The Justice Department announced last week that it had reached a settlement with the City of Iola, Kan., over the alleged employment rights violation against Air National Guardsman Randall Slocum. Justice had filed a lawsuit in December 2008 on behalf of Slocum, who worked in the city’s fire department and claimed Iola had not considered his military service when it disciplined him and denied a wage increase. According to DOJ, the city has agreed “to pay Slocum back wages, liquidated damages, and to provide him the wage increase.” The city also agreed to correct his record regarding “unjustified discipline.” According to a report by the Fort Mills Times, US District Judge Wesley Brown approved the settlement arrangement, which means Iola will pay Slocum $2,931 in back wages, interest, and damages.
A provision in the fiscal 2025 defense policy bill will require the Defense Department to include the military occupational specialty of service members who die by suicide in its annual report on suicide deaths, though it remains to be seen how much data the department will actually disclose.