LEGISLATIVE UPDATES IN THE U . S .
access to a broader range of qualified professionals . Imagine the peak season in Florida during January : By leveraging the compact , you can bring in staff from other locations within a national chain , move personnel around to open new stores or cover for employees on medical leave or training . This seamless mobility ensures your business can maintain high standards and meet customer demand without interruption .
Or , for example , if you own a salon or spa in Arizona and need extra staff during the high season , the compact allows you to bring in cosmetologists from other member states without the usual bureaucratic hurdles . This ability to quickly adapt and mobilize your workforce is invaluable for maintaining service quality and meeting customer demand .
The Surprising Driving Force Behind Interstate Compacts for Spa Professions
The professional communities of cosmetologists , massage therapists and estheticians are all navigating the legislative journey toward creating interstate licensure compacts . This initiative is beneficial for both individual treatment providers and their employers , as it eliminates state boundaries for spa specialists and offers flexibility for spas operating across state lines .
But who ’ s driving the interstate agreements ?
U . S . Department of Defense promotes professional license portability In 2021 , the U . S . Department of Defense ( DoD ) announced grants to collaborate with the Council of State Governments ’ National Center for Interstate Compacts “ to develop model interstate occupational licensure compact legislation , addressing license portability affecting transitioning military spouses , along with other practitioners in the profession .”
The DoD initially chose five professions for this initiative : l l l l l
Teaching Social Work Cosmetology Massage Therapy Dentistry / Dental Hygiene
Why the Department of Defense ? A key phrase in the 2021 announcement was “ license portability affecting transitioning military spouses .”
The DoD ’ s involvement stems from recognizing the unique challenges faced by military families , particularly the high unemployment rate among military spouses due to frequent relocations and licensing hurdles . The unemployment rate for military spouses is 31 percent , significantly higher than the general population ’ s five percent , largely due to the difficulty of obtaining new licenses in different states .
To mitigate these challenges , the DoD has funded the development of licensure compacts beyond traditional healthcare professions , which have long benefited from such agreements ( e . g ., doctors , nurses and psychologists ). For example , the nurse licensure compact has been in place for over 20 years , with participation from 42 states .
Collaboration with the Council of State Governments The DoD grants enable selected professions to collaborate with the National Center for Interstate Compacts . This partnership aims to ease license portability for transitioning military spouses and other practitioners . According to Lernes J . Hebert , performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense for manpower and reserve affairs , “ The department views the selection of these professions as a significant milestone in achieving the long-term goal of providing license portability for military spouses .”
Addressing the burden of relicensing Reducing the burden of occupational relicensing for military spouses is a DoD priority . Military spouses move across state lines at an annual rate of 14.5 percent , compared to 1.1 percent for civilian spouses . Additionally , 34 percent of military spouses require full licensing , and 19 percent experience challenges maintaining their licenses , according to information on the Department of Defense website .
The licensure compacts aim to alleviate these challenges , ensuring military families can maintain their economic stability and continue to contribute to their professions without unnecessary hurdles . The DoD ’ s support underscores the importance of these professions and the critical need for licensure portability across state lines . n
12 PULSE n SEPTEMBER 2024