Supportive employers and their reservist employees from across Victoria converged on Federation Square, Melbourne, recently for the Victorian Employer Support Awards.

The annual awards night is held to recognise employers throughout the state who go above and beyond to support their Australian Defence Force reservist employees.

Army Reservist Major James Eling, of Army's 2/10 Field Regiment, nominated his Melbourne-based civilian employer Extreme Networks for the awards in recognition of their flexible leave arrangements and supportive working environment.

"Extreme Networks is a family-owned IT business based in Carrum Downs on the Mornington Peninsula. The company was founded in 1999, with the aim of taking care of the computers whilst our customers take care of business," Major Eling said.

"They enabled me to take leave for over 14 months to support Operation COVID-19 Assist. I served as a strategic planner within the state control centre.

"The company understood the importance of the work I was conducting as a reservist and worked together to ensure the team, and our customers, were supported as best as possible during the pandemic."

Head of Joint Support Services Division Major General Douglas Laidlaw congratulated the award winners and thanked all employers throughout Victoria who support their Defence reservist employees.

"Every day, employers throughout the nation support reservists through a range of flexible working arrangements and policies. The support provided is not only valued by the reservist, but more broadly the entire ADF," Major General Laidlaw said.

"Reservists acquire a wide range of skills, qualities and experience through their Defence training. These are qualities they take back to the workplace.

"Anyone who employs a Defence reservist has a valuable member on their team; an employee whose training and service ethic drives performance and effectiveness."

There is a range of incentives on offer for support to employers of reservists.

The award winners were:

  • Private Sector - Small: Extreme Networks
  • Private Sector - Medium: Valentino Garavani
  • Private Sector - Large: Employers Mutual Limited (EML)
  • Not For Profit: Epworth HealthCare (Epworth Geelong)
  • Public Sector: The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne
  • Public Sector: Horsham Primary School
  • Honourable Mention Private Sector - Large: Patrick Terminals
  • Honourable Mention Public Sector: St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne
  • Honourable Mention Not for Profit: Western Health