More states offer benefits to spouses forced to quit jobs

[CommunityEditor]

New Jersey, Arkansas, South Carolina and Connecticut have joined the list of states that now allow military spouses to collect unemployment compensation when they must quit their jobs to follow their service members to new duty stations.

According to the Defense Department, 21 states now allow trailing military spouses to receive unemployment benefits. Eight states deny such benefits outright; the rest consider such requests on a case-by-case basis.

The Pentagon is working this issue hard. Since defense officials launched a “USA 4 Military Families” state partnership program three years ago, 13 states have changed their policies to let spouses get unemployment compensation.

Ten regional representatives act as liaisons between the military services and state policymakers to provide information and resources on key quality-of-life issues.

“This monetary bridge, when necessary, is important for sustaining family income while adjusting to the continual stress of relocation,” Arsht said in a press release.

Family advocates applaud the states’ changes, as well as the Defense Department’s efforts to educate states on the importance of this and other issues to military families.

“I see it as a part of what DoD is doing today to connect these folks to military families and their communities,” said Joyce Raezer, chief operating officer for the National Military Family Association.

“For years, DoD’s attitude was that they couldn’t do anything about it, it wasn’t their issue,” Raezer said. “But now they are saying that if military spouse careers are important to retention, maybe they need to step up and do what they can to help spouses.”



Article: http://www.armytimes.com/benefits/fa...ejobs_071002w/

[The Universal Curmudgeon_guest]

Oh Gosh, common sense and reason have raised their ugly heads.

What's going to happen next - only "studying" things that are actually important (even if it means that some General's Nephew actually has to find productive employment rather than playing golf four days a week and then holding a committee meeting with the other underemployed O-5+s on the fifth.

[sherijon1202]

Can anyone please tell me what are the other 4 states that offer benefits to spouses forced to quit their jobs? A Marine Wife being forced to move due to military seperation...

go back to the article, there is a picture of a lady looking at job postings - click on next picture and there is a map showing you which states are participating.

best of luck to you, i will be joing you in that same endeavor here in a few months - and i'm pregnant too. Makes it even harder to get work when you are showing...

[*carolyn*]

This article was posted back in ’06. I was just wondering if anyone knows if the laws have changed in Virginia. I am also being forced to quit my job – I’ll be leaving in the next 2 months. I am 4 months pregnant now and doubt I will be able to find another position any time soon. We are moving to another high cost area so I would be happy to even get partial benefits.

Thanks.

[THELADYKT]

Hey Carolyn. I'm assuming you are moving to Virginia then. Nothing has changed that I can find. My guess is it probably wont at the state level either. I think its mainly because there is such a concentration of military in that general area, it would kill the state budget.

On a positive note, I did find some organizations that are trying to get a federal statute passed that spouses will be able to get if the state denied claims. But probably too far out to help you.

Sorry.

[*carolyn*]

TheLadyKT, thank you for the response. I didn’t think Virginia would be close to passing something like that. You’re right; there is a high contraction of us here. I am moving from the DC area to the Chicago area. I told my employer that I would stay until the middle of June. Quitting my job was not an easy decision for me but I guess I will have to do it again someday.

[THELADYKT]

I think that was smart. Give your employer the time they need to find another employee AND leave on good terms so they will (hopefully) give you great recommendations when you next potential employeer calls.

My current employer knows that I will only be here about 2 years and that I will tell them as soon as I know anything (My hubby is still AD; I'm retired). Of course it helps that they are a contractor working for the military.

[kpspivey09]

I am in the same boat. Trying to file unemployment from Alabama. My husband is in the Marine Corp and I had to quit my job in Alabama.They denied my claim ,so I filed an Appeal and the denied that to. So now I 'm taking it to the Board of Appeals. I think its pretty sad that our husbands are fighting for this country and this is the thanks we get for standing by our husbands.

[kphipps]

I know i was completely lucky that arkansas joined. I think this plagues more people than we know. I moved to fort bragg with my husband about 6 months ago. I think I filled out about 200 applications and not even one call back. I have experience, a B.A, put in my military spouse prefernce, and went to all the meetings helping spouses find jobs. Nothing. Not to mention all of the little things new military families dont know about. like the dues, equipment, and total bs the army makes you buy. I was crying everyday after about month 4 b/c there was nothing here for me, and we were broke, so broke that we could only eat once a day, because we couldnt afford to eat breakfast or lunch. I finally applied for unemployment after my mother suggested it. I had never even thought I could get it because I quit (in a way), but since arkansas allows it now I got it. I really has saved us. So this isnt something like people just do to get extra money, we really need it, and ever single state should support it. My goodness managers at wal-mart make 5 times as much as most lower grade soldiers. Its horrible, how many bullets do they dodge in a day. If there is anything or way to help in making these other state offer this, please let me know, I feel for every single person who worked hard, and now is not able to receive what they deserve.