Yes. L-2 status is the same for spouses of L-1A and L-1B principals, and the spouse is employment-authorized incident to status. Children under 21 may study but not work, and everyone's status is tied to the specialist's five-year limit.
Same dependant rules, shorter clock
The dependant category does not distinguish between managerial and specialized-knowledge transfers. A spouse admitted in L-2 status can work for any U.S. employer without applying separately for authorization, though the employer will need a document showing that status, and children may enrol in school.
The practical difference between the two L-1 routes is the ceiling: L-1B runs out at five years, so a Boischatel household planning a long assignment should think about what follows earlier than an L-1A family would. Hypothetical example: a building-automation specialist's partner is a self-employed bookkeeper in Québec who wants to keep her Canadian clients while living in the United States; L-2 authorization makes that lawful from an immigration standpoint, but tax, professional-body and client-contract questions are separate. A child who turns 21 mid-assignment loses L-2 status on that birthday and needs a different route, most often as a student, arranged in advance.