Worriedwife,
Ignore SleazyJet and it's methods. It is an airline that has long dissapeared up its own posterior and is not going to really represent the market in general.
If your hubby has experience, whether it be rotary or fixed wing then he will get a job if he tries hard enough. It will depend on his attitude. If he 'expects' a job then you are in for a long haul. If he is ready to take what's on offer and work his way up the civil ladder then he'll get a command with a civil airline before too long depending on the market. Just remember that the civil world owes the military pilot nothing. He chose to play big boy games for eight/sixteen years and that's been his pleasure, now it's time to join the real world.
I'd go for it, but as yet avoid paying for a type rating.