Truman settles police officer, Schutz's employment claim

The southern Minnesota city of Truman and the federal government have settled an employment claim filed by a police officer who served in Kuwait.

The U.S. Justice Department had sued the city for not giving Navy reservist Michael Schutz (shoots) his full-time job back after he served overseas in the military.

The lawsuit alleged the city violated federal law by making Schutz a part-time officer. The city denied violating the law and maintained it had shifted Shutz to part-time solely for budgetary reasons.

Under the agreement, Truman must pay Schutz $11,000 — the value of unpaid benefits — and provide him with 40 additional hours of vacation time for 2012 and 2013.

Schutz returned to full-time work as a police office last March. He says all he wanted was his job back.

Jon Iverson, an attorney for Truman, says the city settled to avoid litigation expenses.