What’s Being Done
American National Legion Credentialing Summit, April 28-29, 2015, Washington DC The American National Legion Credentialing summit brought together over 200 lawmakers and industry leaders to discuss credentialing for transitioning military members and license portability for military spouses.
USA4MilitaryFamilies tracks ten key issues that impact military families, including the issue of state licensure and unemployment. To learn about legislation in the state you are PCSING to, visit http://www.usa4militaryfamilies.dod.mil/MOS/f?p=USA4:ISSUE:0::::P2_ISSUE:2
The Military Spouse Job Continuity Act – A bill that would “allow a credit against income tax for amounts paid by a spouse of a member of the Armed Forces for a new State license or certification required by reason of a permanent change in the duty station of such member to another State.” This bill was sent to the Senate as a whole for consideration on April 14, 2015, but its fate is unknown.
Know of Any Exceptions
As mentioned above, states are moving to make portability and transferability a reality for military spouses. When researching your new state, check to see if they provide exceptions or pathways to certification/licensure. Some keywords to look for: Obtainable License, meaning does the state make exceptions related to time in service or gaps for military spouses; Temporary License, meaning does the state provide a temporary license until you meet their complete licensing requirements; Expedited License, meaning does the state provide a fast track to process your license; Reciprocity, meaning does the state have an agreement to accept certification from the state in which you were previously licensed?
Do your homework so that you don’t waste unnecessary time and energy in cases where there are programs to assist you.
Act
I know…”we’re PCSing; there’s so much going on; I don’t have time to worry about this; I’ll deal with it later.”
If finding work is your priority (or one of them) and you know you have to transfer your license, don’t wait; ACT. Doing your homework and getting a head start can help you in your job search since, depending on the market and state requirements, some employers won’t interview you without a state license in hand.