Janes-List.com » Uncategorized http://janes-list.com The professional and social network for military wives Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:21:50 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Should there be different expectations for military spouses in the workplace? http://janes-list.com/jane/2010/11/should-there-be-different-expectations-for-military-spouses-in-the-workplace/ http://janes-list.com/jane/2010/11/should-there-be-different-expectations-for-military-spouses-in-the-workplace/#comments Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:31:52 +0000 jane http://janes-list.com/?p=2200



Aside from there being little to no industry in the resort town to which I relocated when I married my husband, one of the reasons I took a sales position with a financial firm was the flexibility I was afforded in my schedule.  In most sales, or solely commission-based jobs, vacation time is not something that is accrued.  Rather, if you’re not working towards that next paycheck, you’re not getting paid.  My time working in finance was some of the… Read the rest

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Aside from there being little to no industry in the resort town to which I relocated when I married my husband, one of the reasons I took a sales position with a financial firm was the flexibility I was afforded in my schedule.  In most sales, or solely commission-based jobs, vacation time is not something that is accrued.  Rather, if you’re not working towards that next paycheck, you’re not getting paid.  My time working in finance was some of the most grueling yet, many times eating all three meals at work and giving up weekends to come in to the office. 

I was the only employee at my company who was married to someone in the military.  In some ways, I think this was a benefit because the men I worked with were infatuated with what my hubby did for a living and loved to chat him up whenever he stopped by.  In other ways, I think they just felt sorry for me.  Either way, whenever my hubby returned from a deployment, a work-up or a school, I could take as much time as I wanted to be with him. 

I know plenty of friends who are not so fortunate.  Many work for companies where time off is accrued and if you don’t have any, you’re out of luck.  Working a full-time job while your husband is deployed is great for making the time go by faster.  However, when you add children to the mix, it gets more complicated.  It takes a village to raise a child, and unless you have neighbors, family and friends who are able to help you at a moment’s notice, you’re doing it all on your own. 

So, should there be special expectations for employees whose husbands are deployed?  This is a tough one.  There are plenty of single women with children in the workforce, yes, but when you factor in the physical and emotional stress brought on by a deployment, it’s a different ballgame.  Consideration, understanding and empathy should be a given, as should time off, in my opinion.  I realize it’s not easy to have an employee up and leave a project or position, however, that should be factored in when the decision is made to hire someone whose spouse is active-duty.  Do any of you loyal readers work for companies who are flexible?  What are some of your experiences?  We would love to know!

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