A self-storage manager and member of the Texas Air National Guard is claiming he was illegally terminatedon Sept. 11because he was on active duty in Iraq.
Spc. Bruce Grove, a Lewisville, Texas, resident, alleges Assured Self Storage notified him of his firing in October 2009 upon his return to the United States. He learned he had lost his job after his wife, who lived with him at the facility, phoned him to tell him shed received a hand-delivered notice of termination. In addition, through a series of e-mails Grove exchanged with Assured Self-Storage, the company reportedly told Grove there weren't any open positions at the facility. According to the news report, Grove's facility had been acquired, resulting in manager consolidation.
Grove points to the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), a statute that protects military personnel while serving in the armed forces abroad. According to KDAF-TV in Dallas, which spoke with a representative of The Assured Group, the company contacted the Department of Labor's Veterans office to discuss Grove's situation and the application of USERRA. The department told The Assured Group that they would not investigate the situation, but Grove could contact the Attorney General and pursue his own case.
Grove has been unemployed since 2009 and continues to look for work. He has decided to take his story to the media because he believes many reservists and national guard troops fall victim to similar situations but do not speak up. A video interview with Grove is available in the source article.
