UNCLASSIFIED
ROUTINE
R 211800Z JUN 18
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
BT
UNCLAS

NAVADMIN 151/18

PASS TO OFFICE CODES:
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC//N1//
MSGID/GENADMIN/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/JUN//

SUBJ/MILITARY PARENTAL LEAVE PROGRAM//

REF/A/LTR/OSD/23MAR18//
REF/B/LTR/ASN/23MAY18/
REF/C/DOC/DOD/19MAY16//
REF/D/DOC/COMNAVPERSCOM/31MAR11//
REF/E/DOC/OPNAV/12DEC14//
NARR/REF A IS UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR PERSONNEL AND READINESS 
DIRECTIVE-TYPE MEMORANDUM, PARENTAL LEAVE FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL IN 
CONNECTION WITH THE BIRTH OR ADOPTION OF A CHILD.  REF B IS ASSISTANT 
SECRETARY OF THE NAVY (MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS) DIRECTIVE-TYPE 
MEMORANDUM, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY GUIDANCE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 
MILITARY PARENTAL LEAVE PROGRAM.  REF C IS DODI 1327.06, LEAVE AND LIBERTY 
POLICY AND PROCEDURES.  REF D IS NAVPERS 15560D, NAVAL MILITARY PERSONNEL 
MANUAL.  REF E IS OPNAVINST 1754.4A, NAVY ADOPTION REIMBURSEMENT POLICY.//

RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN establishes the Navy Parental Leave Program policy in 
line with references (a) through (c), and replaces MILPERSMAN articles of 
reference (d) 1050-420 (Adoption Leave), 1050-430 (Paternity Leave), and 
1050-435 (Maternity Leave) with MILPERSMAN 1050-415 (Military Parental Leave 
Program) for release in the near future.

2.  The Military Parental Leave Program (MPLP) replaces current adoption, 
paternity, and maternity leave with primary caregiver (PC) leave, secondary 
caregiver (SC) leave, and maternity convalescent leave (MCL).  Members 
designated as the PC for a birth or qualifying adoption are eligible for 6 
weeks of non-chargeable PC Leave (PCL).
Members designated as the SC for a birth or qualifying adoption are eligible 
for 2 weeks of non-chargeable SC Leave (SCL).  Members who give birth are 
entitled to 6 weeks of non-chargeable MCL.  If a member is given MCL in 
excess of 6 weeks, their PCL is reduced day for day.

3.  MPLP applies to all active component (AC) members and all reserve 
component (RC) members who were performing active duties, or mobilized more 
than 12 continuous months and were party to a qualifying birth event (QBE) or 
qualifying adoption (QA) on or after 23 December 2016.  A QBE is defined as a 
live birth.  A QA is defined as an adoption that qualifies for reimbursement 
of adoption expenses in line with reference (e).

4.  MCL is a 6-week (42-day), non-chargeable leave period for the 
birthparent, commencing the first full day following the discharge and 
release of the member from the hospital (or similar facility) following a QBE 
and is intended for the medical recovery of the birthparent.  MCL must be 
executed in one increment and completed before commencing PCL.  Any medically 
required extensions of MCL will be deducted from PCL.

5.  PCL is a 6-week (42-day), non-chargeable leave period for the PC 
following a QBE or qualifying adoption (QA).  PCL will be granted to the 
parent designated with primary responsibility for caring for the birthed or 
adopted child(ren).  PCL must be executed in one increment.  For a QBE, by 
default, the PC will be the parent who physically gives birth to one or 
multiple live children in a 72-hour period.  For a QA, by default, the PC 
will be the non-military parent, or in the case of dual military couples, the 
member who is serving in the least operational position.  The commanding 
officer (CO) of the member has the authority to designate PC status on a 
case-by-case basis when it can be demonstrated that the default PC is 
unavailable to administer the necessary care to the child (e.g., 
incapacitation, dual military couples, death, or other circumstances where 
the military parent must act as PC.)  For dual military couples, only one PC 
and SC will be authorized per QBE or QA.  Under normal situations PC 
designations should be made 60 days prior to the QBE or QA and documented on 
Administrative Remarks NAVPERS 1070/613 (commonly known as a Page 13).

6.  SCL is a 2-week (14-day), non-chargeable leave period for the SC 
following a QBE or QA.  SCL will be granted to the parent not designated as 
the PC.  SCL must be executed in a consecutive block.
Under normal situations SC designations should be made 60 days prior to the 
QBE or QA and documented on NAVPERS 1070/613.

7.  Authorized PCL or SCL that is not commenced within 1 year from the QBE or 
QA will expire.  Any period of deferral of PCL or SCL under this NAVADMIN due 
to an operational deployment shall not be counted against expiration dates.  
No member will be designated as both PC and SC for any QBE or QA.

8.  For a QBE of a child(ren) born outside of a marriage, the member who does 
not give birth is required to establish proof of parentage.
Proof of parentage may include, but is not limited to:
    a.  being listed, with consent, as a parent on the birth certificate of 
the child or other government issued document
    b.  acknowledgement in writing of an obligation to support the child, 
either by voluntary agreement or court order, or
    c.  registration, or pending registration, in the Defense Enrollment 
Eligibility Reporting System (DEERS).

9.  Deployed members or members within 3 months of deployment will normally 
be required to defer PCL/SCL until completion of the deployment.  However, in 
some cases where extraordinary and compelling circumstances exist, COs may 
approve immediate SCL or PCL.
If PCL/SCL was deferred until the completion of deployment, upon approval by 
the CO, and only after being designated as PC/SC, the member may use PCL or 
SCL.

10.  There are two retroactive periods covered by MPLP.
    a.  Sailors who had a QBE or QA from 23 December 2016 to 22 March 2018 
have 18 months from the QBE or QA, to commence PCL or SCL.  Sailors that had 
QBE or QA on or after 23 March 2018 have 12 months from the QBE or QA to 
commence PCL or SCL.  The following conditions apply to retroactive MPLP:
        (1) Members who executed or are executing the 12 weeks of Maternity 
Leave authorized in MILPERSMAN 1050-435 will be considered the PC and will 
not be authorized additional MCL, PCL, or SCL.
        (2) Members who executed 10 days of Parental Leave or 21 days of 
Adoption Leave authorized in MILPERSMAN 1050-420 and 1050-430 may be 
retroactively designated as PC or SC and are, respectively, entitled to a 
total of 42-days or 14-days of non- chargeable leave.  Members may elect to 
execute any remaining PCL or SCL, or have any regular annual leave executed 
in conjunction with the parental or adoption leave reimbursed not to exceed 
the PCL or SCL days authorized.  Any reimbursed leave days in line with this 
election will not qualify for special leave accrual.
    b.  Commands may contact OPNAV N130C for guidance concerning members who, 
in extreme circumstances, cannot commence PCL or SCL within the allotted 
retroactive period.

11.  Members who are no longer on active duty will not be authorized 
entitlements outlined herein or following instruction updates.
Leave recalculations are not authorized.

12.  Birthparent members who do not retain custody of the child(ren) are not 
covered under the MPLP but are eligible for regular convalescent leave as 
prescribed by their health care provider.

13.  Neither AC members nor RC members will be extended on active duty for 
the purposes of taking PCL or SCL.  Members can be extended on active service 
following a QBE when determined medically necessary by a competent medical 
authority.

14.  Special Leave Accrual is not authorized due to excess leave earned 
during MCL, PCL, or SCL.

15.  No member will be disadvantaged in their career, including limitations 
in their assignments (except where members voluntarily agree to accept an 
assignment limitation), performance appraisals, or selection for professional 
military education or training, solely because they take any of the non-
chargeable leave outlined herein.

16.  MCL, PCL, and SCL must be requested through e-Leave in Navy Standard 
Integrated Personnel System (NSIPS).  Until NSIPS is fully updated to include 
the MCL, PCL, and SCL options requests should be selected as *Convalescent* 
with full annotation in the comment section clarifying purpose for leave 
either MCL, PCL, or SCL.  Leave approvers will be responsible for ensuring 
that PC and SC designations are correct and that parental leave does not 
exceed the MCL, PCL, or SCL limits outlined in this NAVADMIN.  Commands not 
on e-Leave with NSIPS will manually track MCL, PCL, and SCL until the command 
begins using e-Leave.

17.  Point of contact for this matter is LT David Rapoff, OPNAV N130C2, at 
(703) 604-5477/DSN 664, or via e-mail at nxag_n130c@navy.mil.

18.  Released by Vice Admiral R. P. Burke, N1.//

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