The MissionLICENSE Podcast: Recent Episodes
MissionLICENSE
Military spouses Josie Beets and Libby Jamison, frustrated with their own licensing barriers, share their obsession with all things occupational licensing with MissionLICENSE.
ML Co-founder Josie Beets spoke to Sheena Arting of the Dear MilFamily Podcast about licensing, military spouse employment, and the work MissionLICENSE is doing to help people solve licensing challenges. Listen here or on your favorite podcast app.
Read the question and answer with Elizabeth O’Brien, Senior Director of the The Military Spouse Program at Hiring Our Heroes.
Click here for the full story.
Libby Jamison and Josie Beets, co-founders of MissionLICENSE share their story with the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).
Read more here
Libby Jamison breaks down the updates to the Military Spouse Hiring Preference, leaving us with many nuggets of informational gold including this one:
“It may not be enough to just apply through USAJobs. You still need to network. There is still a benefit to going into the local base Family Center and finding those local connections. I think it’s great you can do it online, but don’t rely on that.”
Find more tips from Libby and what you need to know about the #MilitarySpouse Residency Relief Act, click here.
Ohio lawmakers are considering a bill that would require state agencies that issue occupational licenses to grant them to members of the military and their spouses who move to the state.
Read more here.
A report last year by the Council of Economic Advisers estimated that military spouses are unemployed at a rate double or triple the rest of the population.
Read more here.
Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday signed bipartisan legislation that will allow individuals who obtain occupational licenses in other states be used in Pennsylvania if they move there.
Read more here.
Licensing and true love! Hear how finding love led to a love of licensing issues (really!) as Josie explains what brought her to the licensing work. Libby brings all our love for Arizona Governor Doug Ducey. We talk about the $500 reimbursement the military services are (finally) getting to spouses. (You can see the different military branch reimbursement policies here.) And, last but not least, Josie fondly remembers the brief moment that everyone in Texas was a plumber. Feedback? Let us know at info@missionlicense.com
On June 10, 2019, The George W. Bush Institute announced that Libby Jamison has been selected as one of the 43 scholars chosen for its 2019 Stand-To Veteran Leadership Program, a first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at individuals serving our nation’s veterans who are motivated to broaden their skillsets, knowledge, and influence across the country.
Participants were selected after a rigorous application and review process. They join a growing network of 33 scholars from the 2018 inaugural class who are rising leaders- both veterans and non-veterans from a wide range of sectors who are working to improve post-9/11 veteran outcomes. They hold a variety of roles including business and community leaders, members of veteran-serving non-profits, as well as leaders in government, academia, and active military service members.
The class gathered for an opening session at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas in June, where they heard from President George W. Bush, General Peter Pace, former US Secretary of Veterans Affairs Bob McDonald, and former US Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, among others.
Throughout the 5 month program, participants will meet with a variety of nationally known and distinguished professionals, educators, and experts in post 9/11 veteran transition issues and leadership development. They will attend sessions in Dallas, Seattle, and Washington, DC. The program will conclude with a final session and closing ceremony at the Bush Center in October.
The program is part of the Bush Institute’s commitment to developing and supporting effective leaders. It builds on the Bush Institute’s extensive body of work on veteran transition issues, and each participant joins the program with a personal leadership project, which allows them to implement what they learn in the program in service improving veteran outcomes across the United States.
Check out our conversation in the latest Military Spouse Magazine. While MissionLICENSE helps all professionals dealing with occupational licensing challenges, our services are particularly valuable to military spouses seeking to continue in a regulated occupation after relocating to a new place.
Read more here.
"Army and Air Force spouses can now apply for reimbursement of up to $500 for professional relicensing costs when they relocate with their service member – and the new policies are retroactive to Dec. 12, 2017."
Read more here.
The single purpose of the Military.com Spouse Changemaker of the Year recognition is to identify a spouse or community supporter who has worked quietly and tirelessly for the community on a single issue, and elevate him or her for everyone else to see.
Read more of Military.com’s article on Libby Jamison and how she was chosen for this prestigious award.
Hosts Josie and Libby round up the latest occupational licensing news, including the PCS Act, military spouse Corie Weather's epic video about navigating licensing issues to serve military families, and how MissionLICENSE is leading the conversation about occupational licensing solutions with the US Chamber Foundation's Hiring Our Heroes military spouse program. Also, we hear how Libby's entrepreneurial journey began with her lemonade stand, and we make it through the whole story without making a single Beyoncé joke.
MissionLICENSE encourages freedom to work, reducing barriers to employment and reforming occupational licensing laws. Also, Josie does a powerful karaoke rendition of “Fancy” by Reba McEntire while Libby can usually be found tweeting about dogs and cheese.
"According to Syracuse University research, more than one-third of military spouses work in fields subject to occupational licensing, disproportionately more than the general population. And according to the Chamber survey, nearly one-quarter of military spouses cite occupational licensing as their biggest barrier to employment."
Kudos to the governors of Kentucky and Iowa for taking action on occupational licensing and setting the example for other states to follow in supporting military spouses. Read more here.
Nice work Arizona!!!
House Bill 2569, introduced by Representative Warren Petersen, was signed into law yesterday by Governor Doug Ducey, making Arizona the first state in the nation to allow universal recognition for occupational licenses.
Military spouse licensing progress in MD!
The importance of this to me as a commander cannot be overstated,” said Purath. “When our families decide whether to continue serving or separate, the career goals of a spouse can be the deciding factor. Our armed forces recruit citizens into service, but we retain families.
Read more here of Michael S. Murphy’s article on this bill and its’ intent to improve military spouse licensing reciprocity.
Three years ago, I had the good fortune to meet fellow military spouse Lauren Kimball during a trivia night in Newport, Rhode Island. We connected over frustrations with occupational licensing barriers for military families and shared our common struggles as career-minded military spouses. Most importantly, we dominated trivia and took home the prize that night!
We went our separate ways after our husbands’ tours ended in Rhode Island - several moves later, I’m now in California and Lauren is in South Dakota (insert joke here about Navy vs. Air Force duty stations!). But in typical military spouse fashion, we remained in touch on Facebook - an invaluable tool keeping military families connected as we relocate around the globe.
Last year, Lauren and I reconnected by phone. Lauren was rallying local military spouses and working with military and business leaders to change the rules for military spouse occupational licensing reciprocity in South Dakota. We talked about the power of storytelling and the importance of military spouse advocacy on these issues. I shared my insights on the legislative process and cheered on her efforts.
This month, I’m happy to report that Lauren and the other advocates in South Dakota succeeded in their goal of instituting occupational licensing reform for military spouses in the state. On March 21, 2019, Governor Kristi Noem signed HB 1111 into law. The new law requires licensing bodies to issue a license to a qualified military spouse within 30 days of receiving a completed application.
This victory in South Dakota is a powerful demonstration of how telling our stories as military spouses can bring about meaningful change. Although the states are aware of the need for occupational licensing reform, it is the stories of the impacted military families that propel rulemakers into action. Congratulations to Lauren and other military spouses who stepped forward to share their own stories of disrupted careers while serving alongside their servicemembers. Your hard work will benefit the local community and military families in South Dakota for years to come!
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Read about the efforts of Lauren and others to make HB 1111 a reality:
Military spouses, local organizations speak up for licensing bill
The House Bill that aims to ease the process for military members and their spouses to get professional licenses in-state, has been making its way through the legislature unopposed.
Men and women in and around Rapid City are speaking up for HB 1111 in order to pave the way for future military spouses to readily continue employment in South Dakota.
“There’s a workforce shortage in most fields in South Dakota, Rapid City and the Black Hills,” said Scott Landguth, executive director of the Ellsworth Development Authority. “Having that pool of talent come in and having that ability to get them to work quickly with little delay is very important.”
In the summer of 2018, Ellsworth Air Force Base conducted a survey of military spouses to find the overall impact of the licensing issue.
“Over 70 percent of our spouses said ‘I’m in a profession that requires a military license’,” said Lauren Kimball, Ellsworth AFB spouse. “When I look at the squadron in which my husband is affiliated in, over half the spouses, the issue affects them.”
Since the survey, the issue has been spoken out about by other spouses and local organizations affected by the issue.
“I’ve been licensed in Texas, Arizona, Utah, and South Dakota,” said Jessica Bacon, local dental hygienist and military spouse. “It’s monotony, going through the same steps over and over again getting licensed.”
For Bacon, it took a full year to get a permanent license due to insufficient wording on certain paperwork and limitations with quarterly board meetings.
Click here for the full article
February 19, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MissionLICENSE Launches to Reduce Barriers to Individual Employment and Change the Conversation about Occupational Licensing
MissionLICENSE (missionlicense.com) launches today to encourage freedom to work, reduce barriers to employment, and reform occupational licensing laws. More than 25 percent of U.S. workers now require a license to practice their professions, compared with only 5 percent who needed a license in the 1950s.
As military spouses and licensed professionals, our mobile lives mean we have experienced the personal and financial disruption caused by overly burdensome licensing requirements. Subject to relocations every two to three years, we have moved across state lines more times than we can count, invested thousands of dollars in relicensing and job hunting, and struggled to navigate complex and repetitive licensing schemes.
Through our own experiences, we developed a passion for supporting others dealing with licensing frustrations. We saw first-hand how licensing schemes lacked clarity or common sense, and primarily serve those already licensed, not the greater public good.
We put our passion to work, advising other professionals, building non-profit programs, and campaigning for regulatory changes. With decades of experience between us, we are committed to advocating for common sense occupational licensing reform and helping other professionals overcome licensing hurdles.
Our services include:
- Individual counseling on licensing applications or transfers;
- Appeal consulting;
- Legislative and regulatory affairs; and
- Workforce solutions for businesses.
MissionLICENSE offers affordable, individualized support for working professionals while also working with employers and governing bodies to modernize our country’s licensing guidelines. Visit missionlicense.com to learn more and sign up for updates.
Contact:
info@missionlicense.com
202-643-0205
“Signed by Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Friday, SB 255 dramatically reforms the state’s occupational licensing laws, which together have become one of the biggest barriers to job creation and upward mobility in the Buckeye State.
Today, far more Ohioans are licensed (18 percent) than are unionized (11 percent), with over 935,000 Ohio workers needing a license to do their jobs. Many of Ohio’s licenses are burdensome, especially for lower-income workers. In Ohio, the average occupational license for a lower-income occupation requires $188 in fees, nearly a year of education and experience, and an exam. With that in mind, it should come as no surprise that licensing is a major drain on Ohio’s economy.” Read more.
Nearly one of every three workers needs permission from a government agency to work in Illinois.
According to a report by the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University, the state of Illinois and others mean well by requiring licensing for a number of different occupations, but doing so raises costs for consumers and can lead to shortages in some jobs.
Research manager Josh T. Smith said a profession such as cutting hair that is low-risk comes with requirements to attend more training than Emergency Medical Technicians.
https://www.mdjonline.com/neighbor_newspapers/extra/news/report-says-occupational-licensing-requirements-push-costs-higher/article_c8e737c0-5cb3-55f3-97a8-a5b219138eea.html.
A recent report from the nonprofit Institute for Justice has both good news and bad news for New Hampshire when it comes to the economic cost of professional licensure.
On the good side, according to the institute, is that New Hampshire is ranked 48th out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia when it comes to the amount of percentage of workers in the state whose jobs require professional licensing. About 16 percent of Granite State workers are in licensed professions, the report estimates.
But on the negative side, the institute reports, even with that desirable ranking compared to the rest of the country, New Hampshire is still losing $818 million in “misallocated resources” as a result of licensing.
Read full article here.
Residents of New Mexico will soon be allowed to practice in some occupations without a state license, under an executive order signed by Gov. Susana Martinez.
The executive order lists some 34 state boards and commissions that, in addition to other departments, must accept as qualification the out-of-state licenses, military training, or work experience of job-seekers who move to New Mexico.
The order also directs officials to establish processes for “consumer choice,” an alternative to licensing that allows unlicensed professionals to provide services with their customers’ written consent.
The order, signed in October, also reduces barriers to the employment of those with a criminal record by restricting the crimes state officials may consider in evaluating individual license applications to those that “pertain directly to the practice of the occupation or the applicant’s capacity to perform the duties of that occupation.”
Read the full article here.
Nearly 27 percent of Nevada workers are subject to occupational licensing, the largest rate of any state in the union, according to a new study that concludes such regulations come with steep economic costs.
A recent analysis by the Institute for Justice, an Arlington, Va.-based nonprofit, found that Nevada's licensing regime results in an annual loss of nearly 35,000 jobs, a $196 million decline in economic output and misallocated economic resources amounting to $3.6 billion.
Matt Mitchell, a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, said the overregulation of occupations by the states should be an issue that unites both conservatives and liberals.
Read the full article here.
As the home of our country’s largest concentration of military personnel, San Diego knows the value of military families. We are your friends, neighbors and co-workers. We coach your kid on the soccer team, volunteer with local nonprofits, serve on city commissions and root for the Padres. We love the San Diego community and often adopt it as a permanent home.
But there is a staggering statistic behind the flags and the uniforms: military spouse unemployment is estimated to be between 16 percent and 30 percent.
Read the full article here.