Many working military spouses (or those trying to work) know that finding a job after a move to a new state is low on the totem-pole of career problems compared to one major sticking point: landing a new professional license. Necessary? For more than 30 percent of working spouses, yes. Easy? Not always.
Unemployment – military spouse, veteran or the whole wide world’s – is a hot topic for the Obama administration. Since the professional licenses problem is the number one employment complaint they hear on bases, it’s now at the top of their military spouse to-do list. Today they are busting a move … and you can help. Here’s the deal:
When a military spouse who works in a profession that requires a professional license (like cosmetology, nursing, teaching, working as an attorney, being a real estate agent, and more) moves to a new state, chances are she will need to apply for a new license under that state’s laws, pay fees and potentially do state specific training. Since the laws surrounding these licenses are put in place by individual states, there is nothing the federal government can do to force uniform standards or make the rules change.
With a mere 11 states already on board, the White House will today release a “best practices” report that they hope will pressure remaining states into making licensing for military spouses a little easier in every state by 2014. They are asking them to either accept out-of-state licenses held by military spouses or allow spouses to operate under temporary licenses while they work towards a new, state-accepted one.
You can read all the details of the report and White House push in my Military.com story. In the meantime, the National Military Family Association is hot on the trail of this problem as well. They are working on a state-by-state basis with officials to push for the quick passage of laws that would fix the problem – but they need your help.
As part of their presentation to the states and work with the DoD, they are running a survey to get a better handle on just how many spouses have the license problem and just how much chasing down new licenses tends to cost.
Like I mentioned above, there are 11 states that already have rules in place to help spouses. A handful also have legislation on the issue currently in the works. Curious if your state (or a state you may be moving to soon) is included, or just want to know what the rules are? DoD has a fantastic, interactive map that includes links to each states’ rules and information on any new rules in the works. Check it out here.
About Amy Bushatz
Comments
Yes, this certainly is a big problem that I have encountered as a military spouse. I've been able to work in a related field to that of what I have a Master's degree in, however am not able to pursue work in my field directly, due to differing requirements in each state. It is quite frustrating and has certainly changed the career path that I had intended to pursue.
Just took the survey! I'm a teacher who's credentialed in three states!
Yes, my wife experienced this problem last week and now has more reason to understanding why no one has hired her. In July of 2010 my wife and I PCS'd from Denver, CO. My wife just finished her externship with Concorde Career College of Colorado for Insurance Coding and Billing Specialist and already had a Medical Assistant certification under her belt through Heritage College of Colorado. Naturally, once moved to VA, my wife began applying for jobs. She has been applying to jobs related to her specialty as well as other experiences gained in her employment history. It has been 18 months and no one has much as called my wife until two days ago. Two days ago, a perspective employer called my wife to tell her that they would like to hire her but she needed to acquire two certifications which are required by the state of VA. My wife received training through Heritage College and Concorde Career College in Colorado which covered the training, but is being told she has to be certified in Virginia. It's like starting all over again.
I was fortunate enough to be able to stay home with my children as we moved about the country and never had to worry about quitting or getting a job. BUT, now that I am back to work my problem is having to start over again, from the bottom. I do in some ways wish I had continued my military career (I'd be retiring next year) but we all make sacrifices being military spouses I suppose.
It would be nice to have some standardization across states but this then becomes a states rights issue. This is a real problem for anyone who moves and not just military spouses. Unfortunately the right wing fanatics think Washington has too much control now so they are not willing to support any more standardization. Unless of course it is mandating conservative evangelical religions for everyone.
It would be nice to reach some type of compromise across state lines.
My husband and I recently PCS to South Carolina, I am a Real Estate Agent and have had my license for 10 plus years from Missouri plus several other GRI classes that will not transfer, so if I want to sell Real Estate in SC I have to pay again to go to school retake the classes over and loose all my classes that I have already paid for. This is so unfair to Military Spouses everywhere.
I am a Respiratory Therapist (also a graduate of Concorde Career College!!), currently licensed in two states. We are getting ready to PCS to New York and I am being told that even though I have a degree and have already been licensed in two states I will be considered a technician because New York has different laws than almost everywhere else. This means less pay, among other things! I find this to be a huge problem. It would be one thing if I were choosing to move to a state with different laws, but it is not a choice. I think there should definitely be some standardization for military spouses.
I had the opportunity to attend the Occupational Licensing Spouse Employment Report at the Pentagon on February 15th, 2012 with first lady, Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, and I cannot tell you how passionate I am about universal licensing for military spouses. When I moved from Ohio, it was absolute chaos to get my license in my new state and I hope to see this changed as proposed by 2014. Please, take the survey if you are a licensed, professional military spouse and make a difference for more than 100.000 military spouses.
Amanda, Registered Nurse
I hope something happens soon, I am a Registered Dental Hygienist in NC and NH, we got orders to CA over a year ago and I cannot afford the required course for CA since I quit my job in NC to move to CA. Not only does CA require a pricey course to take it is only offered at one location in the whole state and they only do the course twice a year which means space is limited. CA makes it very difficult to get licensed. Not only do I have to complete the course I also have to take another board! Between the fees for courses, boards, travel and childcare I will be spending close to $10,000 for a license! It is not our fault as a spouse that we move, I would really appreciate something to help those with licenses obtain employment following a PCS. This situation has split our family apart, due to not working we cannot afford to live off just my spouses pay. I had to return to NH where I can be licensed to work and save money to get licensed.