http://www.military.com/spouse/fs/0,,fs_BillHelpsSpouses,00.html?ESRC=mscc.nl

Interesting reading. I am going to write my congressman.

I dont know if this re-introduced employment act really does much. Employers still must ensure the applicants are qualified equally. They still must assess the impact a military spouse brings to the workplace with the potential for PCS eventhough no one knows if a civilian will leave any more quickly or often. will it encourage 'needy' businesses in hiring mil.spouses who are not as qualified but bring financial/tax incentives? How does that make the civilian applicant feel? Granted its a tax break on the first $6K earned so its not a huge incentive overall- so does it really make a difference as it is?

Be fully knowledgeable by sharing your own experiences and using documented studies
Working Around the Military Challenge to Military Spouse Employment & Education

The researchers found that military spouses’ occupational choices are, in general, very similar to those of civilian spouses, suggesting that, in terms of occupational choice at least, military spouses are not being
deterred from their desired careers.

The variety of motives for working suggests that future policies addressing military spouse employment need to be cognizant of the different reasons different types of spouses work.

However, the data suggest that as many as one-third of stay-at-home spouses were
reluctantly out of the workforce, because they mentioned at least one barrier to their working.

Almost two-thirds of spouses interviewed felt that being a military spouse had negatively affected their work opportunities. About onethird believed that their circumstance had no effect on their work opportunities, and a small number of spouses actually perceived a
positive effect.

Slightly fewer than one-tenth of those interviewed believed that they had educationally benefited from being a military spouse. The remaining majority of spouses were split, with approximately half of them believing that their educational opportunities had suffered negatively and half perceiving no effect on their education.

Spouses Suggest Ways for the Military to Improve Their Employment or Educational Opportunities

Increasing affordability and accessibility of education

Improving military child care programs

Approximately one-quarter of spouses felt that the existing spouse employment and educational programs were already sufficient; that the military did as much as it could, given the limitations of the military
lifestyle; or that the military should not become involved in issues related to spouse employment or education.

Recommendations Addressing Military Spouse
Employment Opportunities

Continue to Address Military Child Care Availability and Affordability

Pursue Relationships with Local Employers

Pursue Spouse Employment Incentives with Military Contractors

Reexamine the Priority System for Civil Service Jobs

Address Licensing and Certification Hurdles

Tailor Spouse Employment Programs and Policies to Appropriate Audience

Raise Awareness About Existing Spouse Employment Programs

Become a More Family-Friendly Employer

For those who do not know who your local Congressmembers are, here is a link that can get you right to them--both the Senate and the House.

Vote Smart

To be honest with you, moving around has impacted my being hired and being a military spouse has been frowned upon by employers when I interview so I try not to bring it up until after I am hired.

I am a nurse in the Occupational Health/Insurance fields and my frequent switching of jobs is ALWAYS brought up at interviews.

So ANY advantage I get I will pursue. It is not slighting the civilian spouse. Civilian spouses do not have the challenges of relocating frequently and having various states of employment listed on their resume. I have a VERY impressive resume with many years experience but are still faced with the challenges of securing a job at a new location.

I love very much being a military spouse and would not give that up for anything, however I think employers need to be more sensitive to the special needs of military spouses as job candidates. They could possibly be losing out on hiring a fantastic employee only because they don't want to hire someone with frequent job changes.

The onus is on ME, the potential applicant to present myself as one being able to conquer the challenges presented in a mil. life. They are challenges and opportunities that have made me into the RIGHT candidate for the job. If other employers have taken the risk, then that employer should too. My resume should read 'why I'm your right person'

The incentive is minimal at best but it shouldnt be large to begin with. This is a system issue as well as candidate problem when they cant present the right picture to the hiring party.

I cant support something that creates a bias towards another party. I cant support something that doesnt create positive changes in the military spouses life. I'd rather see more done to help mil. spouses alleve the challenges through strengthening their abilities and knowledge vs. having to coax employers to ante up for a small amount of money. I wouldnt want to know that as a civilian I wasnt hired (all things being equal) b/c the employer recvd an $ incentive for hiring the a mil.spouse (eventho it exists in the mil.world)

My current organization hired me b/c of my strengths and potential. They've hired plenty of mil.spouses based on the same thing- not b/c they would get money back.

For me it's kind of hard because some of my relevant experience has been overseas and the first thing they ask is whether or not I ever was in the military and I tell them my husband is but I assure them that I'll be here for a while because I've been here for 4 years and he just got reassigned to Charlottesville and we have a house where I am. So as long as he is in Charlottesville that's how long I'm here.

But I agree, being a milspouse does negatively affect my employability. I have education AND experience out the wazoo and I can't get a decent job because of the military. It's not that I'm not qualified, they are all afraid, even if they don't say it, that they don't like hiring milspouses.

so very true. although i have to say i have been lucky to find a job when we moved but still. it pains me to know that others cannot and that we are not taken seriously.

I'm a Navy wife with two degrees and I don't ever have a hard time finding a job due to being military--and my pay is usually great, except for in the state of Virginia because their pay is low and their cost-of-living is high. If congress really wants to help, they should pass a bill that provides military spouses with some sort of financial aid because the key to getting that good job, is education.

I think the Military Spouse Employment Act is a very good idea. I'm astounded that it hasn't passed yet. What's the hold up?

As an Air Force spouse, I have two degrees- BA in History and an MAT in Social Studies. I've tried to get my foot into the door of teaching. I've subbed on and off for 5 years in New York, Alabama, and Colorado. I've honestly tried to get teaching jobs and always seem to get the door slammed in my face. I'm thinking of getting my certification in Elementary Education but that is still more money down the tubes (that I'll never see again). I've only ever been able to substitute teach but the pay is lousy (between 12-15 K or 70-100 dollars per diem) so I've gone back to office administration. DO NOT go into substitute teaching if you want to make teaching your career.

It often takes me at least a YEAR to find a job. Job searching is often frustrating and self-esteem breaking. When I do find a job it is usually with a temp agency and usually pays only $8.30-13.00/hour. If you're looking for a really good paying job beyond that, avoid hourly work.

I feel like many military spouses like me are excluded from the larger economy in the country. I especially felt it in Montgomery, AL and Colorado Springs, CO where I've had prospective employers tell me, "we don't hire military spouses." This is job discrimination and these people constantly get away with it. There are talented, well-educated, hard-working military spouses out there but they're often shuffled aside (in both the civilian and federal systems) because they'll MOVE.

This circumstance is especially true in Hampton Roads, VA where I currently live. While katjaw, a Navy spouse, may have really good luck finding well-paying employment, the reason is that the Navy often stays longer in one spot. The Air Force, Army, and Marine Corps often do not. It's a well-known secret in the community that military spouses are discriminated against (especially the Air Force spouses). What I found particularly troubling is how military prime contractors and sub-contractors often discriminate against them.

I'm in a situation right now where I work for a Naval sub-contractor who would not have hired me had they known I was a military spouse. In the interview, they asked me if my husband was active duty and all I told them was that, "no, he works for the federal government." I got this job through a temp agency who is also not offering me support when I tell them my supervisor continues to ask me this question. It is none of their business and has no bearing on what kind of employee I am. They should know better but they are no better.

I wonder how enforcible this legislation will be if passed. Why not add some anti-military spouse discrimination to it as well? Everybody should have a fair shake at a job (in both the civilian and federal systems) regardless of whether their spouse is active duty. Am I wrong?

There is nothing 'enforceable' in this legislation. Its opportunity for businesses to get a tax-credit for hiring military spouses, its optional if pursued by the business.

Do you document explicit langauage that states 'we dont hire military spouses'? and if so who have you taken this to for recourse?

I think there needs to be more training and education towards business on the perks and benefits of hiring military spouses aside from the turnover. Its apparent that companies who shy away from military spouses should not be companies we aspire to work for. If businesses participate in effective HR planning they will be able to look TOWARDS mil.spouses with open arms and use our skills versus avoiding us.

Military spouses should not be a protected group like minorities, disabled and women. (eventhough mil.spouses are typically female) as there is nothing historically barring you from working (Such as education, wealth or patronage) or physically barring you from work.

This would be considered disparate impact because an employment practice effects a category of applicants. If you could prove that the business has intent to NOT hire military spouses, then you may have a case.
Disparate treatment would be for you to prove that you would be hired lest for your protected traits of disability, gender, race or religion.

Why isnt it ok for a business owner or public service agency to determine that hiring a military spouse is not appropriate for their area of work? That is their perogative and there is little anything can be done for most private sector companies. Most legal reqments are for govt and govt contractors.

Businesses have to know who is working for them at a given time and military spouses can not always predict their movements? What if you were a business owner hiring mil.spouses and they were constantly in/out of positions. Now if the business were acclimated to it, had resources to recruit future staff, they may not be against hiring mil.spouses but if they dont have those abilities, then they should be very sure that they want to bring in a mil.spouse who is very likely to leave the company.

These are some great responses. I understand why employers would be reluctant to hire military spouse but on the other hand we still need a source of income. I have two graduate degress, prior Army, and a Disable Veteran yet I still sometimes have a hard time finding employment that pays a decent salary. Especially, with the rising costs of child care, good salaried jobs are hard to acquire. I've found the best defense against the employment blues is to work for yourself. Get paid what you're worth not minimum wages, work around my family's schedule, and benefit from the tax advantages that Uncle Sam has for home-based business owners. Just image being your own boss and making more income than you've ever made working for someone else. When I learned about the tremendous opportunity, I immediately began researching it. If you're tired of the employment blues, check out My goal is to the hero in my family for a change and soon retire my husband from the military.

read the terms of service as well as the stickied threads in the main Spouses community Forum. advertising is NOT allowed here.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Mrsjvb,

I'd like to see financial aid for online education for spouses, and state college money to create and expand online programs. Access to education can be limited by constantly moving around, and I've found very few places where I can finish my major- and it's not offered online at all. Expanding online programs will help everyone, with or without military connections, and offering aid for online courses will make it easier for mil spouses to get the credits they need.

I think something does need to be done for the military spouses. I worked for Wal-mart for 11 years. My husbands schedule was starting to get real hectic and I asked if I could go to days and explained the situation about my husbands schedule and childcare was hard to find overnight. Well the store manager told me" ya know..Assistant Manager Jodi's wife is in the Navy and I accomadate him so he can take care of his kids, but as for you there is no such schedule." I don't understand. I even voluntered to go part time during the days as long as I could get out by the time daycare closed. So, I quit my job of 11 years and I will never go back to that company. The store manager wouldn't move me to days but a couple friends I worked with overnight went and talked to her and didn't even go through the steps and got a day shift. I went through the steps and was overlooked every time.

That's a crappy company behaving badly, not discrimination against employing you because you are a military spouse.

i almost advertised. i didn't read what i was supposed to. sorry everyone. i understand what everyone's saying though. you know, it might sound crazy but would anyone here like to share some ideas on what types of home-based biz any one of us could get into that doesn't cost an arm & a leg to start up? in fact, would anyone here be interested in having a get-together in the hopes to shed some light on the importance of military spouses as well as military personnel? i'm just throwing ideas out there.

GTG:

Respectfully, I disagree. I don't want to be treated like a preferred class but I also want a fair shake (as do any of us). Yes, I work for a crappy company who refuses to turn me permanent (even though it was a temporary to permanent position) so I'm searching other avenues right now.

I firmly believe that it is a copout what you say, though, about businesses. Why employ those who are National Guard or Reserve? Is it fair to terminate those employees when they deploy because it's no longer appropriate to employ them? I think you've stated in the past that you work in the human resources field so I understand your point of reference.

I've tried getting into contracting and federal employment without much luck. Should I hide away at home, GTG, instead of trying to help out my family? I do plan on taking a few years off to have a baby so I'm sure I won't miss much from either teaching or the admin field (since it seems I'm not the person they ever want to hire anyway). I am a writer and am hoping to finish a book I'm working on. Wouldn't it be ironic that the spouse always passed over for employment is suddenly sought after as a writer? Now that I can sink my teeth into!

It's realy quite sad that instead of supporting fellow spouses, GTG, you'd rather we all just not find employment because, dear God, how would it impact the company's bottom line? This is the very attitude I resent and have seen through my 8 years as an Air Force spouse. So, if you have marketable skills and the experience the company is searching for, you don't count because you leave in 3 years (which is what many people who aren't military spouses do anyway)?

As to the proof of said discimination I described earlier, a temp agency recruiter basically told me over the phone that a prospective employer was not interested in hiring me because I was a military spouse. Did I imagine that? I promptly declined to use that temp agency ever again. I've also seen what happens when you lodge a complaint with a state's labor department... it goes nowhere.

I strongly resent people telling me that after years of working my butt off in undergraduate and graduate settings, as well as employment before, during, and after those periods, that I deserve to have the door slammed in my face because I'm a military spouse. I move every 3 years, adjust to the ups and downs, and work the jobs (like subbing) that pay squat or don't have appropriate compensation/benefits.

I also think it's a bit far-fetched to suggest that a business won't hire a military spouse who will leave in 3 years but they'll hire a civilian employee who will stay on an average of 3 years until they find something better or leave for some other reason. Do you not see the similarities? People leave jobs all the time for a variety of reasons: spouses job relocation, sickness/death in the family, having a baby, etc.

You see, military spouses really are no different from other civilians except who they have chosen to marry. That's it. I would suggest to any spouse currently looking for a job: when you get asked that dreaded question- is your spouse in the military, just say, no, he works for the federal government. Don't give specifics or too much info. If you're good enough to get an interview, it shouldn't matter who you married. What matters is your skill set and your experience. Period.

Well I know how everyone here feels. It seems like they don't take you seriously because you have had multiple jobs over the last so many years, and have moved so many places, etc. etc. It's such a pain in the rear, and even places that are supposed to be so called military spouse friendly, really aren't that friendly. Let's not even get into the childcare issue. I mean seriously, what's the point of working just to pay over a thousand dollars in childcare every month?! That's even IF you can find a decent place that has an opening. Our base, at hurlburt, has a year long waiting list for the cdc!! There is something terribly wrong with the systems here. When we were stationed in england, i was paying 1340.00 a month for child care. Who can afford that?! Besides the fact even trying to find a decent paying job. I just can't believe how terrible things have gotten for us all. It's so sad that most of us are trying to do the right thing by going to school full time and working full time so we can pay for school, and trying to raise a family while the husband is gone.
Once we moved here to hurby, after looking for a job that paid more than 8.00 an hour for more than six months, I just gave up. I decided to work from home, not at home, just from home so I could pay for my school. The grants and scholarships just aren't enough!

Oh and emjem, I did want to point out one thing. I agree with everything that you said on your post. However, I wouldn't omit the fact that you're married to military. Because if something did come up such as a deployment and you have children and something happens, then how are you going to explain all of that to your boss? I dont' think that dishonesty, or even omitting certain facts is a good idea. It most likely would get someone fired if they were in that situation, and that would look way worse, especially to future employers.

though not getting hired because your a mil.spouse and getting fired cause you're a mil.spouse is completely different. who you're married to is never a legitimate reason to not get hired, but it's DEFINITELY, ABSOLUTELY NO reason to get fired...

they cannot use your marriage to a soldier as means to fire you. sure if it happens, you can explain that you knew they wouldn't hire you, but at the same time, it will make them look way worse, AND every owner/boss has to enter in a legitimate reason to have fired an employee, so if the reason fo ryou getting fired is cause of your marriage status, then you can take it to court... hands down.

You must go through the Military.com Administration Office on order to get permission to do what you are wanting to do.

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