Military Spouse Network
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According to the Department of Labor, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 was enacted to help “balance the demands of the workplace with the needs of families.” Anyone who has attempted to juggle the demands of being a parent or spouse with being an employee knows how difficult this task can be.
The additional stress of being a parent or spouse in the military community can make finding and keeping a job even harder. For this reason, the military community has been a primary focus for FMLA legislation over the past 20 years. Recent changes to FMLA specifically address issues faced by the military community.
Holding down a traditional 9-5 can be a challenge for military spouses, who may face frequent re-locations and additional responsibilities due to the demands of their service member’s career. Finding a job outside the home that is compatible with the often unpredictable military spouse lifestyle isn’t easy. Indeed, the unemployment rate among military spouses is estimated to be about 26 percent — more than three times the current national rate.
Many military spouses have found that self-owned businesses offer the mobility and flexibility they need. Think you have what it takes to be your own boss? Read on for tips from military spouses-turned-entrepreneurs and a list of specific start-up resources available to military families.
Unemployment is a major problem facing military spouses and it seems that state licensure regulations aren’t helping the issue.
Anyone familiar with the military lifestyle knows that moving is an unavoidable aspect. Maintaining meaningful long-term employment for military spouses through several moves is a crushing stressor for military families.
First Lady Michelle Obama recently announced that 11 employers will add 15,000 military-friendly jobs in the next two years.
Nearly a U.S. dozen companies have pledged to add 15,000 jobs for military spouses and veterans over the next two years.
First Lady Michelle Obama recently made the announcement as her “Joining Forces” program neared its one-year anniversary. The initiative aims to spread awareness and support military families by focusing on education, employment and wellness.
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Confidence and preparation can help stay-at-home parents re-enter the workforce successfully.
College graduates aren’t the only ones nervous about building résumés and interviewing for jobs. Military and civilian stay at home parents removed from the workforce for years can struggle to return to a changed landscape.
But confidence and careful preparation can help ease the transition.
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Keep your eyes off the clock and avoid short time syndrome.
“Honey, we’ve got orders” are four of the most powerful words in the military community. Once you hear them you know you’ve got to pack up, move bases and essentially start over in a new place and make new friends.
A common tip in the military community is to try and anticipate these changes. But what happens when an expectation of moving in the future keeps you from enjoying life where you are now?
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The Military Spouse Residency Relief Act was created because of the difficulties military families faced when moving to a new state. Since moving is a given with the military lifestyle the legislation makes an effort to ease the burden of changing state residencies every two to three years.
For years military spouses were left struggling to find new jobs, shuffling stacks of paperwork and tiptoeing around miles of red tape just to get settled in a new state. The Military Spouse Residency Relief Act, signed in 2009, makes these moves a little bit easier in that it allows military families to move without having to change their state residence!
Military spouses should all be aware of this legislation and how the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act works in your favor to relieve some stress when you’re faced with your next PCS. See More
Being jobless is tough on all members of a military family. Filing for unemployment can be a big help in getting your feet back on solid financial ground. See More
Military spouses may not always have an easy time finding or keeping a job in the frequently changing military lifestyle. A need for flexibility and high chance of relocation may leave some spouses without many options and result in a peaked interest for work-at-home offers.
Unfortunately, if a spouse decides to take this route, they must be very cautious. According to LAPD financial crime detective Robert Rebhan, approximately 98 percent of work-at-home pitches are scams.
Here are 3 scam signs to prevent you from falling victim: See More
Military service members are not the only ones who may struggle to find employment after serving. Military spouses face challenges with employers as well. Given the potential for instability regarding duty location, deployments, temporary assignments and other challenges, military spouses may not be able to establish a steady job or education path to build or spruce up a resume.
While spouses may not easily develop a career-based resume, they can create a skill set for future career endeavors. Here are ways to develop and apply employer-desired skills: See More
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