Federal prosecutors are suing the Jerome County Sheriff's Office over allegations the law enforcement agency intentionally refused to rehire a member of the Idaho Army National Guard.
U.S. Attorney Wendy Olson filed the lawsuit in federal court Monday on behalf of Mervin Jones.
The lawsuit accuses sheriff department administrators of terminating Jones while he was recovering from a knee injury suffered in 2004 while serving in Iraq and re-injuring in 2008 during weekend training exercises.
The lawsuit accuses the sheriff's office of violating the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994.
Jones began working for the department as a corrections officer in 2002, and by 2007 had risen to the rank of corporal.
A telephone message left Monday with the Jerome County Attorney was not immediately returned.