Megan (Meg) Paone is an active-duty Army spouse. She is an accomplished communications professional, a mother of twins, and understands the challenges spouses endure while supporting service members, caring for their families, maintaining employment, and managing the home front. She writes:
Federal agencies recognize the unique skills, resilience, and differences military spouses bring to the workplace. This includes VA, which has expanded hiring and retention efforts that impact military spouses.
Through the 4+1 Commitment, VA supports military spouse employment in the federal workforce by providing paid administrative leave for Permanent Change of Station (PCS).
As I faced another PCS move, the second in 2 years, I planned how many days I needed for our move. As I worked through the logistics, my days were filling up quickly. This was the first time we were moving our children without a nanny. We needed to enroll them in daycare, explore our new area, settle into our new home, and maybe try to get some sleep.
Fortunately, as a remote employee for a non-profit that supported military spouses, job transition was not a concern, though I needed to make my employer aware of the move. To prepare for the conversation, I looked through my employee handbook to find the PCS policy and was unable to find one.
When I spoke with my supervisor, they mentioned it would not be a written policy. This informal approach puzzled me and left me feeling disappointed. I couldn’t help but wonder how an organization focused on military spouse employment could have a handbook without a PCS policy.
Despite this, I stayed with the organization for several years, facing the same issue and awkward conversation each time I had to relocate.
As employers work to attract and retain a diverse and talented workforce, these policies make military spouses feel seen and understood.
VA’s mission and values align with how it cares for its employees. As one of the tenets of the 4+1 Commitment, VA has a written PCS leave policy in place. This policy reassures military spouse employees they are an important asset to VA’s workforce.
When an employee needs to take time to relocate due to a military move, a VA leave-approving official can provide approval so the employee can take the time to get to the next duty station. VA leave-approving officials can approve up to 5 paid administrative leave days for PCSand flexibility in usage.
This is how VA stands out as an employer of choice for military spouses. VA’s commitment to this policy fosters an environment that appreciates diverse experiences and accommodates military family needs.
Take the first step with VMSTEP
As a military spouse, you have a distinct perspective on what we do at VA and how to help our Veterans. You’re educated, qualified, and ready to serve families who have lived through experiences similar to your own.
That’s knowledge other candidates can’t duplicate, which is why VA has long been a leader in developing and implementing military spouse-friendly policies and agencies, including the Veteran and Military Spouse Talent Engagement Program (VMSTEP).
VMSTEP provides employment readiness assistance and support while advocating the use of special hiring authorities, employment programs, and retention strategies to position VA as the employer of choice for Veterans and military spouses.
Military spouses who work for VA bring their experience and understanding of what it means to be a part of the mission. Through VMSTEP, we’re taking actionable steps to reduce military spouse unemployment and underemployment rates, thus contributing to the stability of military families.
Work at VA
If you’re a Veteran, military spouse, or are planning your return to civilian life after military service, we stand ready to offer assistance and support in your quest for a meaningful career.
- READ more about VA’s 4+1 Commitment.
- LEARN more about our work at VMSTEP.
- FOLLOW VMSTEP on Facebook.
- ACCESS more resources at VA Careers.
