Alaska veteran settles hiring case against IHS

Thursday, April 10, 2008  

An Alaska Air National Guard veteran who was fired by the Indian Health Service while on active duty has settled his long-running case for full back pay and restored benefits.

Bob Traut worked at the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage when he left in 1995 to serve with the guard. When he came back five years later, he was told he didn't have a job -- partly because the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium and Southcentral Foundation took over the hospital.

IHS refused to rehire him in violation of federal law, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel said. “Until his claim was finally referred to us, he endured seven years of hardship and frustration. In only a few months, we were able to negotiate a settlement to make him substantially whole," said Special Counsel Scott J. Bloch in a press release.

Get the Story:
After 7 years, US settles with Air guardsman (The Anchorage Daily News 4/10)
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