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CONCORD - Gov. John Lynch today signed into law legislation guaranteeing pay, health and retirement benefits for state employees called to active duty in the National Guard or Reserves. The new law makes permanent an Executive Order Gov. Lynch issued in September to provide the pay and benefits.
"Our National Guard members, and their families, make tremendous sacrifices to serve and protect us. As Governor, I am honored to be not only the Commander in Chief of the New Hampshire National Guard, but also the employer of many of its members. I want to make sure that state government is doing everything possible to assist our employees who are also members of the National Guard or Reserves. That is what this new law does," Gov. Lynch said.
In September, Gov. Lynch extended an Executive Order issued by the previous governor to ensure that state employees activated for full-time Guard or Reserve duty by the federal government continue to receive their health and retirement benefits and the difference in pay between their state and military salaries. Gov. Lynch also expanded the Executive Order to cover employees activated for state duty, as National Guard members were during Hurricane Katrina and New Hampshire's floods.
The legislation is sponsored by Representatives Ken Weyler, Joe Stone, Robert Wheeler, John Graham, and Senators John Gallus and Bob Odell.
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