reason of an employment contract or agreement or an employer policy, plan, or practice and includes rights and benefits under a pension plan, a health plan, an employee stock ownership plan, insurance coverage and awards, bonuses, severance pay, supplemental unemployment benefits, vacations, and the opportunity to select work hours or location of employment. 38 U.S.C. § 4303(2). Thus, it is clear from this language that the “rights and benefits” of employment are not limited to wages, health and pension benefits, but includes all other rights which the employer by contract provides for eligible employees. Under the case law interpreting this section, the benefits of employment are to be viewed expansively. See Yates v. Merit Systems Protection Board, 145 F.3d 1480, 1484 (Fed.Cir.1998) (<HOLDING>); Petersen v. Dept. of Interior, 71 M.S.P.R.
holding that benefits were to be construed expansively and ineluded employer training and evaluation holding that ems training lieutenants position met criteria because the lieutenants developed coordinated implemented and conducted ems training programs  prepared lesson plans and training aids supervised delivery of training and tests and evaluated new equipment holding  2513 to be jurisdictional and therefore must be strictly construed holding that sheriffs and deputy sheriffs enforcing motor vehicle laws were required to meet the training requirements of the former municipal police officers education and training act 53 ps  7417491 repealed holding that the selective training and service act of 1940 is to be liberally construed for the benefit of those who left private life to serve their country in its hour of great need