For those unfamiliar with 100 years of military strategy or culture, military families move around a lot. They may be based at Fort Moore this year and at Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg) next year. For the spouses of military members, this can be a frustrating, and possibly expensive, experience.
Expensive because far too often, when a spouse has to quit their job for a forced move, picking up a job with equal pay in time for the move is difficult. As evidence, military spouse unemployment has been over 20 percent for more than three decades now, some six times the national unemployment rate. More than a third of military families cite spousal employment difficulties as a reason for leaving active duty.
Legislation sponsored by Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff – the READINESS Act – and a host of fellow co-sponsors, would strengthen the flexibility for spouses working for the Federal government to maintain their jobs or help them find a similar job near the new base. If a military spouse is eligible for a transfer or can work remotely, this legislation would require they be retained under those conditions. With five Republican sponsors, four Democrat sponsors and two independents, the legislation certainly qualifies under the bipartisan label.
“Servicemembers and their families make tremendous sacrifices to keep our country safe, and many face frequent moves across the country and around the world during their time in service,” Sen. Ossoff said. “I’m working to bring Republicans and Democrats together to support military spouses.”
The bill was first introduced back in December by U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), and Jacky Rosen (D-NV). Developed with the aid of current and former federally employed military spouses, the bill could ultimately help save money through lower employee turnover, as well as increasing military family morale. The economic situation around many bases means it can often be difficult to find a similar-paying job should the spouse leave their current position.
“Military spouses are critical support systems in their families—and I’m proud to lead the bipartisan READINESS Act to provide job and career support to them when their spouse faces deployment or transfer,” said Sen. Murkowski. “This legislation creates flexibilities that already exist in the federal government, and can help to retain quality workers while also ensuring that the spouses of servicemembers can support their families. Our military spouses do so much for our country—and we should do what we can to make their service better.”
