{"id":18531,"date":"2020-01-09T10:00:08","date_gmt":"2020-01-09T10:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/01\/09\/guardsman-fired-from-the-postal-service-in-2000-for-military-service-receives-notice-to-return-to-work\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:44:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:44:27","slug":"guardsman-fired-from-the-postal-service-in-2000-for-military-service-receives-notice-to-return-to-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/2020\/01\/09\/guardsman-fired-from-the-postal-service-in-2000-for-military-service-receives-notice-to-return-to-work\/","title":{"rendered":"Guardsman fired from the Postal Service in 2000 for military service receives notice to return to work"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A nearly two-decadeslong legal battle entered a new phase this week when a soldier received notice to return to his job with the U.S. Postal Service after being fired in 2000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Retired Sgt. Maj. Richard Erickson, a National Guard Special Forces veteran who was awarded a Purple Heart, was dismissed from his role as distribution clerk in Fort Myers, Florida, due to \u201cexcessive use of military leave.\u201d Erickson began working with the Postal Service in 1988 before joining the Guard in 1990.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Following his dismissal, Erickson appealed the decision to the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) citing violations of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA), which prohibits discrimination in the workplace on the basis of military service. Court filings show that for nearly four years between 1996 and 2000, Erickson worked at his civilian job for \u201cno more than four days.\u201d USERRA\u2019s provisions, however, maintain a five-year cap for reemployment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An administrative judge with the MSPB concluded Erickson had failed to prove his military service was the primary motivating factor in his dismissal and denied the appeal. The case was remanded to determine whether Erickson had \u201cabandoned\u201d his civilian career in favor of a military career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1489\" height=\"1117\" src=\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/erickson-richard3.jpg.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-38645\" srcset=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/erickson-richard3.jpg.jpg 1489w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/erickson-richard3.jpg.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/erickson-richard3.jpg.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/erickson-richard3.jpg.jpg?resize=1024,768 1024w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1489px) 100vw, 1489px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sgt. Maj. Richard Erickson received a Purple Heart and three distinguished medals for valor in combat through his decades of service. (Courtesy photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2011, after protracted legal proceedings, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit overturned the board\u2019s decision. Then in 2014, the Merit Systems Protection Board ordered the Postal Service to reinstate Erickson and award him nearly 14 years of lost wages and benefits. \u201cI answered the call of duty and served my country \u2014 and I got fired for it,\u201d Erickson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.latimes.com\/nation\/la-xpm-2014-jan-08-la-na-soldier-postal-lawsuit-20140109-story.html\">told<\/a> the Los Angeles Times at the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Five years later, Erickson\u2019s attorney, Mathew B. Tully, said the Postal Service had still not reinstated his client. Tully said the service repeatedly cited letters being sent to outdated mailing addresses as proof that it was attempting to contact Erickson. \u201cThis is the most egregious case of USERRA violation in the history of the federal government,\u201d Tully said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A representative from the Postal Service declined to comment on the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Erickson\u2019s legal team filed an additional complaint with the MSPB in April 2019, alleging violations of court orders. Currently, the Merit Systems Protection Board has no sitting members, who are nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, adding to the case\u2019s complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tully, who retired from the National Guard as a lieutenant colonel, is a founding partner at Tully Rinckey, a firm that specializes in USERRA litigation and veterans\u2019 employment issues. \u201cIt\u2019s because of Mr. Tully that I was able to be a voice and not a statistic,\u201d Erickson said. \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t for him, I wouldn\u2019t be here right now. Most of the lawyers I went to demanded $25,000 up front. I couldn\u2019t afford that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On Jan. 6, Erickson received notice to return to work, but Tully said Erickson immediately faced a \u201chostile work environment\u201d from Postal Service site managers. \u201cThey are trying to make an example out of him,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was not treated properly,\u201d Erickson said. \u201cIt\u2019s not the way to come back after 20 years into a company that still refuses to follow the court\u2019s ruling.\u201d His peers welcomed him back and thanked him for \u201cfighting for a good cause.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Erickson himself seemed to predict the nature of his return in 2011. \u201cI\u2019m kind of worried about going back and reprisals,\u201d he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/local\/politics\/court-faults-usps-in-firing-of-decorated-afghan-war-veteran-\/2011\/03\/15\/ABYOquZ_story.html\">told<\/a> the Washington Post. \u201cThey might fire me the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To Erickson, his dismissal from the Postal Service necessitated him to continue in his active duty service to provide for his family. \u201cI\u2019m a single parent of three daughters, and I went over to fight for a country, but I\u2019m fighting overseas, and I come back, I have to fight the post office for my job just so I can support my family,\u201d Erickson <a href=\"https:\/\/www.winknews.com\/2020\/01\/06\/soldier-fired-from-post-office-for-serving-in-the-national-guard-gets-job-back-lawsuit-remains\/\">told<\/a> WINK News this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the 2014 legal ruling, the two sides differ widely on the total amount owed in mandated back pay from the Postal Service. Tully asserts Erickson should receive around $1.7 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Given the MSPB\u2019s current state, the case remains \u201cin a state of limbo,\u201d according to Tully. \u201cThey thought I was going to fold \u2013 that\u2019s why they continue to drag it out,&#8221; Erickson said. \u201cI am not going to fold. I\u2019m going to do the right thing no matter how long it takes. It\u2019s about principle. I am not just doing this for me; I\u2019m doing this for all the other veterans and people that have no means to fight for their rights.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cThis is the most egregious case of USERRA violation in the history of the federal government.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":38641,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":16,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,16,26],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3150],"class_list":["post-18531","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-news","category-newsletters"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"2PW62CV7VVABVKE7J7MACAQDVQ","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/your-military\/2020\/01\/09\/guardsman-fired-from-the-postal-service-in-2000-for-military-service-receives-notice-to-return-to-work\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented 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