Yes. L-2 spouses are employment-authorized incident to status, so the spouse is not tied to the transferring company and does not need a separate employer to sponsor them.
The household economics differ sharply by category
This is one of the clearest practical distinctions between categories, and it often decides which route a family prefers. A spouse in L-2 status is authorized to work incident to that status, which means the authorization flows from the status itself. Unmarried children under twenty-one hold L-2 as dependants and may attend school, but their dependent status does not carry work authorization. Age is measured against the relevant dates in the process, so a child close to twenty-one deserves a specific answer rather than a general one. It is also worth confirming what documentation an employer will expect to see before a start date, since practice varies and an employer unfamiliar with the category may ask for a card the spouse does not need.
Hypothetical example: an industrial ceramics executive plans a transfer while her spouse has an offer from an unrelated U.S. employer. Confirm the spouse's derivative admission and documentation early, then ask the prospective employer what identity and work-eligibility records it needs for onboarding. A qualifying L-2 spouse can work based on that status; children remain dependants and need separate planning for any employment ambition. The first review therefore produces a household calendar, not merely the principal petition timeline. It should include passport validity, school start dates, and a contingency if the principal's start date moves after the family has made commitments.