Navy and Marines get extra week of parental leave for secondary caregivers

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Sailors and Marines who are celebrating the birth or adoption of a child will get extra time to bond with their new family member, thanks to a recent Secondary Caregiver Leave extension.

U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro authorized the extension of the Secondary Caregiver Leave from two weeks to three weeks, according to a press release issued by the Marine Corps on Monday, Feb. 14.

"The expansion of caregiver leave will provide additional relief to the families of Marines and Sailors, further improving Marine and family readiness, as well as recruiting, retention, and overall talent management of the force," the Marine Corps’ release states. 

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"This change reflects the Department’s commitment to ensuring that parents have the best tools to meet their needs after adding a child to their family."

Sailors and Marines who are celebrating the birth or adoption of a child will get extra time to bond with their new family member, thanks to a recent Secondary Caregiver Leave extension. (iStock)

Navy and Marine personnel who are designated "secondary caregivers" by the Military Parental Leave Program will be able to take up to 21 days of "non-chargeable leave."

Those who make use of the Secondary Caregiver Leave benefit will have to take their leave in "one increment of continuous absence," according to the Marine Corps release. 

Secondary Caregiver Leave will also include weekends and holidays.

The branch’s news release indicates that Secondary Caregiver Leave can be taken consecutively with Maternity Convalescent Leave, which is part of the overarching Military Parental Leave Program.

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Sailors and Marines have the option to take a Secondary Caregiver Leave period that’s shorter than 21 days if they wish.

Navy and Marine personnel designated "secondary caregivers" by the Military Parental Leave Program will be able to take up to 21 days of "non-chargeable leave," according to the Secondary Caregiver Leave extension. (iStock)

"Commanders are encouraged to approve SCL in conjunction with annual leave," the release states. "The non-birth parent is generally designated as the secondary caregiver, but either parent may be designated as the primary or secondary caregiver depending on the unique circumstances of the family."

While the Marine Corps announced this change to the public on Monday, the extended Secondary Caregiver Leave benefit went into effect on Friday, Feb. 11, according to Marine Administrative Message 048/22.

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The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Secondary Caregiver Leave extension comes after the Air Force and Army upped their secondary caregiver leave to 21 days in 2018 and 2019, respectively.

Higher-ups at the Navy and Marine Corps plan to study the Secondary Caregiver Leave extension to "identify potential challenges" of additional proposed leave extensions, according to the news release. 

U.S. Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro authorized the extension of the Secondary Caregiver Leave from two weeks to three weeks in February 2022. (U.S. Navy)

A separate release published by the Navy states that the National Defense Authorization Act recently authorized 12 weeks of leave for secondary caregivers, which will go into effect at the end of 2022.

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In a statement, Vice Adm. John B. Nowell Jr., chief of naval personnel, said, "[The] Navy is dedicated to supporting our new parents, and we fully understand that our families are as much a part of our service as our Sailors."