By Leave a Comment

Why A Mentor Is Invaluable For Your Sanity And Your Career

“Have you ever considered wearing an apron every morning while you get the children ready?” A simple question posed to me by a former Military Spouse. A very simple idea, but no, I A Mentor is invaluable to a Military Spouse pursuing a careerhad never considered it. I thought aprons were for cooking.

My insight into the practical uses of the apron at all times of day came from a remarkable lady. A Retired Military Spouse, she successfully built a career in a field similar to mine while simultaneously raising three children, relocating all over the world at regular intervals and supporting her husband through his 30 year Navy career.

As a Military Spouse she has been through the challenges of managing a household with her husband deployed. She understands the conflicting desire to pursue a career and spend meaningful time with a young family. She has also dealt with the most daunting work related challenge I face right now - getting out of the house with two young children by 6.30am in a cleanly pressed suit.

I used to imagine mentoring as a very formal arrangement where a more seasoned professional would provide someone like me with sage counsel and advice on the next career move. In recent years I have learned that a mentoring arrangement can be invaluable in all aspects of my life.

As Military Spouses, we face a greater range of daily hurdles than most. My sister was half way through her tale of a tough week (her husband had worked until after 6 most nights), when she remembered that mine had been gone for 5 months, wasn’t coming home for another 2, and my closest family is an 8 hour flight away. As career minded Military Spouses we face these hurdles, the uncertainty of where we will be in 6 months time, and also pursue our own independent careers. Who wouldn’t want unbiased advice from someone who has been there and done that beforehand!

 

What Is a Mentor?

 

A mentor is somebody you can turn to for advice, inspiration, or a fresh set of ideas. A mentor can connect you with resources and with other people. A mentor is someone who may have walked a similar professional path before you, and can impart the wisdom that only comes with experience. A mentor who understands the challenges of the military lifestyle is of particular value to those Military Spouses pursuing professional career paths.

Ideally a mentor is not a current colleague. You need to avoid any potential conflict of interest as you seek workplace related advice or discuss your future plans. Your mentor needs to be somebody with whom you connect. It should be somebody you enjoy talking to, trust, want to learn from, and somebody who also has the time to develop the relationship.

 

So Where Can I Find a Mentor?

 

You may already know someone who would make a great mentor. A mentor could be somebody you have worked with previously, or someone who trained you. If nobody springs to mind, there are a number of great nonprofit organizations which work to connect Military Spouses with appropriate mentors. The MilSpouse eMentor Program enables you to locate willing mentors within both corporate America and the Military Spouse community. Joining Forces Mentoring Plus offers similar mentoring resources to Female Veterans and Military Spouses. For more information on Mentoring, including how to ask, visit IGC’s Professional Development pages.

 

 

 

By Leave a Comment

Understanding the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act

Military Spouse Residency Relief Act (MSRRA) and your CareerHave you just finished filing your taxes in a different state to your spouse? Perhaps you just had a PCS and are in the process of updating your drivers license and registering to vote in your brand new “home state.”

Moving regularly can be a complex administrative process. Service Members have always been allowed to retain one state of residence (legally known as a “state of domicile”) through a series of military related moves, but until recently, Military Spouses were not covered by any such legislation. In 2009 this changed with the creation of the Military Spouse Residency Relief Act (MSRRA).

 

What is the MSRRA?

 

The MSRRA allows Military Spouses, under specified conditions, to maintain one “state of domicile” for the purposes of residency, voting and taxation. The law does not permit the Military Spouse to pick and choose any state. It must be the same state as that claimed by the Service Member, and the Military Spouse must qualify for residency in that particular state.

 

Am I covered?

 

If you and your Service Member currently claim different “states of domicile,” it means that you may not be able to claim the MSRRA unless the Service Member switches their “state of domicile” to the one you are currently located in. My husband has always claimed Florida, but when we married he was stationed in Texas. I moved to, and therefore became a resident of Texas. I was ineligible to claim Florida residency under the MSRRA as I had never lived and could not meet their state requirements for residency. Moving on military orders to Ohio, my husband continued to claim Florida, but I was forced to change to Ohio. We then moved to Florida. Once living in Florida, I met the state requirements to become a resident. When we moved to Hawaii, I was covered under the MSRRA as I had the same “state of domicile” as my husband. I can continue to claim Florida for the remainder of our military PCS moves.

 

What are the taxation implications for a Military Spouse working in a state different to their state of residence?

 

A Military Spouse is exempt from paying state income taxes in the state they are working if they are covered under the MSRRA. The Military Spouse must:

  • reside in a state different than the state of claimed residency, and
  • reside in the state solely to live with the Service Member.

The Service Member must be present in the state in compliance with military orders, and the Military Spouse and Service Member must both legally claim the same state of residency. If you and your Service Member spouse are fortunate enough to claim one of the nine US states with limited or no income tax, it means you may only need to file your Federal Taxes with the IRS. If your “state of domicile” has a high state income tax rate, you might consider waiving your protections under the MSRRA and choosing to change your “state of domicile” to the one in which you are physically located and working.

 

But what if my employer withholds state taxes even though I am covered under the MSRRA?

 

Many employers may not be aware of the MSRRA and will automatically withhold or deduct state taxes. The easiest way to avoid this is to understand wether you qualify for the MSRRA, and if so, to ensure that your employer is made aware of your claimed “state of domicile” under the MSRRA when you fill out your initial employment paperwork and W-2. If your employer does not withhold state taxes, most states do not require you to file a tax return in that state. However, if your employer has withheld state taxes and you are covered under the MSRRA, you will need to file to have that money returned. If your “state of domicile” does have a state income tax, you will need to file in that state.

Where can I learn more?

 

The MSRRA is a complex piece of legislation and individual states have different requirements to prove eligibility to claim residence. The Federation of Tax Administrators provide a thorough summary of the MSRRA and Turbotax contains some good state by state information for military families. An internet search for “MSRRA and <state>” will usually yield the more specific guidance for your location. Links to these state based documents are also contained within the Local Chapter Forums on the In Gear Career website. It is definitely worthwhile to ensure you fully understand your rights and options under the MSRRA as it may reduce the administrative hassle of the next move and leave more money in your pocket.

By Leave a Comment

Military Spouses and the FMLA - Legislation You Need to Know

You could be forgiven for never having heard of the Family and Medical Leave Act. I certainly hadn’t until I started researching the leave that an employer was required to give an employee following the birth of a child. In my research I learned that the FMLA covers far more than maternity leave. Military Spouses should be aware that the FMLA also contains some very specific Military Family provisions which address the unique challenges that Military Families face.

The Military Family provisions of the FMLA recognize that caring for an injured service member, arranging for alternative childcare when a spouse is deployed to a foreign country, or attending arrival ceremonies when a service member returns from deployment can present Military Spouses and their family members with conflicting work and family obligations. The Military Family provisions address this by providing unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying individuals.

Under the Military Family provisions, qualifying individuals have the right to take up to twelve weeks unpaid leave per year in order to deal with the extenuating circumstances which result from the deployment of an active duty service member. The Military Family provisions also allow up to 26 weeks unpaid leave per year to act as a caregiver following the injury or illness of a service member.

An employer can require you to take paid leave if you have sick time, vacation time, or personal time on their books, but must continue any normal employee contributions to health or retirement savings as if you were not on leave. Time off under the FMLA may not be held against you in employment actions such advancement or promotion, and when you return to work, the FMLA requires that your employer return you to the same job that you left, or one that is nearly identical.

 

So who can qualify?

 

In order to qualify for the Military Family provisions of the FMLA, you must first work for a covered employer. Generally, private employers with at least 50 employees are covered by the law. Government agencies (including local, state and federal employers), elementary and secondary schools are covered by the FMLA, regardless of the number of employees. If you work for a covered employer, you also need to meet additional criteria to be eligible to take FMLA leave. You must:

  • Have worked for your employer for at least 12 months;
  • Have at least 1250 hours of service with your employer in the 12 months before you take leave; and
  • Work at a location where your employer has at least 50 employees within 75 miles of your worksite.

 

What types of situations are covered by the Military Family Provisions?

 

You may take leave:

  • For up to seven calendar days, beginning on the day the military member receives notice of deployment, to attend to any issue arising from a short-notice deployment.
  • To make or update any financial and legal arrangements including organizing Powers of Attorney and updating enrollment in DEERS.
  • To attend counseling for yourself, the military member, or the child of the military member, when the need for that counseling arises from the military member’s covered active duty.
  • To attend military events and related activities including official military ceremonies, family support programs, and/or informational briefings sponsored or promoted by the military or military service organizations associated with the military member’s covered active duty.
  • To spend up to fifteen calendar days with a military member who is on Rest and Recuperation leave during covered active duty.
  • To address childcare situations resulting from the military member’s covered active duty, including providing childcare on a non-routine, urgent basis, or enrolling in or transferring a child to a new school or day care facility.
  • To attend post-deployment activities for up to 90 days following the termination of the military member’s covered active duty, including attending arrival ceremonies, reintegration briefings and events, and other official ceremonies or programs sponsored by the military.
  • To address non-routine activities related to the care of the military member’s parent who is incapable of self-care.
  • To care for a “covered service member” or veteran with a serious illness or injury.

 

How do I apply?

 

You will need to submit documentation certifying your entitlement to either Qualifying Exigency Leave or Military Caregiver Leave.

Many employers may not be familiar with the Military Family provisions of the FMLA. Make sure that you understand your rights as these provisions have been developed in response to the unique situations we face as Military Families, and the specific challenges associated with pursuing a career as a Military Spouse. Stay tuned over the coming weeks as we explore other legislation which directly affects career minded Military Spouses.

To learn more about the Military Family Provisions of the FMLA, visit these Department of Labor websites.

The Employees Guide to Military Family Leave under the FMLA

DOL Fact Sheet: Final Rule to Implement Statutory Amendments to the Family and Medical Leave Act Military Family Leave Provisions

 

By 2 Comments

We want to take overseas orders…but can I get a job!

[facebook]

I remember the first time my husband broached the idea of overseas orders…I think we were sitting down for a regular dinner and it went something like…”so I can go to an Aircraft Carrier job out of San Diego or Norfolk … but there is also this option to go to a Base in Italy. What do you think?” To be honest - I didn’t really think..I am quite sure I didn’t even process the first part of his question - I was already envisioning cycling through the Tuscan hillsides and meandering the canals of Venice. It was only after the orders officially arrived and the tickets were booked that I started to think seriously about what this meant for my career.

The chance to live in the middle of Europe for two years seemed like one of those opportunities that we would be crazy to pass up, but once the reality had set in…I’ll be honest - I started to get a bit scared. What if I couldn’t find a decent job. My friends and family consoled me, saying “Well at least you will be in Europe…who really wants to work there…you could travel every weekend…you won’t have to worry about leave…it is all about the life experience!” In part I agreed with them…it was an amazing experience on offer…but the other part of me knew that my work and my career was also an important part of who I was. The longest that I had ever spent between jobs at that time was 3 months, and I knew how hard I had found that. I enjoyed the routine, the challenge, the sense that I was contributing, and the mental exercise of a job - no matter how menial…and I wasn’t sure that I could cope with the idea of a couple of years unemployed.

So what is the reality of an overseas posting for a Military Spouse seeking work?

I think it does depend on the type of overseas posting that you take. If you are stationed at a US Base overseas, there are certainly opportunities and if you are willing to broaden the types of jobs and positions you apply for - you can usually find work. If you are at a location with a very small US presence, perhaps an exchange posting where the Service Member is attached to a Foreign Unit, or a US billet in an International Headquarters - the going can be tough.

So where do you start?

  • The Family Support Center. Without a doubt, the best place to seek advice if you are moving to a US Installation overseas, is the local ACS, Airman and Family Readiness Center, or Fleet and Family Support Center. “Google” the installation and you will find the local installation’s Family Support Center Email address. Almost every major base has a Family Employment Readiness Person who works within the Family Support Center - a Contractor or Federal Civilian who is responsible for assisting and advising Service Family Members on local employment opportunities and local application processes. If you are lucky they will have great advice on the Federal and MWR jobs, but also have links to local contractors who work on the base.
  • Your sponsor. While your sponsor is primarily tasked with ensuring the Service Member arrives safely and securely, they can be a great “on-the-ground” resource for you in your job hunt. Engage your sponsor and ask for a referral or the email address of any working spouses, so that you can tap into their network and ask for advice about the types of opportunities available before you arrive.
  • The Base Newspaper. Many of the local base jobs will be advertised in the local paper. When I first arrived in Italy, I had been targeting USA.jobs to look for a Federal job, not realizing that there was a slew of positions GS-11 and below, that were advertised and filled locally without ever being advertised on USA.jobs. The Base paper may also give you an insight into the contractors working on the installation.
  • Local Human Resources Office (HRO). Once you arrive in location, the US Bases will have a HRO which is responsible for filling the local US Federal Jobs. See what they have advertised, but also try to schedule an appointment with one of the Hiring Representatives. Networking with them in person may give you a lead on positions which may become available in the near term, and advice on the application process.
  • Local US Embassy. If there is a Local US Embassy, they usually have occasional vacancies for Consular Staffing positions which need to filled by US citizens.
Things to be aware of:
  • Status of Forces Agreements. When the US establishes a Base in a Foreign Country, there is usually a Status of Forces Agreement. This governs how US citizens are treated in the event of things like a criminal act, but can also place restrictions on the employment of US Base associated family members in the local community. The Foreign Government obviously wants to protect the employment opportunities for its own population, so many countries prohibit the hire of US Base family personnel without significant paperwork and authority, making off-base opportunities all but impossible.
  • Timing Constraints on “Local Hire US Federal Jobs”. If US Federal Positions are available and advertised for “Local Hiring Preference”, this preference will only be available 30 days prior to your arrival in country. You may have orders 4 months earlier, but will not be eligible to apply and be considered with this preference until 30 days before the report date of the orders. You should also be aware that if you take a position using this preference, you can not remain in it indefinitely. Once your sponsor leaves the country, you can usually only remain in the position and the country legally for another 90 days.
  • The Military Spouse Preference System. Military Spouses receive preferential status when applying for Federal Employment. However - you should be aware that there are many other types of preferential treatment available within the Federal System. Previous US Federal Civilians and US Veterans also receive preference and, based upon their individual circumstances, may receive a higher level of preference than a Military Spouse. There are many Veterans who marry and live around foreign bases and also many Military Spouses who are also Veterans. This means there is significant competition for all Federal positions overseas, and that the Military Spouse Preference does not ensure employment by any means. There are also stringent rules about eligibility for the Preference - if you marry after your Spouse has already received the orders you may not qualify (Military Spouse Appointment Eligibility).
  • Education vs Experience. The Military Spouses I saw struggle the most to obtain employment, were those that had completed higher degrees, but did not yet have formal work experience. Because the overseas bases usually have a more competitive job market, it can make it particularly hard to gain a professional level position without formal work experience. The Spouses who overcame this hurdle were often the ones who volunteered (and therefore networked extensively) within the local community, and were later offered positions because of their reputation.
Despite the challenges, I believe it may actually be easier to enter the Federal System overseas than it is Stateside because of the sheer turnover of positions, and there are certainly a significant number of professional level contractor positions available at most bases. This means that while opportunities may not be available when you arrive, the employment landscape can change significantly within only a few months. Of the four Military Spouses I met in my first week overseas, 2 of us found Federal Employment, and 2 found employment with Professional Contracting Firms within 6 months of arrival. There is certainly a risk associated with overseas orders - that the employment opportunities may be limited…but if you are open and understanding about the risk - the life experience is certainly worth having!!

 

 

 

我參考
viagra discount

By Leave a Comment

My 2013 Holiday Card Resolutions

I always enjoy checking the mail at this time of year. Opening the mailbox to find a couple of hand addressed envelopes lifts my spirits in a way that the store catalogues, credit card solicitations and bills can never do; even before the envelope is torn open and the hand written note enjoyed. I want to share the reason it didn’t happen for me this year in the hope that it will encourage me to improve my efforts next year.

It didn’t happen this year because I kept searching for the time to sit down and write a personal note. As I think back - the note didn’t even have to be that long…a couple of sentences to let someone know that I was thinking of them and appreciated their presence in my personal or professional life would certainly have been enough. I just didn’t make the time, and so now I am sitting here, four days before Christmas, remorseful, and already making resolutions to be better next year.

The holiday season is a wonderful reminder to stay in touch with the people in our lives and to let them know that we value them. This is just as important for our career as it is for our personal lives. I find that one of the sadder sides of Military Spouse life is that we make wonderful friends and colleagues in every location…but that we are not wonderful at keeping in touch with all of them. We might friend them on Facebook and occasionally “like” the pictures of their latest holiday at the beach…but not many of us take the time our parents generations did to pen a letter, a note, a birthday card, or a holiday greeting. The photograph collage of the family is a great snapshot of what fun we had during 2012…but if I don’t include an individual note to Clare, Lisa or Jacqui on the back of it…do you really feel that I value and miss you…or are you thinking that the pictures are nice and wondering when you will get dropped from my Rolodex list.

Holiday notes can be an incredibly effective way of reaching out to people that you may have lost touch with over the years. I often think of two of the colleagues I taught with at Baker Middle School in Corpus Christi. I was only there four months however I genuinely treasured their company…but they don’t know that I am still thinking of them - I sent a Christmas Card in 2008 and haven’t been in contact since.

I sometimes need to remind myself of the words I speak at every career workshop I teach. Networking is not a dirty word. It is not something that is only the realm of high level executives, and it is never effective if it is only viewed as a self serving way to use other people’s knowledge, resources or contacts for your own gain. Networking is a two-way street. It works best when you genuinely care and are interested in other people…in what is happening in their lives, and how you may be able to assist them or show you care. They are far more likely to reach out and provide a Military Spouse family contact in a new location, or a job lead, if you have stayed in touch over the years.

So next year I resolve to use the holiday season as a great reminder and incentive to send a personal note to Colin, to Brooke, to Darren, to Maria, to Selma, Lynn-Marie, Haley, Randi and Autumn among others. Thank you for the impact you have made on my life and I just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you during the holiday season.