Military spouses serve alongside their servicemember partners, making countless sacrifices to support the mission — but when it comes to their own careers, they are often left behind. Frequent moves, unpredictable schedules, and limited job opportunities near remote military installations combine to create an alarming 21% unemployment rate for military spouses, according to DoD. That’s five times the national average, and it creates significant financial strain for military families.

That’s why MOAA supports the bipartisan Military Spouse Hiring Act -- introduced last week in the House by Reps. Don Beyer (D-Va.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), John Carter (R-Texas), and Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) and in the Senate by Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) -- as part of its annual spring Advocacy in Action campaign. This bill would add military spouses as a target group under the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC), a federal program designed to incentivize businesses to hire individuals from populations who face significant barriers to employment, such as disabled veterans and those receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.

Employers receive a tax credit—ranging from $2,400 to $9,600 per hire—when they employ someone from one of 10 existing target groups.

[TAKE ACTION: Ask Your Lawmakers to Support Military Spouse Employment]

This employment instability isn’t just a family problem — it’s a readiness problem. When military families can’t achieve financial stability, servicemembers are more likely to leave active duty prematurely, jeopardizing the strength and sustainability of the all-volunteer force.

“Employing military spouses is a strategic issue with direct ties to force readiness and the retention of experienced warfighters.  And in 2025, having two household incomes is a baseline requirement,” MOAA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, USAF (Ret), said. “This bill eases an employer's path to hiring from this talented pool of dedicated workers to invest in both military families and the viability of the all-volunteer force. MOAA wants to thank Sens. Kaine, Boozman, Hassan and Rounds and Reps. Beyer, Kelly, Panetta and Carter for their ongoing work to support military spouses and families.”

[ADVOCACY IN ACTION 2025: More About MOAA's Signature Spring Event]

What We’ve Learned from Supporting Veterans

We’ve seen this strategy work before. When post-9/11 veteran unemployment breached 10% in 2009, Congress took swift action. They raised awareness about veterans’ professional skills, created innovative training programs like SkillBridge, and — importantly — added veterans as a target group under WOTC. Between 2019 and 2023, over 630,000 veterans were hired under the program.

This combination of preparing job seekers and incentivizing employers helped drive veteran unemployment rates down, and the same approach can work for military spouses. The primary focus of spouse employment programs is on preparing spouses for work, but there’s no complementary policy to directly incentivize employers to hire them. It’s time to complete the equation.

[ISSUE PAPER: Military Spouse Unemployment]

The Costs of Inaction

The personal and financial impacts of military spouse unemployment are severe. Families forced to live on a single income face mounting financial stress, lost retirement savings, and limited upward mobility. Over time, spouses who experience prolonged unemployment also lose social capital — the professional connections that help individuals find and advance in careers.

The broader economic cost is just as concerning. Military spouse unemployment and underemployment costs the U.S. economy between $710 million and $1.07 billion each year in lost income tax revenue, reduced consumer spending, and increased demand for government assistance programs, according to a 2016 study.

Congress Must Pass the Military Spouse Hiring Act

The Military Spouse Hiring Act would finally add military spouses as a target group under WOTC, giving employers a tangible incentive to hire qualified military spouses. This policy would:

• Help lower the 21% military spouse unemployment rate.
• Offset hiring and onboarding costs for businesses.
• Boost local economies, particularly in communities near military installations.
• Improve the financial stability of military families.
• Support military retention, as spouse employment challenges are a top reason servicemembers leave the military.

Military spouses have waited long enough. They are educated, skilled, and ready to work — but they need employers to recognize their value, and employers need an incentive to take that chance. By passing the Military Spouse Hiring Act, Congress can strengthen military families, improve military readiness, and boost local economies across the nation.

It’s time to invest in military spouses, because when military families thrive, our nation’s security is stronger.