20 C.F.R. § 1002.7

How does USERRA relate to other laws, public and private contracts, and employer practices?

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(a) USERRA establishes a floor, not a ceiling, for the employment and reemployment rights and benefits of those it protects. In other words, an employer may provide greater rights and benefits than USERRA requires, but no employer can refuse to provide any right or benefit guaranteed by USERRA.

(b) USERRA supersedes any State law (including any local law or ordinance), contract, agreement, policy, plan, practice, or other matter that reduces, limits, or eliminates in any manner any right or benefit provided by USERRA, including the establishment of additional prerequisites to the exercise of any USERRA right or the receipt of any USERRA benefit. For example, an employment contract that determines seniority based only on actual days of work in the place of employment would be superseded by USERRA, which requires that seniority credit be given for periods of absence from work due to service in the uniformed services.

(c) USERRA does not supersede, nullify or diminish any Federal or State law (including any local law or ordinance), contract, agreement, policy, plan, practice, or other matter that establishes an employment right or benefit that is more beneficial than, or is in addition to, a right or benefit provided under the Act. For example, although USERRA does not require an employer to pay an employee for time away from work performing service, an employer policy, plan, or practice that provides such a benefit is permissible under USERRA.

(d) If an employer provides a benefit that exceeds USERRA's requirements in one area, it cannot reduce or limit other rights or benefits provided by USERRA. For example, even though USERRA does not require it, an employer may provide a fixed number of days of paid military leave per year to employees who are members of the National Guard or Reserve. The fact that it provides such a benefit, however, does not permit an employer to refuse to provide an unpaid leave of absence to an employee to perform service in the uniformed services in excess of the number of days of paid military leave.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 17 cases (8 in the last 5 years), 2006–2026 · leading case: Rodney Bodine v. Cook's Pest Control, Inc.
Rodney Bodine v. Cook's Pest Control, Inc. (2016) ca11 · cites it 2× “§ 4302 (a); see also 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 (c). To ensure our servicemen and women benefit from these terms, § 4302(a) mandates that no provision of USERRA be read to “supersede, nullify or diminish any .”
Eric White v. UAL (2021) ca7 “2002); see also 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 (c). In the alternative, the court held as a matter of law that jury duty and military leave are not comparable for the purposes of USERRA, and so the statute’s equal-benefits rule does not apply.”
Eric Gross v. PPG Industries, Inco (2011) ca7 · cites it 2× “3d at 867 ; see also 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 (c) (“USERRA does not supersede, nullify or dimmish any .”
Crews v. City of Mt. Vernon (2009) ca7 “” 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 (a). Nothing about our holding suggests that employers should not continue to provide greater benefits as they are able, much like the Department in this case did for several years by giving Guard employees work scheduling preferences.”
Garrett v. Circuit City Stores, Inc. (2006) ca5 “In the regulations concerning USERRA, 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 , there is no mention of mandatory arbitration.”
Behalf v. Am. Airlines Grp., Inc. (2019) paed “Scanlan calls our attention to another Department of Labor regulation under USERRA which mirrors what he alleges here and requires payment to those on short-term military duty when paid non-military leave is granted in comparable situations.”
Duffer v. United Continental Holdings, Inc. (2016) ilnd “20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 (c). Section 1002.7(c) expressly states: “USERRA does, not require an employer to pay- an employee for time away from work performing service.”
Tolle v. PocketSonics, Inc. (2018) vawd · cites it 2× “" 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 . "In other words, an employer may provide greater rights and benefits than USERRA requires, but no employer can refuse to provide any right or benefit guaranteed by USERRA.”
United States v. United States Territory of Guam (2023) gud · cites it 2× “” 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 (a) (emphasis added); see also Crews v.”
Adam McLean v. Delta Air Lines, Inc. (2026) ca11 · cites it 2× “See 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 (a) (explaining the Act “establishes a floor, not a ceiling, for the em- USCA11 Case: 24-11946 Document: 48-1 Date Filed: 04/22/2026 Page: 15 of 18 24-11946 Opinion of the Court 15 ployment and reemployment rights and benefits of those it pro- tects” and…”
Eric White v. UAL (2021) ca7 “2002); see also 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 (c). In the alternative, the court held as a matter of law that jury duty and military leave are not comparable for the purposes of USERRA, and so the statute’s equal-benefits rule does not apply.”
McSwain v. World Fuel Services Corporation (2022) flsd “Defendant’s contention that it is entitled to reimbursement because it exceeded its obligations under USERRA, is equally unavailing as 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 (c) expressly states that “USERRA does not supersede, nullify or diminish any Federal or State law (including any local law…”
— 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7(a) — 1 case
Adam McLean v. Delta Air Lines, Inc. (2026) ca11 “See 20 C.F.R. § 1002.7 (a) (explaining the Act “establishes a floor, not a ceiling, for the em- USCA11 Case: 24-11946 Document: 48-1 Date Filed: 04/22/2026 Page: 15 of 18 24-11946 Opinion of the Court 15 ployment and reemployment rights and benefits of those it pro- tects” and…”
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