Dr. Corey Cronrath (left) presents the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Above and Beyond Award to Dr. Susan Turney (center), CEO of Marshfield Clinic Health System.
At the end of June, Marshfield Clinic Health System was presented with the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Above and Beyond Award. The Above and Beyond Award is to recognize employers who have gone above and beyond the legal requirements set by USERRA by providing their Guard and Reserve employees additional, non-mandated benefits, such as differential pay or full pay to offset lost wages, extended health benefits and other gratuitous assistance to members and their family.
Corey Cronrath, D.O., occupational health service line medical director and flight surgeon in U.S. Army Reserve, nominated the Health System for the award in January 2022. Dr. Cronrath mentioned that Dr. Bill Melms, Chief Medical Officer; Sabrina North, absence management manager for Human Resources; and Alexandria Zygarlicke, lead provider data analyst, System Operations, “bent over backwards” to allow him to continue work for the Health System while he was deployed to Honduras.
“The mission in Honduras was two-fold, narcotic intervention and humanitarian aid. During this same time, I had responsibilities to my team as the service line medical director for Occupational and Employee Health,” said Dr. Cronrath. “Because of the tireless work of Sabrina and Alexandria all the contract nuances and tax intricacies were worked out and I was value added to the team here at home during flu season, our busiest time of year in Occupational and Employee Health. I was able to support my team in Marshfield and Honduras because Health System leadership and Human Resources supported me.”
Dr. Cronrath’s example signifies why ESGR was created. ESGR is a Department of Defense Program, established in 1972, to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and civilian employers. The Above and Beyond award is given to a limited number of employers who have at least one of their supervisors or managers recognized with the ESGR Patriot Award.
As a federal organization, ESGR is administered by the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs. George Kantz, volunteer member of ESGR, presented the award to our organization June 28. Dr. Susan Turney, Health System CEO, was present to accept the award on behalf of the Health System.
“It has been our experience that veterans and active personnel are some of our most dedicated, mission-driven and effective people on our staff,” Dr. Turney said in her acceptance of the award. “We are proud as a System to go above and beyond for employees with a military background. And they all go above and beyond in the work they do each day.”