Since 1 October 2014, Reservists and their employers are affected by legal changes announced within the Defence Reform Act 2014.

These changes are a big step forward, as they address employers' views fed into the White Paper indicating that the costs of employing a Reservist outweighed the benefits. The 2014 legislation also gives Reservists a more prominent role within Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) and greater job security.

Broader powers for mobilisation

Defence can now call out Reservists for any purpose for which Regulars may be used - previously, they could only be called out to serve in specific circumstances. This will ensure that Reservists become more fully integrated into the Regular Forces.

Also, the maximum period for which Reservists may be mobilised has increased from nine to twelve months. The twelve-month period of mobilisation will cover training, deployment, and recuperation after service.

Those Reservists who joined before 1 October 2014 have a choice whether or not to transfer to these new terms. However, anyone joining on or after 1 October 2014 will be automatically subject to them.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. It has replaced the SaBRE (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers) brand throughout the UK, though the Regional Employer Engagement Directors still exist to assist employers and reservists within their regions. Read DRM guidance on employing a Reservist.

Additional financial support for employers

SMEs and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised. This financial incentive is on top of the existing Employer's Award which covers the cost of replacing Reservists when they are mobilised and claiming re-training costs when they return to work.

Employment protection

Reservists are exempt from the one-year qualifying period in bringing unfair dismissal claims to an employment tribunal if the reason; or primary reason for dismissal is their being a Reservist.

Territorial Army renamed Army Reserve

The Territorial Army volunteer reserve force is now called the Army Reserve.

Annual reporting on volunteer Reserve Forces

Each year, the Reserve Force and Cadets Associations are required to report to the Secretary of State for Defence on how well FR20 is being delivered and on the health of the Reserves. This information will provide valuable independent scrutiny of the Reserve Forces.

There are several categories of Reservist, each subject to different mobilisation rules, depending on their experience and skills.

Reserve Forces

The Army, Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) each have their own Reserve Force:

• the Army Reserve is the Reserve Force for the Army
• the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve (known as the Maritime Reserves)
• Reserve Air Forces, including the RAF Reserves and Royal Auxiliary Air Force, is the Reserve Force for the RAF

The Army Reserve is the largest Reserve Force and the one that you are most likely to encounter as an employer.

Reservists are grouped according both to their duties and their level of readiness for mobilisation:

• Volunteer Reservists have an ongoing training commitment and can be mobilised - see Reservists: mobilisation and initial call-out procedure
• Regular Reserves (former members of Armed Forces)
• those on Full-Time Reserve Service (serving full-time for the fixed sabbatical period)
• Additional Duties Commitment (part-time service with Armed Forces)
• High Readiness Reservists (have specialist skills and are subject to short-notice mobilisation)
• Sponsored Reserves (defence contractors with the agreed proportion of Reservists)

Volunteer Reservists

The Ministry of Defence chooses individual Volunteer Reservists for duty using an 'intelligent selection' process. This allows Reservists to be selected according to their individual skills and allows a unit to take into account a Reservist's personal and employment circumstances.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is the single point of contact linking employers with the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

DRM can advise you on:

• how to develop a Reservist human resources policy
• Reservists' training obligations
• employers' rights and responsibilities
• the benefits of employing Reservists
• mobilisation issues

Read more on what to expect if a reservist employee is called up for service.

Defence Employer Support

You can contact Defence Employer Support by emailing employerrelations@rfca.mod.uk. In addition, the DRM is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers through Regional Employer Engagement Directors. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Reservists receive military training that can benefit civilian employers. The training takes place throughout the year and at an annual camp. It can be in an exercise or classroom-based setting.

Read more on Reservists' military training commitments.

Skills developed through Reservist training

Reservists' training covers a wide range of skills and disciplines such as:

• teamwork
• self-confidence
• decision-making
• leadership
• presentation skills
• project management

Specific training skills

Some training is undertaken in order to help Reservists acquire specific trade skills, qualifications or promotion which can cover useful skills in:

• document handling
• communications
• computer systems
• planning and implementation
• assessing situations quickly
• adapting to challenges

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) can provide information on the different types of Army Reserve training and their application to civilian employment.

Employers have a right to manage Reservist employees according to the needs of the organisation, but this should be balanced with certain legal responsibilities regarding their liability for mobilisation and reinstatement at work afterwards.

Your rights as a Reservist employer

Reservists are encouraged to inform their employer of their Reserve Forces membership. In Great Britain, if you recruit an employee who is a Reservist - or an existing employee becomes one - the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will write to you under the 'Employer Notification' system to confirm that they are a member of the Reserve Forces. However, this formal channel of notification does not apply in Northern Ireland. The onus will be on the Reservist to inform you of their status.

Employers should check employment contracts, as these may need to be amended for new employees who are Reservists, eg if having a second job is usually against company policy.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Other employer rights include:

• The MoD aims to give at least 28 days' notice of a Reservist employee's mobilisation.
• The right to appeal against mobilisation if it would harm the business.
• Financial assistance for certain costs associated with finding a replacement.
• Not paying the Reservist a salary or associated benefits - eg company car - during their mobilisation.
• Changes since 1 October 2014 give businesses financial incentives worth up to £6,000 a year per mobilised Reservist. Small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised.
• No obligation to grant extra annual leave to allow for training commitments. Many employers recognise the benefits that such training provides and choose to grant additional leave. Search a list of employers that provide additional leave for Reservists.

Read about financial assistance available to employers of Reservists.

Your obligations as a Reservist employer

After a Reservist returns from mobilisation, you have a legal obligation to re-employ them in their original role. If you cannot reinstate the Reservist in their original role, you must offer a suitable alternative position with the same terms and conditions of service (or as near as practicable).

You cannot dismiss a Reservist employee solely on the grounds of their Reserve Service duties or their liability to be mobilised. If you do, the employee can apply to a Reinstatement Committee, which works in a similar way to an industrial tribunal.

For more information, see reinstating or re-engaging an employee after unfair dismissal or reservist service.

Reservists can be included in the redundancy pool if this is necessary due to a downturn in business or the closure of a department or branch. However, all employees should be treated the same, and redundancy criteria should not discriminate against Reservists on the grounds of their Reserve service or call-up liability.

There are some additional considerations when making a Reservist employee redundant if they have returned from mobilised service recently - ie if they are still within the protected 13, 26 or 52-week period, depending on their previous length of service.

Read more on what to expect if a Reservist employee is called up for service.

Reservists are committed to undergoing military training throughout the year, much of which can directly benefit their employer when they return to their civilian jobs.

The main annual training commitment is a two-week training camp. Other commitments may affect Reservist employees who usually work outside of normal office hours, eg:

• weekly training - held locally for about 2.5 hours, one evening a week
• weekend training - several weekends throughout the year

Some Reservists undergo additional voluntary training in areas such as health and safety, IT, and personnel management. Read more on the benefits of employing Reservists.

Some employers grant Reservists extra leave for training but there is no obligation for you to do so.

Read more about what employers in your sector are doing to support their Reservist employees.

Also see rights and responsibilities of Reservist employers.

Since 1 October 2014, Reservists and their employers are affected by legal changes announced within the Defence Reform Act 2014.

These changes are a big step forward, as they address employers' views fed into the White Paper indicating that the costs of employing a Reservist outweighed the benefits. The 2014 legislation also gives Reservists a more prominent role within Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) and greater job security.

Broader powers for mobilisation

Defence can now call out Reservists for any purpose for which Regulars may be used - previously, they could only be called out to serve in specific circumstances. This will ensure that Reservists become more fully integrated into the Regular Forces.

Also, the maximum period for which Reservists may be mobilised has increased from nine to twelve months. The twelve-month period of mobilisation will cover training, deployment, and recuperation after service.

Those Reservists who joined before 1 October 2014 have a choice whether or not to transfer to these new terms. However, anyone joining on or after 1 October 2014 will be automatically subject to them.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. It has replaced the SaBRE (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers) brand throughout the UK, though the Regional Employer Engagement Directors still exist to assist employers and reservists within their regions. Read DRM guidance on employing a Reservist.

Additional financial support for employers

SMEs and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised. This financial incentive is on top of the existing Employer's Award which covers the cost of replacing Reservists when they are mobilised and claiming re-training costs when they return to work.

Employment protection

Reservists are exempt from the one-year qualifying period in bringing unfair dismissal claims to an employment tribunal if the reason; or primary reason for dismissal is their being a Reservist.

Territorial Army renamed Army Reserve

The Territorial Army volunteer reserve force is now called the Army Reserve.

Annual reporting on volunteer Reserve Forces

Each year, the Reserve Force and Cadets Associations are required to report to the Secretary of State for Defence on how well FR20 is being delivered and on the health of the Reserves. This information will provide valuable independent scrutiny of the Reserve Forces.

There are several categories of Reservist, each subject to different mobilisation rules, depending on their experience and skills.

Reserve Forces

The Army, Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) each have their own Reserve Force:

• the Army Reserve is the Reserve Force for the Army
• the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve (known as the Maritime Reserves)
• Reserve Air Forces, including the RAF Reserves and Royal Auxiliary Air Force, is the Reserve Force for the RAF

The Army Reserve is the largest Reserve Force and the one that you are most likely to encounter as an employer.

Reservists are grouped according both to their duties and their level of readiness for mobilisation:

• Volunteer Reservists have an ongoing training commitment and can be mobilised - see Reservists: mobilisation and initial call-out procedure
• Regular Reserves (former members of Armed Forces)
• those on Full-Time Reserve Service (serving full-time for the fixed sabbatical period)
• Additional Duties Commitment (part-time service with Armed Forces)
• High Readiness Reservists (have specialist skills and are subject to short-notice mobilisation)
• Sponsored Reserves (defence contractors with the agreed proportion of Reservists)

Volunteer Reservists

The Ministry of Defence chooses individual Volunteer Reservists for duty using an 'intelligent selection' process. This allows Reservists to be selected according to their individual skills and allows a unit to take into account a Reservist's personal and employment circumstances.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is the single point of contact linking employers with the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

DRM can advise you on:

• how to develop a Reservist human resources policy
• Reservists' training obligations
• employers' rights and responsibilities
• the benefits of employing Reservists
• mobilisation issues

Read more on what to expect if a reservist employee is called up for service.

Defence Employer Support

You can contact Defence Employer Support by emailing employerrelations@rfca.mod.uk. In addition, the DRM is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers through Regional Employer Engagement Directors. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Reservists receive military training that can benefit civilian employers. The training takes place throughout the year and at an annual camp. It can be in an exercise or classroom-based setting.

Read more on Reservists' military training commitments.

Skills developed through Reservist training

Reservists' training covers a wide range of skills and disciplines such as:

• teamwork
• self-confidence
• decision-making
• leadership
• presentation skills
• project management

Specific training skills

Some training is undertaken in order to help Reservists acquire specific trade skills, qualifications or promotion which can cover useful skills in:

• document handling
• communications
• computer systems
• planning and implementation
• assessing situations quickly
• adapting to challenges

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) can provide information on the different types of Army Reserve training and their application to civilian employment.

Employers have a right to manage Reservist employees according to the needs of the organisation, but this should be balanced with certain legal responsibilities regarding their liability for mobilisation and reinstatement at work afterwards.

Your rights as a Reservist employer

Reservists are encouraged to inform their employer of their Reserve Forces membership. In Great Britain, if you recruit an employee who is a Reservist - or an existing employee becomes one - the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will write to you under the 'Employer Notification' system to confirm that they are a member of the Reserve Forces. However, this formal channel of notification does not apply in Northern Ireland. The onus will be on the Reservist to inform you of their status.

Employers should check employment contracts, as these may need to be amended for new employees who are Reservists, eg if having a second job is usually against company policy.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Other employer rights include:

• The MoD aims to give at least 28 days' notice of a Reservist employee's mobilisation.
• The right to appeal against mobilisation if it would harm the business.
• Financial assistance for certain costs associated with finding a replacement.
• Not paying the Reservist a salary or associated benefits - eg company car - during their mobilisation.
• Changes since 1 October 2014 give businesses financial incentives worth up to £6,000 a year per mobilised Reservist. Small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised.
• No obligation to grant extra annual leave to allow for training commitments. Many employers recognise the benefits that such training provides and choose to grant additional leave. Search a list of employers that provide additional leave for Reservists.

Read about financial assistance available to employers of Reservists.

Your obligations as a Reservist employer

After a Reservist returns from mobilisation, you have a legal obligation to re-employ them in their original role. If you cannot reinstate the Reservist in their original role, you must offer a suitable alternative position with the same terms and conditions of service (or as near as practicable).

You cannot dismiss a Reservist employee solely on the grounds of their Reserve Service duties or their liability to be mobilised. If you do, the employee can apply to a Reinstatement Committee, which works in a similar way to an industrial tribunal.

For more information, see reinstating or re-engaging an employee after unfair dismissal or reservist service.

Reservists can be included in the redundancy pool if this is necessary due to a downturn in business or the closure of a department or branch. However, all employees should be treated the same, and redundancy criteria should not discriminate against Reservists on the grounds of their Reserve service or call-up liability.

There are some additional considerations when making a Reservist employee redundant if they have returned from mobilised service recently - ie if they are still within the protected 13, 26 or 52-week period, depending on their previous length of service.

Read more on what to expect if a Reservist employee is called up for service.

Reservists are committed to undergoing military training throughout the year, much of which can directly benefit their employer when they return to their civilian jobs.

The main annual training commitment is a two-week training camp. Other commitments may affect Reservist employees who usually work outside of normal office hours, eg:

• weekly training - held locally for about 2.5 hours, one evening a week
• weekend training - several weekends throughout the year

Some Reservists undergo additional voluntary training in areas such as health and safety, IT, and personnel management. Read more on the benefits of employing Reservists.

Some employers grant Reservists extra leave for training but there is no obligation for you to do so.

Read more about what employers in your sector are doing to support their Reservist employees.

Also see rights and responsibilities of Reservist employers.

Since 1 October 2014, Reservists and their employers are affected by legal changes announced within the Defence Reform Act 2014.

These changes are a big step forward, as they address employers' views fed into the White Paper indicating that the costs of employing a Reservist outweighed the benefits. The 2014 legislation also gives Reservists a more prominent role within Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) and greater job security.

Broader powers for mobilisation

Defence can now call out Reservists for any purpose for which Regulars may be used - previously, they could only be called out to serve in specific circumstances. This will ensure that Reservists become more fully integrated into the Regular Forces.

Also, the maximum period for which Reservists may be mobilised has increased from nine to twelve months. The twelve-month period of mobilisation will cover training, deployment, and recuperation after service.

Those Reservists who joined before 1 October 2014 have a choice whether or not to transfer to these new terms. However, anyone joining on or after 1 October 2014 will be automatically subject to them.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. It has replaced the SaBRE (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers) brand throughout the UK, though the Regional Employer Engagement Directors still exist to assist employers and reservists within their regions. Read DRM guidance on employing a Reservist.

Additional financial support for employers

SMEs and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised. This financial incentive is on top of the existing Employer's Award which covers the cost of replacing Reservists when they are mobilised and claiming re-training costs when they return to work.

Employment protection

Reservists are exempt from the one-year qualifying period in bringing unfair dismissal claims to an employment tribunal if the reason; or primary reason for dismissal is their being a Reservist.

Territorial Army renamed Army Reserve

The Territorial Army volunteer reserve force is now called the Army Reserve.

Annual reporting on volunteer Reserve Forces

Each year, the Reserve Force and Cadets Associations are required to report to the Secretary of State for Defence on how well FR20 is being delivered and on the health of the Reserves. This information will provide valuable independent scrutiny of the Reserve Forces.

There are several categories of Reservist, each subject to different mobilisation rules, depending on their experience and skills.

Reserve Forces

The Army, Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) each have their own Reserve Force:

• the Army Reserve is the Reserve Force for the Army
• the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve (known as the Maritime Reserves)
• Reserve Air Forces, including the RAF Reserves and Royal Auxiliary Air Force, is the Reserve Force for the RAF

The Army Reserve is the largest Reserve Force and the one that you are most likely to encounter as an employer.

Reservists are grouped according both to their duties and their level of readiness for mobilisation:

• Volunteer Reservists have an ongoing training commitment and can be mobilised - see Reservists: mobilisation and initial call-out procedure
• Regular Reserves (former members of Armed Forces)
• those on Full-Time Reserve Service (serving full-time for the fixed sabbatical period)
• Additional Duties Commitment (part-time service with Armed Forces)
• High Readiness Reservists (have specialist skills and are subject to short-notice mobilisation)
• Sponsored Reserves (defence contractors with the agreed proportion of Reservists)

Volunteer Reservists

The Ministry of Defence chooses individual Volunteer Reservists for duty using an 'intelligent selection' process. This allows Reservists to be selected according to their individual skills and allows a unit to take into account a Reservist's personal and employment circumstances.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is the single point of contact linking employers with the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

DRM can advise you on:

• how to develop a Reservist human resources policy
• Reservists' training obligations
• employers' rights and responsibilities
• the benefits of employing Reservists
• mobilisation issues

Read more on what to expect if a reservist employee is called up for service.

Defence Employer Support

You can contact Defence Employer Support by emailing employerrelations@rfca.mod.uk. In addition, the DRM is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers through Regional Employer Engagement Directors. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Reservists receive military training that can benefit civilian employers. The training takes place throughout the year and at an annual camp. It can be in an exercise or classroom-based setting.

Read more on Reservists' military training commitments.

Skills developed through Reservist training

Reservists' training covers a wide range of skills and disciplines such as:

• teamwork
• self-confidence
• decision-making
• leadership
• presentation skills
• project management

Specific training skills

Some training is undertaken in order to help Reservists acquire specific trade skills, qualifications or promotion which can cover useful skills in:

• document handling
• communications
• computer systems
• planning and implementation
• assessing situations quickly
• adapting to challenges

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) can provide information on the different types of Army Reserve training and their application to civilian employment.

Employers have a right to manage Reservist employees according to the needs of the organisation, but this should be balanced with certain legal responsibilities regarding their liability for mobilisation and reinstatement at work afterwards.

Your rights as a Reservist employer

Reservists are encouraged to inform their employer of their Reserve Forces membership. In Great Britain, if you recruit an employee who is a Reservist - or an existing employee becomes one - the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will write to you under the 'Employer Notification' system to confirm that they are a member of the Reserve Forces. However, this formal channel of notification does not apply in Northern Ireland. The onus will be on the Reservist to inform you of their status.

Employers should check employment contracts, as these may need to be amended for new employees who are Reservists, eg if having a second job is usually against company policy.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Other employer rights include:

• The MoD aims to give at least 28 days' notice of a Reservist employee's mobilisation.
• The right to appeal against mobilisation if it would harm the business.
• Financial assistance for certain costs associated with finding a replacement.
• Not paying the Reservist a salary or associated benefits - eg company car - during their mobilisation.
• Changes since 1 October 2014 give businesses financial incentives worth up to £6,000 a year per mobilised Reservist. Small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised.
• No obligation to grant extra annual leave to allow for training commitments. Many employers recognise the benefits that such training provides and choose to grant additional leave. Search a list of employers that provide additional leave for Reservists.

Read about financial assistance available to employers of Reservists.

Your obligations as a Reservist employer

After a Reservist returns from mobilisation, you have a legal obligation to re-employ them in their original role. If you cannot reinstate the Reservist in their original role, you must offer a suitable alternative position with the same terms and conditions of service (or as near as practicable).

You cannot dismiss a Reservist employee solely on the grounds of their Reserve Service duties or their liability to be mobilised. If you do, the employee can apply to a Reinstatement Committee, which works in a similar way to an industrial tribunal.

For more information, see reinstating or re-engaging an employee after unfair dismissal or reservist service.

Reservists can be included in the redundancy pool if this is necessary due to a downturn in business or the closure of a department or branch. However, all employees should be treated the same, and redundancy criteria should not discriminate against Reservists on the grounds of their Reserve service or call-up liability.

There are some additional considerations when making a Reservist employee redundant if they have returned from mobilised service recently - ie if they are still within the protected 13, 26 or 52-week period, depending on their previous length of service.

Read more on what to expect if a Reservist employee is called up for service.

Reservists are committed to undergoing military training throughout the year, much of which can directly benefit their employer when they return to their civilian jobs.

The main annual training commitment is a two-week training camp. Other commitments may affect Reservist employees who usually work outside of normal office hours, eg:

• weekly training - held locally for about 2.5 hours, one evening a week
• weekend training - several weekends throughout the year

Some Reservists undergo additional voluntary training in areas such as health and safety, IT, and personnel management. Read more on the benefits of employing Reservists.

Some employers grant Reservists extra leave for training but there is no obligation for you to do so.

Read more about what employers in your sector are doing to support their Reservist employees.

Also see rights and responsibilities of Reservist employers.

Since 1 October 2014, Reservists and their employers are affected by legal changes announced within the Defence Reform Act 2014.

These changes are a big step forward, as they address employers' views fed into the White Paper indicating that the costs of employing a Reservist outweighed the benefits. The 2014 legislation also gives Reservists a more prominent role within Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) and greater job security.

Broader powers for mobilisation

Defence can now call out Reservists for any purpose for which Regulars may be used - previously, they could only be called out to serve in specific circumstances. This will ensure that Reservists become more fully integrated into the Regular Forces.

Also, the maximum period for which Reservists may be mobilised has increased from nine to twelve months. The twelve-month period of mobilisation will cover training, deployment, and recuperation after service.

Those Reservists who joined before 1 October 2014 have a choice whether or not to transfer to these new terms. However, anyone joining on or after 1 October 2014 will be automatically subject to them.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. It has replaced the SaBRE (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers) brand throughout the UK, though the Regional Employer Engagement Directors still exist to assist employers and reservists within their regions. Read DRM guidance on employing a Reservist.

Additional financial support for employers

SMEs and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised. This financial incentive is on top of the existing Employer's Award which covers the cost of replacing Reservists when they are mobilised and claiming re-training costs when they return to work.

Employment protection

Reservists are exempt from the one-year qualifying period in bringing unfair dismissal claims to an employment tribunal if the reason; or primary reason for dismissal is their being a Reservist.

Territorial Army renamed Army Reserve

The Territorial Army volunteer reserve force is now called the Army Reserve.

Annual reporting on volunteer Reserve Forces

Each year, the Reserve Force and Cadets Associations are required to report to the Secretary of State for Defence on how well FR20 is being delivered and on the health of the Reserves. This information will provide valuable independent scrutiny of the Reserve Forces.

There are several categories of Reservist, each subject to different mobilisation rules, depending on their experience and skills.

Reserve Forces

The Army, Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) each have their own Reserve Force:

• the Army Reserve is the Reserve Force for the Army
• the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve (known as the Maritime Reserves)
• Reserve Air Forces, including the RAF Reserves and Royal Auxiliary Air Force, is the Reserve Force for the RAF

The Army Reserve is the largest Reserve Force and the one that you are most likely to encounter as an employer.

Reservists are grouped according both to their duties and their level of readiness for mobilisation:

• Volunteer Reservists have an ongoing training commitment and can be mobilised - see Reservists: mobilisation and initial call-out procedure
• Regular Reserves (former members of Armed Forces)
• those on Full-Time Reserve Service (serving full-time for the fixed sabbatical period)
• Additional Duties Commitment (part-time service with Armed Forces)
• High Readiness Reservists (have specialist skills and are subject to short-notice mobilisation)
• Sponsored Reserves (defence contractors with the agreed proportion of Reservists)

Volunteer Reservists

The Ministry of Defence chooses individual Volunteer Reservists for duty using an 'intelligent selection' process. This allows Reservists to be selected according to their individual skills and allows a unit to take into account a Reservist's personal and employment circumstances.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is the single point of contact linking employers with the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

DRM can advise you on:

• how to develop a Reservist human resources policy
• Reservists' training obligations
• employers' rights and responsibilities
• the benefits of employing Reservists
• mobilisation issues

Read more on what to expect if a reservist employee is called up for service.

Defence Employer Support

You can contact Defence Employer Support by emailing employerrelations@rfca.mod.uk. In addition, the DRM is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers through Regional Employer Engagement Directors. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Reservists receive military training that can benefit civilian employers. The training takes place throughout the year and at an annual camp. It can be in an exercise or classroom-based setting.

Read more on Reservists' military training commitments.

Skills developed through Reservist training

Reservists' training covers a wide range of skills and disciplines such as:

• teamwork
• self-confidence
• decision-making
• leadership
• presentation skills
• project management

Specific training skills

Some training is undertaken in order to help Reservists acquire specific trade skills, qualifications or promotion which can cover useful skills in:

• document handling
• communications
• computer systems
• planning and implementation
• assessing situations quickly
• adapting to challenges

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) can provide information on the different types of Army Reserve training and their application to civilian employment.

Employers have a right to manage Reservist employees according to the needs of the organisation, but this should be balanced with certain legal responsibilities regarding their liability for mobilisation and reinstatement at work afterwards.

Your rights as a Reservist employer

Reservists are encouraged to inform their employer of their Reserve Forces membership. In Great Britain, if you recruit an employee who is a Reservist - or an existing employee becomes one - the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will write to you under the 'Employer Notification' system to confirm that they are a member of the Reserve Forces. However, this formal channel of notification does not apply in Northern Ireland. The onus will be on the Reservist to inform you of their status.

Employers should check employment contracts, as these may need to be amended for new employees who are Reservists, eg if having a second job is usually against company policy.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Other employer rights include:

• The MoD aims to give at least 28 days' notice of a Reservist employee's mobilisation.
• The right to appeal against mobilisation if it would harm the business.
• Financial assistance for certain costs associated with finding a replacement.
• Not paying the Reservist a salary or associated benefits - eg company car - during their mobilisation.
• Changes since 1 October 2014 give businesses financial incentives worth up to £6,000 a year per mobilised Reservist. Small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised.
• No obligation to grant extra annual leave to allow for training commitments. Many employers recognise the benefits that such training provides and choose to grant additional leave. Search a list of employers that provide additional leave for Reservists.

Read about financial assistance available to employers of Reservists.

Your obligations as a Reservist employer

After a Reservist returns from mobilisation, you have a legal obligation to re-employ them in their original role. If you cannot reinstate the Reservist in their original role, you must offer a suitable alternative position with the same terms and conditions of service (or as near as practicable).

You cannot dismiss a Reservist employee solely on the grounds of their Reserve Service duties or their liability to be mobilised. If you do, the employee can apply to a Reinstatement Committee, which works in a similar way to an industrial tribunal.

For more information, see reinstating or re-engaging an employee after unfair dismissal or reservist service.

Reservists can be included in the redundancy pool if this is necessary due to a downturn in business or the closure of a department or branch. However, all employees should be treated the same, and redundancy criteria should not discriminate against Reservists on the grounds of their Reserve service or call-up liability.

There are some additional considerations when making a Reservist employee redundant if they have returned from mobilised service recently - ie if they are still within the protected 13, 26 or 52-week period, depending on their previous length of service.

Read more on what to expect if a Reservist employee is called up for service.

Reservists are committed to undergoing military training throughout the year, much of which can directly benefit their employer when they return to their civilian jobs.

The main annual training commitment is a two-week training camp. Other commitments may affect Reservist employees who usually work outside of normal office hours, eg:

• weekly training - held locally for about 2.5 hours, one evening a week
• weekend training - several weekends throughout the year

Some Reservists undergo additional voluntary training in areas such as health and safety, IT, and personnel management. Read more on the benefits of employing Reservists.

Some employers grant Reservists extra leave for training but there is no obligation for you to do so.

Read more about what employers in your sector are doing to support their Reservist employees.

Also see rights and responsibilities of Reservist employers.

Since 1 October 2014, Reservists and their employers are affected by legal changes announced within the Defence Reform Act 2014.

These changes are a big step forward, as they address employers' views fed into the White Paper indicating that the costs of employing a Reservist outweighed the benefits. The 2014 legislation also gives Reservists a more prominent role within Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) and greater job security.

Broader powers for mobilisation

Defence can now call out Reservists for any purpose for which Regulars may be used - previously, they could only be called out to serve in specific circumstances. This will ensure that Reservists become more fully integrated into the Regular Forces.

Also, the maximum period for which Reservists may be mobilised has increased from nine to twelve months. The twelve-month period of mobilisation will cover training, deployment, and recuperation after service.

Those Reservists who joined before 1 October 2014 have a choice whether or not to transfer to these new terms. However, anyone joining on or after 1 October 2014 will be automatically subject to them.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. It has replaced the SaBRE (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers) brand throughout the UK, though the Regional Employer Engagement Directors still exist to assist employers and reservists within their regions. Read DRM guidance on employing a Reservist.

Additional financial support for employers

SMEs and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised. This financial incentive is on top of the existing Employer's Award which covers the cost of replacing Reservists when they are mobilised and claiming re-training costs when they return to work.

Employment protection

Reservists are exempt from the one-year qualifying period in bringing unfair dismissal claims to an employment tribunal if the reason; or primary reason for dismissal is their being a Reservist.

Territorial Army renamed Army Reserve

The Territorial Army volunteer reserve force is now called the Army Reserve.

Annual reporting on volunteer Reserve Forces

Each year, the Reserve Force and Cadets Associations are required to report to the Secretary of State for Defence on how well FR20 is being delivered and on the health of the Reserves. This information will provide valuable independent scrutiny of the Reserve Forces.

There are several categories of Reservist, each subject to different mobilisation rules, depending on their experience and skills.

Reserve Forces

The Army, Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) each have their own Reserve Force:

• the Army Reserve is the Reserve Force for the Army
• the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve (known as the Maritime Reserves)
• Reserve Air Forces, including the RAF Reserves and Royal Auxiliary Air Force, is the Reserve Force for the RAF

The Army Reserve is the largest Reserve Force and the one that you are most likely to encounter as an employer.

Reservists are grouped according both to their duties and their level of readiness for mobilisation:

• Volunteer Reservists have an ongoing training commitment and can be mobilised - see Reservists: mobilisation and initial call-out procedure
• Regular Reserves (former members of Armed Forces)
• those on Full-Time Reserve Service (serving full-time for the fixed sabbatical period)
• Additional Duties Commitment (part-time service with Armed Forces)
• High Readiness Reservists (have specialist skills and are subject to short-notice mobilisation)
• Sponsored Reserves (defence contractors with the agreed proportion of Reservists)

Volunteer Reservists

The Ministry of Defence chooses individual Volunteer Reservists for duty using an 'intelligent selection' process. This allows Reservists to be selected according to their individual skills and allows a unit to take into account a Reservist's personal and employment circumstances.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is the single point of contact linking employers with the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

DRM can advise you on:

• how to develop a Reservist human resources policy
• Reservists' training obligations
• employers' rights and responsibilities
• the benefits of employing Reservists
• mobilisation issues

Read more on what to expect if a reservist employee is called up for service.

Defence Employer Support

You can contact Defence Employer Support by emailing employerrelations@rfca.mod.uk. In addition, the DRM is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers through Regional Employer Engagement Directors. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Reservists receive military training that can benefit civilian employers. The training takes place throughout the year and at an annual camp. It can be in an exercise or classroom-based setting.

Read more on Reservists' military training commitments.

Skills developed through Reservist training

Reservists' training covers a wide range of skills and disciplines such as:

• teamwork
• self-confidence
• decision-making
• leadership
• presentation skills
• project management

Specific training skills

Some training is undertaken in order to help Reservists acquire specific trade skills, qualifications or promotion which can cover useful skills in:

• document handling
• communications
• computer systems
• planning and implementation
• assessing situations quickly
• adapting to challenges

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) can provide information on the different types of Army Reserve training and their application to civilian employment.

Employers have a right to manage Reservist employees according to the needs of the organisation, but this should be balanced with certain legal responsibilities regarding their liability for mobilisation and reinstatement at work afterwards.

Your rights as a Reservist employer

Reservists are encouraged to inform their employer of their Reserve Forces membership. In Great Britain, if you recruit an employee who is a Reservist - or an existing employee becomes one - the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will write to you under the 'Employer Notification' system to confirm that they are a member of the Reserve Forces. However, this formal channel of notification does not apply in Northern Ireland. The onus will be on the Reservist to inform you of their status.

Employers should check employment contracts, as these may need to be amended for new employees who are Reservists, eg if having a second job is usually against company policy.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Other employer rights include:

• The MoD aims to give at least 28 days' notice of a Reservist employee's mobilisation.
• The right to appeal against mobilisation if it would harm the business.
• Financial assistance for certain costs associated with finding a replacement.
• Not paying the Reservist a salary or associated benefits - eg company car - during their mobilisation.
• Changes since 1 October 2014 give businesses financial incentives worth up to £6,000 a year per mobilised Reservist. Small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised.
• No obligation to grant extra annual leave to allow for training commitments. Many employers recognise the benefits that such training provides and choose to grant additional leave. Search a list of employers that provide additional leave for Reservists.

Read about financial assistance available to employers of Reservists.

Your obligations as a Reservist employer

After a Reservist returns from mobilisation, you have a legal obligation to re-employ them in their original role. If you cannot reinstate the Reservist in their original role, you must offer a suitable alternative position with the same terms and conditions of service (or as near as practicable).

You cannot dismiss a Reservist employee solely on the grounds of their Reserve Service duties or their liability to be mobilised. If you do, the employee can apply to a Reinstatement Committee, which works in a similar way to an industrial tribunal.

For more information, see reinstating or re-engaging an employee after unfair dismissal or reservist service.

Reservists can be included in the redundancy pool if this is necessary due to a downturn in business or the closure of a department or branch. However, all employees should be treated the same, and redundancy criteria should not discriminate against Reservists on the grounds of their Reserve service or call-up liability.

There are some additional considerations when making a Reservist employee redundant if they have returned from mobilised service recently - ie if they are still within the protected 13, 26 or 52-week period, depending on their previous length of service.

Read more on what to expect if a Reservist employee is called up for service.

Reservists are committed to undergoing military training throughout the year, much of which can directly benefit their employer when they return to their civilian jobs.

The main annual training commitment is a two-week training camp. Other commitments may affect Reservist employees who usually work outside of normal office hours, eg:

• weekly training - held locally for about 2.5 hours, one evening a week
• weekend training - several weekends throughout the year

Some Reservists undergo additional voluntary training in areas such as health and safety, IT, and personnel management. Read more on the benefits of employing Reservists.

Some employers grant Reservists extra leave for training but there is no obligation for you to do so.

Read more about what employers in your sector are doing to support their Reservist employees.

Also see rights and responsibilities of Reservist employers.

Since 1 October 2014, Reservists and their employers are affected by legal changes announced within the Defence Reform Act 2014.

These changes are a big step forward, as they address employers' views fed into the White Paper indicating that the costs of employing a Reservist outweighed the benefits. The 2014 legislation also gives Reservists a more prominent role within Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) and greater job security.

Broader powers for mobilisation

Defence can now call out Reservists for any purpose for which Regulars may be used - previously, they could only be called out to serve in specific circumstances. This will ensure that Reservists become more fully integrated into the Regular Forces.

Also, the maximum period for which Reservists may be mobilised has increased from nine to twelve months. The twelve-month period of mobilisation will cover training, deployment, and recuperation after service.

Those Reservists who joined before 1 October 2014 have a choice whether or not to transfer to these new terms. However, anyone joining on or after 1 October 2014 will be automatically subject to them.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. It has replaced the SaBRE (Supporting Britain's Reservists and Employers) brand throughout the UK, though the Regional Employer Engagement Directors still exist to assist employers and reservists within their regions. Read DRM guidance on employing a Reservist.

Additional financial support for employers

SMEs and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised. This financial incentive is on top of the existing Employer's Award which covers the cost of replacing Reservists when they are mobilised and claiming re-training costs when they return to work.

Employment protection

Reservists are exempt from the one-year qualifying period in bringing unfair dismissal claims to an employment tribunal if the reason; or primary reason for dismissal is their being a Reservist.

Territorial Army renamed Army Reserve

The Territorial Army volunteer reserve force is now called the Army Reserve.

Annual reporting on volunteer Reserve Forces

Each year, the Reserve Force and Cadets Associations are required to report to the Secretary of State for Defence on how well FR20 is being delivered and on the health of the Reserves. This information will provide valuable independent scrutiny of the Reserve Forces.

There are several categories of Reservist, each subject to different mobilisation rules, depending on their experience and skills.

Reserve Forces

The Army, Navy and Royal Air Force (RAF) each have their own Reserve Force:

• the Army Reserve is the Reserve Force for the Army
• the Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Marines Reserve (known as the Maritime Reserves)
• Reserve Air Forces, including the RAF Reserves and Royal Auxiliary Air Force, is the Reserve Force for the RAF

The Army Reserve is the largest Reserve Force and the one that you are most likely to encounter as an employer.

Reservists are grouped according both to their duties and their level of readiness for mobilisation:

• Volunteer Reservists have an ongoing training commitment and can be mobilised - see Reservists: mobilisation and initial call-out procedure
• Regular Reserves (former members of Armed Forces)
• those on Full-Time Reserve Service (serving full-time for the fixed sabbatical period)
• Additional Duties Commitment (part-time service with Armed Forces)
• High Readiness Reservists (have specialist skills and are subject to short-notice mobilisation)
• Sponsored Reserves (defence contractors with the agreed proportion of Reservists)

Volunteer Reservists

The Ministry of Defence chooses individual Volunteer Reservists for duty using an 'intelligent selection' process. This allows Reservists to be selected according to their individual skills and allows a unit to take into account a Reservist's personal and employment circumstances.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) is the single point of contact linking employers with the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

DRM can advise you on:

• how to develop a Reservist human resources policy
• Reservists' training obligations
• employers' rights and responsibilities
• the benefits of employing Reservists
• mobilisation issues

Read more on what to expect if a reservist employee is called up for service.

Defence Employer Support

You can contact Defence Employer Support by emailing employerrelations@rfca.mod.uk. In addition, the DRM is an organisation that supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers through Regional Employer Engagement Directors. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Reservists receive military training that can benefit civilian employers. The training takes place throughout the year and at an annual camp. It can be in an exercise or classroom-based setting.

Read more on Reservists' military training commitments.

Skills developed through Reservist training

Reservists' training covers a wide range of skills and disciplines such as:

• teamwork
• self-confidence
• decision-making
• leadership
• presentation skills
• project management

Specific training skills

Some training is undertaken in order to help Reservists acquire specific trade skills, qualifications or promotion which can cover useful skills in:

• document handling
• communications
• computer systems
• planning and implementation
• assessing situations quickly
• adapting to challenges

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) can provide information on the different types of Army Reserve training and their application to civilian employment.

Employers have a right to manage Reservist employees according to the needs of the organisation, but this should be balanced with certain legal responsibilities regarding their liability for mobilisation and reinstatement at work afterwards.

Your rights as a Reservist employer

Reservists are encouraged to inform their employer of their Reserve Forces membership. In Great Britain, if you recruit an employee who is a Reservist - or an existing employee becomes one - the Ministry of Defence (MoD) will write to you under the 'Employer Notification' system to confirm that they are a member of the Reserve Forces. However, this formal channel of notification does not apply in Northern Ireland. The onus will be on the Reservist to inform you of their status.

Employers should check employment contracts, as these may need to be amended for new employees who are Reservists, eg if having a second job is usually against company policy.

Defence Relationship Management (DRM) supports members of the Reserve Forces and their employers. The Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) for Northern Ireland can advise you on employment issues on Tel 028 9521 6794.

Other employer rights include:

• The MoD aims to give at least 28 days' notice of a Reservist employee's mobilisation.
• The right to appeal against mobilisation if it would harm the business.
• Financial assistance for certain costs associated with finding a replacement.
• Not paying the Reservist a salary or associated benefits - eg company car - during their mobilisation.
• Changes since 1 October 2014 give businesses financial incentives worth up to £6,000 a year per mobilised Reservist. Small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and equivalent-sized charities and partnerships are allowed to claim up to £500 for each month their Reservist employee is mobilised.
• No obligation to grant extra annual leave to allow for training commitments. Many employers recognise the benefits that such training provides and choose to grant additional leave. Search a list of employers that provide additional leave for Reservists.

Read about financial assistance available to employers of Reservists.

Your obligations as a Reservist employer

After a Reservist returns from mobilisation, you have a legal obligation to re-employ them in their original role. If you cannot reinstate the Reservist in their original role, you must offer a suitable alternative position with the same terms and conditions of service (or as near as practicable).

You cannot dismiss a Reservist employee solely on the grounds of their Reserve Service duties or their liability to be mobilised. If you do, the employee can apply to a Reinstatement Committee, which works in a similar way to an industrial tribunal.

For more information, see reinstating or re-engaging an employee after unfair dismissal or reservist service.

Reservists can be included in the redundancy pool if this is necessary due to a downturn in business or the closure of a department or branch. However, all employees should be treated the same, and redundancy criteria should not discriminate against Reservists on the grounds of their Reserve service or call-up liability.

There are some additional considerations when making a Reservist employee redundant if they have returned from mobilised service recently - ie if they are still within the protected 13, 26 or 52-week period, depending on their previous length of service.

Read more on what to expect if a Reservist employee is called up for service.

Reservists are committed to undergoing military training throughout the year, much of which can directly benefit their employer when they return to their civilian jobs.

The main annual training commitment is a two-week training camp. Other commitments may affect Reservist employees who usually work outside of normal office hours, eg:

• weekly training - held locally for about 2.5 hours, one evening a week
• weekend training - several weekends throughout the year

Some Reservists undergo additional voluntary training in areas such as health and safety, IT, and personnel management. Read more on the benefits of employing Reservists.

Some employers grant Reservists extra leave for training but there is no obligation for you to do so.

Read more about what employers in your sector are doing to support their Reservist employees.

Also see rights and responsibilities of Reservist employers.