Navigating Spouse Career Success

Numerous brand-new advancements could impact the work of military service members and their families and employers' compliance obligations in 2026. Changes range from proposals to increase rewards for hiring military partners to enhanced employment protections for service members while on duty. Military partner job opportunity and assistance stay a focus for pending legislation.

On November 20, 2025, Senators Expense Cassidy (R-LA) and Maggie Hassan (D-NH), and Representatives Steven Horsford (D-NV) and Lloyd Smucker (R-PA) presented an upgraded variation of the Improve and Boost the Work Chance Tax Credit Act (S. 3265/H. R. 6231) that would extend the Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) to military partners. The WOTC offers federal tax credits to employers that hire specific "American task candidates who have regularly faced barriers to employment." That proposed legislation resembles the Armed force Spouse Hiring Act (H.R. 2033/S.1027), presented earlier in 2025.

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Frequent Movings Frequent movings continue to strain military households and can make it more challenging for companies to employ and retain military partners. Expanding the WOTC might produce brand-new rewards for companies to work with military spouses and tap into this underutilized talent pool.

Addressing Military Career Barriers in 2026

The U.S. Congress has not yet taken up the STAY Act this year, but if it is eventually enacted, it could lead to minimized PCS moves that could impact recruiting, retention, and remote-work policies for military partners. Military Re-Employment Protections Federal law already supplies civilian work leave protections for veterans and service members who are involuntarily or willingly released for military service.

In January 2025, Congress enacted the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Enhancement Act (Dole Act), which consisted of provisions affecting USERRA enforcement and solutions. The Dole Act boosted anti-retaliation protections and enabled plaintiffs declaring USERRA offenses to seek minimum liquidated damages of $50,000 and lawyers' charges. Agencies and courts may continue to analyze and apply the Dole Act's USERRA-related arrangements.

New Company Resources In January 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor's Veterans' Work and Training Service (DOL/VETS) released a program for employers to look for assistance for guaranteeing compliance. The Support and Help for Leaders in USERRA Training and Employment (SALUTE) program is an opportunity for companies to request technical guidance on USERRA-related questions or specific issues in their workforce before the beginning of a DOL/VETS problem or claim.

Priority actions include examining USERRA compliance programs and training, updating military leave and reemployment policies, confirming health-benefit extension treatments, and aligning hiring and tax-credit screening processes to quickly capture brand-new incentives for military partners. Ogletree Deakins' brand-new Military Labor force Practice Group combines a group of lawyers, a number of whom are veterans or presently serving in the Reserves or National Guard, who routinely encourage on USERRA compliance, policy development, multistate execution, and investigations and litigation.

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Specialized Financial Relief Services for Veterans

Tax day is. Have you filed with MilTax yet? Whether you're just getting your documents together, hit a snag or require to apply for an extension, we've got your back with free filing software application and tax pros ready to help.

For 10 years, Hiring Our Heroes has promoted military partner employment, producing paths to opportunity and driving systemic modification. As we celebrate this milestone, the 10th Yearly Military Partner Work Summit will honor the legacy of development while charting a bold course for the future. This year's summit concentrates on Leadership & Tradition as we recognize the partners, companies, and supporters who have actually changed the work landscape and prepared the next generation to flourish in an evolving workforce.

Together, we will construct on a years of service and success to develop a future where military partners lead with strength, vision, and function.

Military partners face one of the most persistent employment gaps in the American labor force., military spouse unemployment has actually hovered around 20% or higher in recent years.