RESERVISTS LEAVE EMPLOYERS HANGING.

Byline: Evan Pondel Staff Writer

When Noemi Pollack hired Robert Parry, she thought his experience as a U.S. Marine would be a valuable asset in the high-pressure world of marketing and public relations.

What she didn't expect was that two years into the job, Parry would go on leave for a two-month stint in Kuwait. That didn't bother Pollack at the time, as she valued Parry's writing skills and his robust work ethic as a key executive in her firm.

But the Marine reservist got called up in January for a 12-month tour of duty in Iraq and that has caused Pollack to have second thoughts.

``We love Robert. And we will hold his job until he comes back. But if I knew what I know now, I'd probably think twice about hiring someone like that,'' said Pollack, president and chief executive officer of The Pollack PR Marketing Group in Century City.

``I have to think about my business when it comes to a new hire. And I would prefer not to be in this kind of position again.''

Small businesses throughout the country have seen their reservist employees come and go in time of war. And as U.S. military intervention persists in Iraq, many employers are beginning to factor the cost of losing a valuable worker for several months. The bigger the firm or public agency, the less stress usually imposed on the overall flow of doing business.

The problem is, companies are having a difficult time quantifying the losses and that in itself is drawing concern.

``Since the economy is still somewhat lackluster, it's difficult to tell how reservists have affected the business climate. In the past, there's been great concern, but the subject has disappeared,'' said Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. ``If concerns still exist, most are in the public service sector.''

The public sector isn't always as immune to reservists' vacancies as the private sector.

Dennis Denois, a career Marine for 22 years and currently a military liaison officer for the Los Angeles Police Department, said nearly 5 percent of the department's 9,000 employees are reservists.

``We had 200 people activated for duty at one time, which is a big hit,'' Denois said. ``But now we are down to about 60 who are activated. That number is constantly changing, though, like sand in the desert.''

Shannon Geaney, 32, is among the LAPD officers who has returned from duty.

Stationed in Rota, Spain, the Marine captain developed a database to track casualties in Iraq. Her ability to create a monitoring system would have been lavishly compensated by a Fortune 500 company. But much more important to Geaney, she received the prestigious Meritorious Service Medal.

``I'm fortunate I had the experience. I was a full-time Marine for five years before the LAPD,'' Geaney said. ``And I'm sure it's easier for us to go back to the LAPD than it is for people that own their own business.''

Under the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act signed into law in October 1994, it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against reservists. Employers are also required to maintain a reservist's job until she or he returns from duty.

Many public and private sector employers have openly pledged their support of reservists. The Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve has received statements of support from several large companies including Miller Brewing Co., Novartis, PriceWaterhouseCoopers and PG&E Corp.

``We've also seen an unbelievable amount of support from employers here in Los Angeles,'' said David Jane, a retired two-star admiral from the U.S. Naval Reserve and national chairman of the ESGR. ``But it's true that smaller companies have had a more difficult time than the larger companies.''

Pollack, who employs 13 people, said she doesn't have the deep pockets to support the conflict abroad. Attempting to fill Parry's position has resulted in enough financial instability.

``In his absence I don't even have the ability to actively pursue the sector he was covering,'' she said.

Despite Pollack's predicament, economists are still not seeing evidence of a greater problem. In fact, Kyser said many companies have been resilient to a reservist-induced slowdown, partially because a sluggish economy is already enabling employers to function without a full staff.

For The Boeing Co., juggling reservists is a daily occurrence. Of the company's estimated 155,000-employee base, about 2,000 are National Guard or Reserve members. Kenneth Mercer, a spokesman for the Chicago-based company, said approximately 250 employees are presently on reservist duty.

Boeing offers its reservist employees five years of differential pay. ``And so far, we haven't had an issue with filling positions or moving people around,'' Mercer said.

Evan Pondel, [phone]

evan.pondel(at)dailynews.com