Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 20, 1993                   TAG: 9310200128
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: By BRIAN KELLEY staff writer
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG                                LENGTH: Medium

NICK RUSH COULD LOSE JOB IF ELECTED DELEGATE

But if Rush emerges from Election Day the victor over Democrat Jim Shuler, he may have to give up something else.

His job.

Rush, 25, confirmed Monday that he's been told by his employer of four years, Federal Express, that he could lose his job if he wins.

Rush, a Christiansburg native with a wife and two small children, joined the delivery company the day before the Army formally discharged him in 1989.

Opponent Shuler, 49, is a Blacksburg veterinarian who owns Companion Animal Clinic on South Main Street.

Federal Express, at least for now, is unwilling to give him the time off work he'd need to be a Virginia legislator representing the 12th District, Rush said. But there may be room for negotiation if he wins, he said.

Federal Express spokesman Armand Schneider said company policy prohibits him from discussing any individual employee or situation.

He said that employees may request leaves of up to three months from their supervisors. Approval of that leave would depend on a number of factors, including purpose of the leave and how easily the company could deal with the employee's absence. Virginia's part-time legislature is stocked full of lawyers and other businesswomen and men who can set their own schedules. House members earn $17,640 annually.

Working-class members are a rarity, and Rush acknowledges his work schedule has affected, to some extent, his ability to campaign.

Though he's currently taking three weeks off to campaign full time, he said he was unable to take off during the last week before the election because a co-worker with more seniority had already arranged to take a vacation.

Rush, elected to the Montgomery County Board of Supervisors in 1991 at age 23, said he told his boss of his intention to run for the House earlier this year.

Rush said he was told then it would not be a problem. The Roanoke office also did not object, Rush said.

But a supervisor at the regional office in Richmond later took exception and told him the company would not be able to give him that much time off, Rush said. That supervisor has since left the company, he said.

Rush disclosed his job dilemma at an appearance before a class at Blacksburg High School last week.

Rush said he believes the problem is the amount of time the legislature would consume - 1994 will be a 60-day session - not any political issues.

"We might work it out yet," Rush said. "I'm not going to push it until after the election."

Keywords:
POLITICS