A spouse in the dependent status attached to this classification is employment-authorized incident to status. Children may study at any level, may not work, and cease to qualify as dependants when they reach twenty-one.
Plan around the birthday, not just the assignment
Because this classification runs for up to five years, families frequently move with a child who will pass twenty-one during the assignment. Dependent eligibility ends on that birthday, and no filing by the parents extends it. The realistic alternative for a young adult who wants to stay is usually a student classification, which is a separate application with its own requirements and its own lead time, since an institution must issue documents before anything can be filed.
Meanwhile the spouse's position is comparatively strong: employment authorization arises from the status itself, so a spouse may take a job, subject to satisfying an employer's ordinary verification requirements. Households should confirm that documentation early rather than during a hiring process.