{"id":31371,"date":"2023-06-09T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-06-09T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/uncategorized\/2023\/06\/09\/biden-looks-to-boost-military-spouse-employment-with-new-order\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T15:09:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T15:09:17","slug":"biden-looks-to-boost-military-spouse-employment-with-new-order","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/federaltimes\/fedlife\/2023\/06\/09\/biden-looks-to-boost-military-spouse-employment-with-new-order\/","title":{"rendered":"Biden looks to boost military spouse employment with new order"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

White House officials will boost hiring help for military spouses<\/a> seeking government jobs through a new executive order unveiled during a presidential visit Friday to Fort Liberty in North Carolina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The order from President Joe Biden will increase the number of federal jobs for which spouses receive preferential hiring treatment<\/a>, speed up new savings accounts for military family child care expenses<\/a>, and mandate a new government-wide plan for ways to help find work for spouses whose careers have been derailed by military moves and demands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSupporting families and this executive order are matters of national security,\u201d said First Lady Jill Biden<\/a> in a Thursday phone call with reporters previewing the announcement. She said troops \u201cquestion how long they can serve their country when their spouse is unemployed or feels unfulfilled. We can\u2019t ask our service members to choose between their love of country and their love of family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new moves are the latest attempt by federal officials to lower the rate of joblessness among military spouses, estimated to be more than 20% in Defense Department surveys and polls by outside advocacy groups. While veterans have seen their employment rates outperform the general public, military spouses lag severely behind.<\/p>\n\n\n\t