Protecting the country, paying with their careers
An opinion piece by Yasmin Lukatz examining the economic and employment harm to reserve soldiers since October 7. The author presents data on the extent of reserve duty days, reports of professional harm affecting 64% of reservists, and proposes the "Reserve Service Seal" initiative as a new national standard that would make employing reservists a business interest through economic incentives and government preference.
An opinion piece by Yasmin Lukatz addressing the economic and employment harm to reserve soldiers since October 7, 2023. The author opens with an anecdote about a woman who said "just not a reservist" in the context of matchmaking, and analyzes how the term has become complicated in the job market. The article presents data: 26 million reserve duty days from October 2023 to the end of 2023 compared to 1.8 million in all of 2022; over 305,000 soldiers were mobilized in 2025; 64% of reservists reported professional harm including delayed promotions and loss of bonuses. The author argues that existing solutions focus on negative incentives like protection from dismissal, and proposes the "Reserve Service Seal" initiative - a voluntary moral standard for employers. The seal is intended to measure companies' conduct in recruitment, retention, promotion, and return to work. The author proposes economic incentives including tax credits based on service days, automatic "burden-bearing" grants, and preference in government tenders for businesses holding the seal. The central event described is a gathering at the President's Residence with leading CEOs. The author concludes that four arms are needed: the soldier, the family, the employer, and the state.