National Nurses Week. We strive to support essential skilled workers, employed in the public sector. We have lenders who can offer; Up to 5x income – subject to overall affordability Flexible income criteria – we can consider up to 100% variable income, shift patterns, overtime, 2nd jobs Up to 90% LTV for Purchases and Remortgage (inc debt consolidation) We can consider Defaults/CCJ’s registered over 3 yrs ago regardless of size or number We also ignore recent Mobile Communication and small utility defaults – because we understand that sometimes life happens Not just for nurses, this range is also suitable for: NHS Clinicians Paramedics Teachers and Lecturers Police officers Firefighters Armed Forces (Army, RAF and Navy) Need to know more? 07760485774 [email protected]

‘Encouragement’ Won’t Solve the Military Spouse Employment Crisis, March 5, MOAA, By Maria Donnelly, Emmalee Gruesen, and Jen Goodale The report simply “encourages” the government to do … something … about this long-term problem – a government-created issue which requires a government fix.   The challenges of finding and maintaining employment can and should be alleviated by federal policies. Yet reports from OPM from FY 2010-2021 show of an annual average of nearly 221,000 new hires, only 1,500 are military spouses. Considering there are an estimated 140,000 unemployed active-duty military spouses seeking jobs, it’s time to stop encouraging and start demanding federal agencies use the tools at their disposal. Several proposals before Congress, including the bipartisan READINESS Act (H.R. 6462/S. 3530), would give direction and require the flexibilities which OPM “encourages.” Ask your lawmakers to provide meaningful support for this underemployed and underappreciated segment of the uniformed services community.

🧑🧑🧒🧒#Military #childcare reform has long been overdue. 📖A recent GAO report only confirms the service branches struggle to retain workers at CDCs. 💰This high turnover turnover translates to long waitlists - which can result in larger out-of-pocket expenses or having one #militaryspouse stay home instead of working. 🫡Childcare issues affect #spouseemployment and #foodinsecurity. It especially impacts #EFMP #specialneeds families who already struggle to find locations that will accept their #militarychildren requiring extra supports. #qualityoflife

Watch the Military Spouse Employment Summit for more ideas on how your organization can help to lower the national military spouse unemployment rate.

As part of my role representing Armed Forces personnel, I act for those who submit service complaints after being wronged. It is the unfairness they suffer which drives me to campaign for radical change in the service complaints system. However, it is not just complainants who are let down by the system. Those named as respondents sometimes have to wait for years for the complaint against them to be resolved. One contacted me tonight wishing my campaign success. The service complaints system as it stands fails everyone, with the exception of those who pick up paid work because of it (often retired senior officers topping up their pensions for deciding issues which require legal expertise, which they simply do not have). We can change things for the better. Signing this petition and sharing it widely will be a good first step.

The last thing the MoD needs is the challenge of babysitting conscripts that do not wish to serve. What needs sorting is the recruitment and retention issues. How to sort that? Speak to service leavers, analyse their responses, and identify common reasons and themes that resulted in them banging out. Then, fix those issues! This isn't a difficult issue to resolve and I despair when I read other articles about making some ranks gender neutral or allowing beards (religious exceptions were always allowed) - I highly doubt that anyone has ever left the military because they wanted a beard or because they were referred to as a man or woman. N.B. The gendered "sir/ma'am" is still employed for commissioned ranks and I'm yet to hear of a single officer leaving any of the services citing this as a reason. Regarding beards, all my friends still in service that now have beards openly admit that they have only grown one to annoy the element of seniors above them that believe it looks scruffy. 🤣 Some ideas that may still need addressing (I appreciate that I've been out a while now): -Treat single people like adults. -Sort the poor accommodation. -Sort the poor food arrangements (even if this means bringing it back in-house). https://lnkd.in/eViisVHE

Watch the Military Spouse Employment Summit for more ideas on how your organization can help to lower the national military spouse unemployment rate.

The Administration is making a grave error by opposing the proposed 19.5% pay increase for junior enlisted troops. This stance starkly contrasts with the urgent needs of our servicemembers, who have faced a multitude of challenges over the past year. Quality of life issues have been sidelined, and the delays in other pay and allowance increases only exacerbate the situation. From sexual harassment and mental health struggles to the relentless deployment tempos and rising suicide rates, our troops are under immense pressure. Some servicemembers earn as little as $24,000 a year, pushing them below the federal poverty line. It's unconscionable to ask these brave men and women, who risk their lives daily, to also shoulder the financial burden of inadequate pay. The argument that cost is a legitimate concern doesn’t hold water. If we cannot afford to provide for our troops' basic needs, we should question our readiness to engage in conflicts. Servicemembers are putting their lives on the line, and their families should not have to shoulder the burden and make sacrifices because the Pentagon wants another expensive weapons system. These young men and women embody the best of America. They come from all walks of life, united by a common purpose to protect and serve. For many, the military is a pathway to opportunities they wouldn't otherwise have — education, career advancement, and a stable future. Yet, with cuts to education benefits and delays in pay and allowances, we are failing to uphold our promise to support them fully. At the heart of this debate lies a question about our national values. Who are we as a nation if we cannot honor the commitment and sacrifice of our servicemembers with fair compensation? Our country was built on principles of duty, service, and a commitment to the common good. We pride ourselves on supporting those who defend our freedoms and uphold our democracy. This pay raise is not just about money; it’s about affirming our values and showing that we truly care for our troops. Providing a fair pay increase for junior enlisted troops is a matter of justice, respect, and national honor. It’s time to prioritize the basic needs and dignity of those who serve, ensuring they have the support and opportunities they deserve.

The fun never stops.... Woke up to a DM from 🎃👻Chris Stone 👻🎃 to just check in, as I haven't posted much recently (thanks buddy) The radio silence is purely due to focus elsewhere at the moment. 🔵 4Mil - enough said in this post. 🔵 DASA - Overseeing a large portfolio of innovative projects with so many interesting suppliers and customers. 🔵 Agile O Group - network for Agile Professionals with a Military Mindset. Organising 1 Guest Session and 1 virtual coffee chat per month. Hosting a ProKanban course with Matt Odell in Nov. 🔵 Rugby World Cup has kept me engaged alot longer than I expected 🏉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 I'm still here. ⭐️ Incorporating Agile values where I can. ⭐️ Delivering as much value as possible. ⭐️ Building the network. ⭐️ Gaining experience. Things will settle soon. I'll be back.. #Agile #kanban #projectmanagement #Scrum #RWC2023 #networking #innovation

In the tech industry, military employment protections seem the least well understood by HR and managers -- even I'm surprised by developments in the last year... And that's despite the fact that I am both a military reservist myself and an employer of reservists! Here are a couple developments in employment rights for members of reserve components of the US military in just the last year: ▶ My home city of San Francisco (❗) passed one of the more reservist friendly laws I've ever heard of that went into effect just over a year ago: Employers with at least 100 employees are required to give 30 days of supplemental paid (differential pay) leave per calendar year to reservists and national guard members in San Francisco for military duty ▶ The 9th Circuit issued a ruling this past year suggesting that employers who offer other forms of paid, short term leave need to pay reservists for short term military leave as well: This is a super interesting ruling because many employers treat military leave as unpaid (unless the employee uses vacation), while at the same time offering paid leave for things like jury duty and bereavement. The court ruled that USERRA requires employers who offer comparable paid leave for non-military reasons, must offer the same for military duty. I'll link the references to these in the comments. Comment and share with any employers or reservists that could benefit and let me know if there are any others people should be aware of!