House Republican Press Release

April 22, 2008

Press Office: 860-240-8700

REP. HETHERINGTON APPLAUDS BILL MAKING UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION FOR MILITARY SPOUSES PERMANENT

“Under Current Law, Benefit would Expire June 30^th”

HARTFORD – Rep. John Hetherington, of New Canaan, voted to stop spouses who leave their jobs to accompany their military spouses who are reassigned to out-of-state bases from losing their eligibility for unemployment compensation, which was set to expire on June 30^th.

Under current law, military spouses who voluntarily leave their jobs to accompany their husbands or wives to out-of-state bases when they receive orders to relocate were only eligible for unemployment compensation if they left their jobs between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2008.

“This is common sense legislation that does the right thing for military families who often depend on income from their civilian spouses to make ends meet,” said Representative Hetherington, R-125^th District.

“Currently, military salaries, especially for married enlisted personnel with children, are simply insufficient in today’s economy. The bill to make unemployment compensation permanent for civilian spouses forced to relocate with their families to out-of-state bases permits the families to stay together and lessens the hardship that can come with the loss of the civilian spouse’s pay check.”

Representative Hetherington concluded, “We should do whatever it can to help military families who have no control over when and where they are reassigned. Since only four spouses have taken advantage of the existing law since it was enacted during the 2007 legislative session, it seems to me that Connecticut can easily afford to make military spouses permanently eligible for this benefit.”

The proposal (House Bill 5438), which passed the House on a vote of 145 – 0, now goes to the state Senate for final legislative approval.