ND HB1278

Military spouses who voluntarily leave employment to relocate due to permanent change of station orders of their military-connected spouse are now eligible for unemployment compensation in North Dakota.

Military spouse eligibility applies only after the spouse discloses the relocation to their employer and makes a reasonable attempt to maintain the employment relationship through accommodation.

"Military spouse" is defined as the spouse of a member of the armed forces or reserve component stationed in North Dakota in accordance with military orders or stationed there before reassignment outside the state.

"Permanent change of station orders" means assignment, reassignment, or transfer of armed forces members from their current duty station without return to the previous location.

Benefits paid to qualifying military spouses are chargeable to accounts of base-period employers under the same provisions as other unemployment compensation claims.