VetNet, an employee resource group, to further meet the needs of veteran employees. Geisinger also created the veteran employment and training specialist position in 2018 to recruit, transition and retain veterans to the organization.

“We’ve worked to give all of our Geisinger family members a voice in our organization, including our military veterans and active personnel,” said Chris Grill, Geisinger’s veteran employment and training specialist and U.S. Army veteran. “Programs and benefits like this new paid leave that Geisinger has introduced allow our employees to better serve both our communities and country.”

As a Military Friendly Employer, Geisinger was evaluated using both public and government data sources with responses from a comprehensive survey by the organization. The list provides a comprehensive guide for veterans and their families.

The honor was given by VIQTORY, a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business that connects the military community with civilian opportunities.