Pictured left to right is Tyler Steele, RD, Sodexo, at RWJUH Hamilton; Evelyn Cava, Director, Dietary Management at RWJUH Hamilton; and Pat Ward, Mercer County ESGR office of the Department of Defense.
Evelyn Cava, Directory of Dietary Management at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton (RWJUH Hamilton), an RWJBarnabas Health Facility, was awarded the Employer Support of The Guard and Reserve (ESGR) Patriot Award during a special ceremony held at the hospital on Wednesday, March 18. The Department of Defense award recognizes individual supervisors for outstanding support of employees serving in the National Guard and Reserve. This support includes providing flexible schedules and time off prior to and after deployment, caring for families and granting leaves of absence if needed. Evelyn was nominated by Captain Tyler B. Steele, United States Army Reservist, Court Master Officer and Registered Dietitian at Sodexo, the culinary team at RWJUH Hamilton.
Patricia Ward, from the ESGR office of the Department of Defense, presented Evelyn with the award on behalf of the all-volunteer group that supports the guard and Army reservists around the world. Tyler nominated Evelyn for supporting him with his responsibilities and duties at the hospital as well as with the United States Army. As an Army Reservist, Tyler must periodically leave his job and family—serving one weekend per month and four weeks per year—and may also be called away required for additional training, leadership responsibilities or deployment. During the ceremony, he explained how Evelyn has supported him in fulfilling his responsibilities at RWJUH Hamilton by coordinating scheduling, collaborating with him one-on-one and helping him meet his military commitments. “More importantly, Evelyn never treated me differently or less important despite my unpredictable schedule as an officer and my commander position,” said Tyler.
The ESGR consists of three groups who perform employer outreach, military outreach and Ombudsman services. The Army Reserve is protected by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) of 1994, a federal law that protects civilian job rights, benefits and reinstatement for veterans, Reserve and National Guard members. It also prohibits employment discrimination based on military service and ensures employees can return to their civilian jobs with the seniority and benefits they would have attained.
Evelyn was joined at the ceremony by her husband, Miles, and her toddler son, Emmett, and was celebrated by dietary, environmental services and nursing team members, as well as hospital senior leadership, including William Distanislao, Vice President of Operations, and Meghan McCord, Vice President of Quality, Patient Safety & Risk.
Pictured is Evelyn at the celebration with her husband, Miles, and her toddler son, Emmett, dietary, environmental services and nursing team members, as well as hospital senior leadership, including William Distanislao, Vice President of Operations, and Meghan McCord, Vice President of Quality, Patient Safety & Risk.
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