While Jeff Money Served Our Country, USACS’ Paid Military Leave Benefit Allowed Him to Focus on His Mission
Jeff Money had been waiting four years to go through Officer Training School so that he could serve his country as an officer in the Air Force. But when the call finally came on May 2nd, 2018, the Air Force told him he had all of three days to get his affairs in order before heading from his home in Illinois to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama.
Money, a Nurse Practitioner at MetroSouth Medical Center, already had his schedule at the hospital for two months out. He wondered what he would tell his Director now that he had to leave for 6 weeks of officer training. But he also knew about US Acute Care Solution’s new paid military leave benefit.
The benefit applies to any deployment longer than one month. During that time, USACS continues to pay the previous 12-month average compensation (offset by the military pay) as well as all employee benefit deductions. The policy promises to keep our servicemen and women and their families whole if they are called to serve their country.
“It was just a relief that I work for a company that I knew was going to take care of me and my family from a financial standpoint,” said Money.
But it wasn’t just the policy that Money said was a help – it was the execution. Since he had to leave on such short notice, it fell to his wife to coordinate the benefit with the USACS Human Resources Department. “The paperwork had to get done while I was already gone,” he said. “So they coordinated it with my wife. It was a huge help. I didn’t have to worry about it while I was gone.”
Money said the benefit was handled flawlessly, greatly reducing the financial stress that his deployment could have otherwise caused. Meanwhile, he coordinated the handoff of his shifts with his director, Dr. Annie Sinnott. Money hailed Sinnott as “the best person I’ve ever worked with,” adding, “She’s like family to me.”
The schedulers took care of Money’s shifts, while Sinnott reached out to Money’s peers for support in filling the gaps while he was gone.
“It was just all around a great experience,” Money said.
Money is now a commissioned officer in the Air National Guard out of Peoria, Illinois, part of a Homeland Security team in charge of biological and chemical explosion response. Most of his service is in short stints, but as active reserve, it’s always possible he could be deployed overseas for longer periods. If he ever is, he said he can rest easy knowing USACS will have his back.
“It gives us comfort that we’ll never be in need,” he said.