Georgia board owes military spouses with out-of-state licenses $3 million Clio

Georgia must pay a total of $3 million to approximately 5,000 service members and their spouses to resolve allegations that the state Legislature failed to recognize out-of-state professional licenses.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced this week that 42 Georgia licensing boards violated the Servicemembers Civilian Relief Act of 2023, which requires states to waive “bureaucratic hurdles” for relocating families of armed services personnel.

“This groundbreaking settlement ensures that military members and their spouses stationed in Georgia have their out-of-state driver’s licenses recognized without facing unnecessary obstacles,” Margaret “Meg” Shipp, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, said in a statement. “Licensing authorities in other states should take note of this settlement and ensure compliance with the SCRA.”

this settlement agreementThe report, the first of its kind, did not name the Georgia Insurance Commissioner’s Office or mention military spouses who may be seeking employment as insurance agents, claims adjusters or customer service representatives. Like many insurance departments across the country, the commissioner’s office often temporarily waives state licensing requirements for claims adjusters after hurricanes and other emergencies.

The U.S. Department of Justice’s list of professionals who may be eligible for compensation includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, pharmacists, chiropractors, electrical and air conditioning contractors, and others. Some service members or spouses may receive up to $50,000 from a settlement. The average payment is probably around $600.

The Justice Department said the Georgia licensing board must also adopt new policies and comply with federal law.

The legal action stems from multiple complaints from service members and spouses who said they were unable to work in Georgia because licenses from other states were not recognized.

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