The Tied Migrant Employment Penalty: Public Perceptions of Military Spouses Seeking Work

Abstract

People who move to support the employment prospects of their spouses are tied migrants, and military spouses experience tied migration repeatedly: active duty military personnel move about once every two years, twice as often as civilian families. This frequent geographical disruption directly affects the career trajectories of military spouses. Previous research established military spouses experience worse employment outcomes than their civilian peers, but less is known about the specific characteristics that lead to this difference. Do military spouses have worse employment outcomes because of being a tied migrant, or is there a separate effect because of their status as a military spouse? This article analyzes original data from a factorial vignette survey in which respondents evaluated fictitious job applicant profiles. Results suggest (1) Military spouses receive a premium as job applicants, they are evaluated as more warm, competent, reliable, and social, but receive lower evaluations on perceived longevity; (2) Military spouses with a stable geographic history are evaluated higher than civilians, but that premium switches to a penalty for military spouses with a history of moving frequently, in which case they are evaluated more harshly than civilians who have moved frequently; and (3) Neither tied migration nor military spouse status influence starting salary offers. As many careers require employees to move as part of their training or to seek advancement opportunities, understanding the employment-related challenges and opportunities military spouses face can lead to implications that may affect other tied migrants.