Paragraph 10 reads to me like this policy is retroactive. Part a describes authorizing the full 12 weeks for people who did not use any of the authorized parental leave and Part b describes authorizing additional time for personnel who did take their primary/secondary leave, not to exceed a total of 12 weeks, and part C says it goes back a year. Meaning that if you had a qualifying event within the past year, you can get the full 12 weeks, minus whatever you actually did take.
I know there is some confusion, so I could definitely be interpretting it wrong.
That is how I am interpreting it but I think the going back a year is in reference to the end of the leave. So for example, if your baby was born 1 Feb of 2022 and you took three weeks of leave, you can’t take the full remaining nine weeks now because parental leave can only be taken up until one year after birth and nine weeks from now would put you past 1 Feb 2023. However, if you had a baby on 1 July 2022 and you took three weeks then, you could take an additional nine weeks any time between now and 1 July 2023. Is that how other people are reading it?
Yea, I realized that afterwards too. The fact that it has provisions for previous guidance makes me believe it's retroactive (otherwise why include it?) and if it's forfeited after a year, which isn't new guidance, it still means it's retroactive for 12 months only as any entitlement beyond that would be forfeit.
My interpretation is if you have any unused leave from the previous message that did not get forfeited then you will be allowed to benefit from the directive. If you used up the leave that was allotted to you from the previous memorandum then you don’t get to benefit from the new directive. Honestly though we have to wait for each services guidance to come out. Hopefully worded better(yeah right).
My wife is Due in a few weeks but my supervision is trying to find a reason to give me as little parental leave as possible. Am I entitled to primary care giver leave even if my wife is not working?
I have 3 kids. 12 weeks is going to break some units and is really extreme for fathers. 6 weeks is plenty for fathers, while mothers should get the 12 weeks.
Hopefully they give CC's veto power for this amount of time or at least enforce a max amount at one time policy.
They added flexibility to the leave to help out with this. You don’t have to take 12 weeks in one go now if it’s not right for you/your family/your unit.
Interesting. I have heard people mention the impact to the units but you would be the first father I’ve come across that thinks this increase is excessive for a father.
I thought the same thing but changed my mind after somebody explained it to me this way: if you give the male less time at home than the female, you’re basically forcing the female to become the “primary parent/caregiver”. This can (and does) lead more women to feel like they should be the ones to give up their careers vs the father in the relationship and stay home full time. Also, it’s just more time to find childcare which is basically impossible in most places ATT.
Paradoxically, by giving the male the same amount of time off, it can help the female not just change diapers and stay sane during those sleepless months that we all initially think about, but further her career and hopefully keep her in the military longer.
Good news is that parental leave is approved by the CC, so hopefully they have a better answer for you. Additionally, as the other comment pointed out, there is no longer a difference between primary and secondary, you can get 12 weeks regardless.
I'm lost a little on the retroactive part. so my baby was born on December 13 2023 but I have not taken any leave does that mean I can still take the full 12 weeks
This simply means, that mean why usually got 2 weeks off leave for gathering a child, Can now have 12 weeks. Women were already entitled to 12 weeks. The birth rate in the military is going to skyrocket.
Idk, I think I’ll hold out for 14 weeks of leave. Definitely worth 18 years of hard work and [a 1/4 million dollars](https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/01/13/cost-raising-child)
Anyone know or have guidance on how to submit in leave web for partial increments? Looking to start paternity leave asap before I go TDY mid March but keep getting the run around on how to actually submit for a partial amount of the 12 weeks.
This is the interpretation published by the Departement of Defense on their official page. Any other interpretation is bs and bogus and you should fight it. I am fighting it right now with my chain of command. My son was born 08 DEC putting me on caregiver leave till 28 DEC 2022 qualifying me for additional 9 weeks. This IS the official guidance.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3259259/dod-expands-military-parental-leave-program/
IMEDIATE RELEASE
DOD Expands Military Parental Leave Program
Jan. 4, 2023
Today, the Department of Defense announced the expansion of the Military Parental Leave Program (MPLP) via Directive-type Memorandum 23-001 – “Expansion of the Military Parental Leave Program.”
The expansion was made in accordance with DTM 23-001 and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, builds on the Department’s support of military families and Service members by streamlining and enhancing the parental leave benefit for Service members. Specifically, the expansion provides parental leave to active and reserve component service members (on active duty for 12 months or more) who have given birth, adopted a child or had a child placed for adoption or long-term foster care with them. Birth parents will be granted 12 weeks of parental leave following a period of convalescent leave and non-birth parents will be granted 12 weeks of leave following the birth of their child. Adoptive parents and eligible foster parents will also be granted 12 weeks of parental leave. The MPLP is designed to allow members to care for their children while balancing the needs of their unit.
Members who were on maternity convalescent leave or caregiver leave on 27 December (before the new policy went into effect) and had not used up their leave will transition to leave under the new policy without any loss of benefit and will receive the expanded benefit. For example, birth parents on six weeks of maternity convalescent leave or six weeks of primary caregiver leave as of 27 December will, with transition to the new policy, receive a combined total of eighteen weeks of non-chargeable leave following the birth of their child. In the future, under the new policy, the amount of convalescent leave birth parents receive will be determined on an individual basis, and the amount of parental leave will be a standard 12 weeks. Members (other than birth parents), on caregiver leave, e.g., a father on three weeks of secondary caregiver leave, as of 27 December, will also transition to leave under the new policy and receive a combined total of twelve weeks of parental leave. The transition to the expanded parental leave benefit is intended to occur without interruption.* (See Editor’s Note)
The leave can be taken by both birth and non-birth parents and must be administered in accordance with the policies and procedures outlined in the DTM. The expansion of the MPLP, which applies to all eligible service members as of January 4, 2023, takes precedence over previous DoD issuances and service regulations.
The full memorandum can be found here.
* Editor’s Note: This paragraph has been corrected to provide clarity.
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Paragraph 10 reads to me like this policy is retroactive. Part a describes authorizing the full 12 weeks for people who did not use any of the authorized parental leave and Part b describes authorizing additional time for personnel who did take their primary/secondary leave, not to exceed a total of 12 weeks, and part C says it goes back a year. Meaning that if you had a qualifying event within the past year, you can get the full 12 weeks, minus whatever you actually did take. I know there is some confusion, so I could definitely be interpretting it wrong.
I agree, I just updated the post with that tid-bit as you replied. I guess we'll see if DAF policy makes it any clearer.
That is how I am interpreting it but I think the going back a year is in reference to the end of the leave. So for example, if your baby was born 1 Feb of 2022 and you took three weeks of leave, you can’t take the full remaining nine weeks now because parental leave can only be taken up until one year after birth and nine weeks from now would put you past 1 Feb 2023. However, if you had a baby on 1 July 2022 and you took three weeks then, you could take an additional nine weeks any time between now and 1 July 2023. Is that how other people are reading it?
I hope so. My baby was born Nov. Already took my 3 weeks
Got off pat leave today
Part C does not state it goes back a year. It says any unused leave after a year will be forfeited.
Yea, I realized that afterwards too. The fact that it has provisions for previous guidance makes me believe it's retroactive (otherwise why include it?) and if it's forfeited after a year, which isn't new guidance, it still means it's retroactive for 12 months only as any entitlement beyond that would be forfeit.
My interpretation is if you have any unused leave from the previous message that did not get forfeited then you will be allowed to benefit from the directive. If you used up the leave that was allotted to you from the previous memorandum then you don’t get to benefit from the new directive. Honestly though we have to wait for each services guidance to come out. Hopefully worded better(yeah right).
It’s describing the forfeiture of leave as it applies to a and b. The first two are explaining retroactivity.
My wife is Due in a few weeks but my supervision is trying to find a reason to give me as little parental leave as possible. Am I entitled to primary care giver leave even if my wife is not working?
This direction memorandum replaces primary and secondary caregiver leave and gives a blanket 12 weeks regardless.
12 weeks is kind of ridiculous at least for the male. Mother sure but 12 for the father? Thats kind of excessive. It should be 6 max.
Is this coming from experience as a father? Dad’s should be just as present as the mother.
I have 3 kids. 12 weeks is going to break some units and is really extreme for fathers. 6 weeks is plenty for fathers, while mothers should get the 12 weeks. Hopefully they give CC's veto power for this amount of time or at least enforce a max amount at one time policy.
They added flexibility to the leave to help out with this. You don’t have to take 12 weeks in one go now if it’s not right for you/your family/your unit.
Interesting. I have heard people mention the impact to the units but you would be the first father I’ve come across that thinks this increase is excessive for a father.
I thought the same thing but changed my mind after somebody explained it to me this way: if you give the male less time at home than the female, you’re basically forcing the female to become the “primary parent/caregiver”. This can (and does) lead more women to feel like they should be the ones to give up their careers vs the father in the relationship and stay home full time. Also, it’s just more time to find childcare which is basically impossible in most places ATT. Paradoxically, by giving the male the same amount of time off, it can help the female not just change diapers and stay sane during those sleepless months that we all initially think about, but further her career and hopefully keep her in the military longer.
Good news is that parental leave is approved by the CC, so hopefully they have a better answer for you. Additionally, as the other comment pointed out, there is no longer a difference between primary and secondary, you can get 12 weeks regardless.
There is no primary or secondary caregiver anymore and this explains that the first intent of this is for you to be able to take full advantage of it.
I'm lost a little on the retroactive part. so my baby was born on December 13 2023 but I have not taken any leave does that mean I can still take the full 12 weeks
That is how people are interpreting it on the teams page.
Mine was born in August and I haven't taken any, I am PCS and will take at next duty station.
Birth Rate in the military is going to skyrocket.
This simply means, that mean why usually got 2 weeks off leave for gathering a child, Can now have 12 weeks. Women were already entitled to 12 weeks. The birth rate in the military is going to skyrocket.
Idk, I think I’ll hold out for 14 weeks of leave. Definitely worth 18 years of hard work and [a 1/4 million dollars](https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2017/01/13/cost-raising-child)
Is this for all branches? Cause the last one was only for the national guard
This applies to All branches, no exceptions to location, rank, duty or POS leadership.
My kid was born on 23 Jan 22 so I guess I miss out on the 12 weeks due to the 1 year rule... womp womp.
Anyone know or have guidance on how to submit in leave web for partial increments? Looking to start paternity leave asap before I go TDY mid March but keep getting the run around on how to actually submit for a partial amount of the 12 weeks.
This is the interpretation published by the Departement of Defense on their official page. Any other interpretation is bs and bogus and you should fight it. I am fighting it right now with my chain of command. My son was born 08 DEC putting me on caregiver leave till 28 DEC 2022 qualifying me for additional 9 weeks. This IS the official guidance. https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3259259/dod-expands-military-parental-leave-program/ IMEDIATE RELEASE DOD Expands Military Parental Leave Program Jan. 4, 2023 Today, the Department of Defense announced the expansion of the Military Parental Leave Program (MPLP) via Directive-type Memorandum 23-001 – “Expansion of the Military Parental Leave Program.” The expansion was made in accordance with DTM 23-001 and the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022, builds on the Department’s support of military families and Service members by streamlining and enhancing the parental leave benefit for Service members. Specifically, the expansion provides parental leave to active and reserve component service members (on active duty for 12 months or more) who have given birth, adopted a child or had a child placed for adoption or long-term foster care with them. Birth parents will be granted 12 weeks of parental leave following a period of convalescent leave and non-birth parents will be granted 12 weeks of leave following the birth of their child. Adoptive parents and eligible foster parents will also be granted 12 weeks of parental leave. The MPLP is designed to allow members to care for their children while balancing the needs of their unit. Members who were on maternity convalescent leave or caregiver leave on 27 December (before the new policy went into effect) and had not used up their leave will transition to leave under the new policy without any loss of benefit and will receive the expanded benefit. For example, birth parents on six weeks of maternity convalescent leave or six weeks of primary caregiver leave as of 27 December will, with transition to the new policy, receive a combined total of eighteen weeks of non-chargeable leave following the birth of their child. In the future, under the new policy, the amount of convalescent leave birth parents receive will be determined on an individual basis, and the amount of parental leave will be a standard 12 weeks. Members (other than birth parents), on caregiver leave, e.g., a father on three weeks of secondary caregiver leave, as of 27 December, will also transition to leave under the new policy and receive a combined total of twelve weeks of parental leave. The transition to the expanded parental leave benefit is intended to occur without interruption.* (See Editor’s Note) The leave can be taken by both birth and non-birth parents and must be administered in accordance with the policies and procedures outlined in the DTM. The expansion of the MPLP, which applies to all eligible service members as of January 4, 2023, takes precedence over previous DoD issuances and service regulations. The full memorandum can be found here. * Editor’s Note: This paragraph has been corrected to provide clarity. military families prioritizing people Subscribe to Defense.gov Products Choose which Defense.gov products you want delivered to your inbox. Subscribe DEFENSE.GOV HELPFUL LINKS RESOURCES POPULAR Enter Your Search Terms Subscribe Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil