Patriot Award recognizes Mayo Regional Hospital’s commitment to employees serving in the military

By Stuart Hedstrom 
Staff Writer

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — In recognition of its commitment to employees who are members of the National Guard or are reserve members of the Armed Forces, Mayo Regional Hospital was presented with the Patriot Award from the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) — a Department of Defense agency — during a surprise ceremony on the morning of Feb. 28.
    Mayo Regional Hospital President and CEO Edward J. Hannon, a veteran of the U.S. Navy, accepted the honor on the hospital’s behalf in recognition of its extraordinary support of hospital employees serving in the Maine Guard and Reserve. The presentation included a recognition of award nominator David Flaherty, PA-C, MPAS of the Emergency Department who is a 1st Lt. in the U.S. Army Reserves Physician Assistant Medical Specialist Corps and will be deployed in the near future to Kuwait.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
    HONORING MILITARY PERSONNEL — On the morning of Feb. 28 Mayo Regional Hospital was presented with the Patriot Award by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) in recognition of its support for employees who are reserve members of the Armed Forces and National Guard. From left are Joshua Scroggins and Juliette Brandt of the Maine Committee for ESGR, Mayo Regional Hospital Emergency Department Physician Assistant David Flaherty — who nominated the hospital and is about to be deployed to Kuwait with the U.S. Army Reserves Medical Specialist Corps — and Mayo CEO and President Edward J. Hannon who is a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

    “The Patriot Award was created by ESGR to publicly recognize individuals who provide outstanding patriotic support and cooperation to their employees, who like the citizen warriors before them, have answered their nation’s call to serve,” said Maine ESGR Chair Rob Carmichael. “Edward Hannon, CEO was nominated for being highly supportive of the U.S. Army by his Reserve Component employee.  Supportive supervisors are critical to maintaining the strength and readiness of the nation’s Guard and Reserve units.”
    Joshua D. Scroggins, ESGR employee outreach director for Maine who also is the director of philanthropy and major gifts for Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, said the organization’s purpose “it to help facilitate relationships with employers and employees who are about to be deployed.”
    The ESGR (www.ESGR.mil) was established in 1972 to develop and maintain employer support for Guard and Reserve service. ESGR advocates relevant initiatives, recognizes outstanding support, increases awareness of applicable laws and resolves conflict between service members and employers. Paramount to ESGR’s mission is encouraging employment of Guardsmen and Reservists who bring integrity, global perspective and proven leadership to the civilian workforce.
    “You are losing a vital part of your ER,” Scroggins said about Flaherty, “but you guys are making things happen for one year. He’s doing great things for us, great things for you and great things for the military.”
    Scroggins said leaves of absence for employees inducted into the Armed Forces, Reserves or National Guard are granted under federal law “but federal law doesn’t say you have to go above and beyond and do amazing things,” Scroggins said in referencing in recent policy decision for Mayo Regional Hospital.
    The hospital has always been committed to protecting the rights of employees on military leaves of absence but earlier this year Mayo Regional Hospital stepped up its support for service men and women when the hospital revised its military leave policy to add a new benefit for full-time eligible employees who are in good standing and who have been employed at Mayo for one year or more. Such employees who are involuntarily called to active duty for periods greater than 30 consecutive days will be paid the difference between total compensation from the military and the regular base wages/salary that would have been earned at Mayo each month, starting at the date the leave begins. The benefit pays up to a maximum of $5,000 per month for the first 12 months of leave.
    “Today I would like to recognize your CEO,” Scroggins said, explaining that Patriot Award recipients can only be nominated by a member of the Armed Forces or a spouse.
    “I am a veteran, I have been active duty, I have been a reservist and I have been in your shoes,” Hannon said. “Unfortunately active duty pay is much less than what you are making as a civilian. As a hospital we can find the means.”
    Hannon said employees serving are already missing out by being away from their loved ones and they should not also have to suffer financially while serving their country. “It’s us thanking you for your service,” he said.
    At the conclusion of a military leave, Mayo Regional Hospital employees generally have the right to return to the same position held prior to the leave or to positions with equivalent seniority, pay and benefits.