Military Spouse Employment Preference

HB 125 supports military families by allowing private employers to provide a hiring preference to the spouses and dependents of active military members, those on furlough, or honorably discharged veterans from the U.S. Armed Forces, reserve units, the Alaska Territorial Guard, the Alaska Army National Guard, the Alaska Air National Guard, or the Alaska Naval Militia. For public employment preference, this law requires a non-numerical assessment and consideration for veterans, spouses of veterans, and dependent children or surviving spouses (if unmarried and the veteran/POW died within the last 10 years) of disabled veterans/POWs.

Governor Wes Moore's Families Serve Act of 2024 authorizes private employers to grant a preference in hiring and promotion to active duty military spouses. The law also creates a 10 point civil service credit for military spouses in state government hiring.

With efforts led by Senator Rountree, this policy provides military spouse preference in public employment and permissive military spouse preference with private employers.

The Virginia General Assembly Military and Veterans Caucus sponsored legislation including military spouses within the state's comprehensive veterans hiring program, which assists businesses with attracting, hiring, training and retaining veterans, and now, military spouses.

A law sponsored by Delegate Wayne Clark allows private employers in West Virginia to extend preference in hiring and retention to military spouses.

HB 125 supports military families by allowing private employers to provide a hiring preference to the spouses and dependents of active military members, those on furlough, or honorably discharged veterans from the U.S. Armed Forces, reserve units, the Alaska Territorial Guard, the Alaska Army National Guard, the Alaska Air National Guard, or the Alaska Naval Militia. For public employment preference, this law requires a non-numerical assessment and consideration for veterans, spouses of veterans, and dependent children or surviving spouses (if unmarried and the veteran/POW died within the last 10 years) of disabled veterans/POWs.

Governor Wes Moore's Families Serve Act of 2024 authorizes private employers to grant a preference in hiring and promotion to active duty military spouses. The law also creates a 10 point civil service credit for military spouses in state government hiring.

With efforts led by Senator Rountree, this policy provides military spouse preference in public employment and permissive military spouse preference with private employers.

North Carolina General Statute § 126A-57.3 establishes a state employment hiring preference for veterans, eligible National Guard members, and their spouses—including the spouses of active-duty service members. In recognition of the civilian career disruptions caused by military service and relocations, this policy mandates that state agencies grant these individuals preference during the hiring process for state government positions. Additionally, the statute secures accountability by providing a formal appeal process for any eligible applicant who believes their hiring preference was improperly denied.

This groundbreaking legislation recognizes an often-overlooked dimension of military spouse employment: entrepreneurship. Under a law sponsored by the Virginia General Assembly Military and Veterans Affairs Caucus, this law creates a framework to support these enterprising individuals by ensuring their businesses have fair access to government contracting opportunities. By defining “military family-owned business” in statute, it creates clear eligibility criteria that can be consistently applied across all public bodies. The prohibition against discrimination ensures these businesses compete on a level playing field, while the requirement for public bodies to facilitate their participation creates an affirmative duty to include these enterprises in the procurement process.