A bipartisan House bill would provide additional leave to military spouses employed by the federal government who are facing a PCS move, offering much-needed support during an unstable time for families who serve.

The PCS Leave for Military Spouse Federal Workers Act, introduced Nov. 25 by Reps. Andrea Salinas (D-Ore.) and Gabe Evans (R-Colo.), requires the government to provide these spouses with at least 40 additional hours of paid leave to address “activities directly related to … the employee’s move to a new geographic location where the employee’s spouse will be assigned to work.” Existing guidance in multiple federal departments encourages such leave, but the legislation would codify it.

More than 8,000 military spouses are employed by the federal government, according to a 2024 Office of Personnel Management (OPM) demographic report. A 2022 OPM report noted more than 5,500 employees married to active duty servicemembers.

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“When I worked for a civilian employer, I had access to a similar benefit, and that additional leave was invaluable. It allowed me to manage the packing and delivery of household goods and make a cross-country drive,” said Stephanie Rose, MOAA’s Director of Government Relations for military family and survivor policy. “Policies like this not only give military spouses the time they need to complete a government-ordered move, but they also send a powerful message: Their federal employer recognizes and supports their family’s service to our nation.”

This bill is in line with a 2023 executive order encouraging federal agencies to adopt this policy in an effort to retain military spouse talent in the federal government.

Salinas introduced the legislation after hearing from constituent Elizabeth Lee, who said an early career PCS move forced her to take unpaid leave and caused significant harm to her professional prospects.

“This bill would alleviate one more recurring barrier placed on military spouses trying to maintain full-time employment,” Lee said in the press release announcing the legislation.

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“As a veteran who has received [PCS] orders multiple times, I know firsthand the sacrifice that military spouses like my wife make to support their partners,” said Evans, who spent 12 years in uniform, serving as an Army helicopter pilot. 

Supporters alongside MOAA include Blue Star Families, the Military Family Advisory Network, and the National Military Family Association.

The move would mark another step toward OPM’s priority goal of becoming “the employer of choice for military and veteran spouses.” It’s one of several spouse-employment initiatives backed by MOAA, to include expanding the Work Opportunity Tax Credit to add military spouses as a target group and a bipartisan bill lowering the qualifying time for spouses to take time off work under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) from a year to 90 days.