NASHVILLE – Sen. Lowe Finney (D-Jackson) and Sen. Tim Barnes (D-Adams) want to help Tennessee military families by extending unemployment benefits to individuals who leave their jobs to accompany their spouses on a military transfer.
“The military families in my district move in and out so much that many spouses are constantly on the job search,” Barnes said. “We must help our military families in those times between jobs, so that they can continue to provide for their children.”
The bill (SB3213/HB3449) would require the state to pay unemployment benefits for those who left their jobs as a result of a spouse’s military transfer. About 2,300 Tennessee military spouses are employed and have to transfer each year.
Kansas enacted a similar law and processed 67 such unemployment claims in 2007. Tennessee would likely see about 100 unemployment claims from military spouses each year, according to the state Department of Labor and Workforce Development, resulting in an estimated cost of about $365,400.
“This bill isn’t going to break the bank, and it certainly will mean a lot to military families who already sacrifice so much to serve our state and our country,” Finney said.
The bill passed a Senate committee Tuesday. The House version of the bill is in subcommittee. The text of the bill can be found here.
