DOJ Reaches Landmark Settlement with Georgia Licensing Boards, Up to $3 Million for Military Families
ATLANTA, Ga. — The U.S. Department of Justice has reached a first-of-its-kind settlement with 42 Georgia state licensing boards to resolve violations of federal protections for servicemembers and their spouses.
The agreement addresses allegations that the boards failed to recognize out-of-state professional licenses, in violation of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), a law designed to reduce employment barriers for military families relocating due to service obligations.
Under the settlement, up to $3 million will be made available to compensate servicemembers and military spouses whose licenses were improperly denied or delayed. Officials estimate as many as 5,000 individuals could be eligible.
The agreement also requires Georgia licensing boards to implement new policies ensuring compliance with federal law, including streamlined processes for applicants who already hold valid licenses in other states.
“The agreement we are announcing today allows servicemembers and their spouses to focus on what is most important when military service sends them to Georgia,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.
Federal officials said the investigation uncovered multiple cases where military spouses were unable to work in their professions after relocating to Georgia, with some forced to seek employment in neighboring states due to licensing barriers.
The SCRA, updated in 2023, requires states to recognize valid out-of-state licenses for servicemembers and their spouses when they move under military orders. The law applies to a wide range of professions, including healthcare, education, skilled trades, and personal services.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon called the settlement “groundbreaking,” emphasizing that military families should not face unnecessary obstacles to employment.
The case was handled by multiple U.S. Attorney’s Offices across Georgia in coordination with the DOJ Civil Rights Division.
Any servicemember or military spouse who applied for a professional license from one of the Georgia Boards after January 2023 and who may have been wrongfully denied rights guaranteed by the SCRA should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia at USAGAN.CivilRights@usdoj.gov or (404) 581-4626.
