March 22, 2022
WASHINGTON — Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) recently cosponsored the Military Spouse Hiring Act, bipartisan legislation that incentivizes employers to hire spouses of members of the United States Armed Forces.
“Military spouses make up an essential part of our Fort Drum community, as well as communities across Upstate New York and the North Country,” Stefanik said. “While our military spouses make their own sacrifice for our country as they support their loved ones in uniform, they should know they also have the support they need during the added stress of finding a job.”
According to research from the Department of Defense and the Hiring Our Heroes Foundation, unemployment rates for military spouses far exceed that of the national average. This bill would help close the gap by expanding the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to include the hiring of qualified military spouses, allowing employers to claim a tax credit equal to a portion of the wages paid to those spouses.
Existing law already extends the Workforce Opportunity Tax Credit to employers that hire qualified military veterans, among other targeted groups. The Military Spouse Hiring Act would amend existing law to provide this tax incentive to employers that hire the spouses of members of the United States Armed Forces.
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